University of Houston Athletics
University of Houston
4-16, 0-9AAC
Cincinnati
7-13, 3-6AAC
Comeback Falls Shy for Cougars in Cincinnati
1/30/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Cincinnati, Ohio â€" Senior guard Alecia Smith led the Houston Cougar women's basketball team with 10 points, in a come-from-behind bid that fell just short, as the Cougars fell 56-50 to Cincinnati on Saturday, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
"We final played hard for 40 minutes," Head Coach Ronald Hughey said. "The thing that we didn't do was we gave up a crucial rebound in the last three minutes, and we fouled a little bit too much. We were a little too aggressive on the defensive end. The biggest thing was we took care of the basketball. We almost got a shot every possession and ended up with only 10 turnovers for the game. I'm really proud of that. We just have to stay consistent and build on the things we did well."
Despite the Cougars falling behind by nine at the end of the first quarter, Houston never quit and was able to pull within two points multiple times throughout the game, but could not get over the hump and claim the lead from the Bearcats.
THE BASICS
Score: Cincinnati 56, Houston 50
Records: Houston 4-16 (0-9), Cincinnati 7-13 (3-6)
Date: Saturday, January 30, 2016
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio (Fifth Third Arena)
TURNING POINT
The Cougars cut the lead to two points at 50-48 with just 2:07 to play in the game. After Smith made 2-of-2 free throws to cut the lead to 50-45, Houston got a huge stop at the other end, when junior Jacqueline Blake took a change down low on the Bearcats' Ana Owens. Smith struck again with only Houston's second 3-pointer of the game with 2:07 remaining to cut the lead to two. However, Cincinnati was able to pull down crucial rebounds down the stretch by Jasmine Whitfield and Alyesha Lovett to seal the game for Cincinnati.
TOP PERFORMERS
Houston: Freshman Serithia Hawkins continued to be a force on the glass, pulling down a career-best 12 rebounds to go along with seven points. Hawkins entered Saturday's game ranked eighth in the American Athletic Conference with 6.6 boards per game. Alecia Smith led all Cougars in points with 10 on 4-of-10 shooting.
Cincinnati: Three Bearcats scored in double-figures to lead Cincinnati in the contest. Alyesha Lovett led all scorers with 18 points while collecting a game-high seven rebounds. Ana Owens also collected seven boards and added 13 points of her own. Jasmine Whitfield scored 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Houston got a big competition from its bench players. The Cougar non-starters outscored the Bearcat non-starters 20-0 in the game.
- Despite losing the rebound battle 37-35, the Cougars won the fight on the offensive glass 11-9. The 11 offensive boards for Houston led to 10 second chance points.
- Houston outscored Cincinnati 22-14 in points in the paint.
NEWS & NOTES
- The Cougars have been improving lately on taking care of the basketball. The team turned the ball over just 10 times against the Bearcats which is a new season-low.
- Freshman Serithia Hawkins collected a career-best 12 rebounds, surpassing her previous best of 11 which she had against UTRGV on Dec. 20.
- Hawkins also matched a career-best in assists with four. She has accomplished this feat three times.
UP NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
Houston finally returns home to the friendly confines of Hofheinz Pavilion when they host UCF on Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 7 p.m.
$50 SHASTA PASS NOW AVAILABLE
The Houston Fan Experience Headquarters is proud to offer the Shasta Pass for the 2015-16 athletic season. For only $50, Cougar fans can purchase one Shasta Pass, which allows season-long general admission entrance to all Houston Women's Basketball and Softball home games.
The Shasta Pass offers Houston fans a substantial savings as single-game tickets start at $8 for all four sports. Fans can save $126 alone during the Houston fall sports seasons. To purchase a Shasta Pass, CLICK HERE.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive daily information and in-game updates by following @UHCougarWBB on Twitter. Fans can also catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at facebook.com/UHCougarWBB.
