University of Houston Athletics
Cougars Meet No. 22 USF on ESPN3
2/19/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
HOUSTON â€" The Houston Cougar Women's Basketball team returns to the friendly confines of Hofheinz Pavilion for a midweek matchup against No. 22 USF. Tipoff against the Bulls is scheduled for 7 p.m., Tuesday with the contest airing live on ESPN3.
Fans who cannot make it to Hofheinz on Tuesday can see all of the action live via ESPN3. Fran Harris will have play-by-play duties, while Steffi Sorensen will serve as the analyst. Fans can also hear the game live via Houston's home for Women's Basketball Radio, UHCougars.com/wbbradio. Live statistics are also available through , and the official Twitter account of Houston Women's Basketball, @UHCougarWBB, will offer updates throughout the game. LIVE VIDEO | | TWITTER
THE STARTING FIVE
Here are five names, numbers, news items and storylines that you need to know about Tuesday's game against No. 22 USF.
Against The Best â€" The Cougars are 17-134 all-time when playing against ranked opponents. USF will be the second ranked opponent this season for Houston after meeting No. 1 UConn in January.
Breaking The Streak â€" The Cougars have dropped 18 straight contests against ranked opponents dating back to a 79-70 win over No. 21 Nebraska on Dec. 18, 2010.
Freshman Sensation â€" Guard Jasmyne Harris has been one of the top freshmen in the American Conference this season. Harris has scored in double figures in 17 of the last 20 games and is averaging 13.1 points per game in that span.
Harris & Harris â€" Angela and Jasmyne Harris are climbing up the freshman all-time ranks. Angela ranks in the top-10 in seven different categories, while Jasmyne is top-10 in nine.
Just This Once â€" USF will be the last of Houston's unique opponents this year, and they will meet the American foe just once during the regular season.
SERIES vs. USF
Saturday's game marks the 18th time the two teams will meet and the 10th time inside Hofheinz Pavilion.
USF has won the last four contests in the series, including the most recent matchup a 73-49 win in Tampa on Jan. 27, 2016.
The last time the two squads met inside Hofheinz Pavilion, the Bulls came away victorious with a 71-55 win on Jan. 21, 2015. Houston is 3-6 all-time at home against USF.
SCOUTING THE BULLS
USF enters play with a 20-6 overall record and a 9-4 mark in American Athletic Conference play, following a pair of losses last week. The Bulls fell to in-state rival UCF 66-62 on Tuesday, before dropping a top-25 matchup with Temple on Sunday, 77-71.
As a team, the Bulls score 71.7 points per game while holding their opponents to just 58.9 points per contest. From the field, USF shoots 43.4 percent while making 33.0 percent of their 3-point attempts. Conversely, the Bulls hold opponents to 36.9 percent from the field and 30.7 percent from deep.
Individually, the Bulls are led offensively by a trio of players that average double-figure scoring. Kitija Laksa, one of the top scorers in the conference leads the team with 19.2 points per game, while Maria Jespersen scores 15.2 and Ariadna Pujol contributes 12.9 points per game. On the glass, Jespersen paces USF by pulling down 9.1 rebounds per contest.
THE SEASON SO FAR
Houston enters play with a 10-16 record and a 3-10 mark in American Conference play after defeating Tulsa 65-62 on the road last Wednesday.
Houston has been led offensively by freshman guard Jasmyne Harris who has tallied 11.2 points per contest. Freshman guard Angela Harris ranks second on the team at 9.9 points per game, while Chyanne Butler adds 8.5 per contest.
The Cougars have been impressive on the glass this season, led by Serithia Hawkins who has pulled down 7.6 rebounds per contest. Jasmyne Harris is averaging 5.4 boards per game, while junior Brianne Coffman pulls down 4.5 per game.
PURCHASE A SHASTA PASS
The Houston Athletics Ticket Office is proud to offer the Shasta Pass for the 2016-17 athletic season. For just $80, Cougar fans can purchase one Shasta Pass, which allows season-long general admission entrance to all Houston Women's Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer and Softball home games. Fans can order a Shasta Pass by clicking .
FLOOR SEATS SEASON TICKET PACKAGE
The Houston Athletics Ticket Office also offers a Floor Seats season ticket package. For just $250, fans will have courtside access to all 14 Houston home games in 2016-17. Fans can purchase a season ticket package for Floor Seats by clicking HERE.
SINGLE-GAME TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Single-game tickets for all 14 games inside Hofheinz Pavilion are on sale now via the Houston Athletics Ticket Office. Prices begin at just $5 for general admission seats and range up to $20 for floor seats. General admission group tickets are offered to parties of 10+ for $3 each. Single-game tickets can be purchased HERE.
FERTITTA PLEDGES $20 MILLION TO ATHLETICS
Tilman J. Fertitta, globally recognized entrepreneur and Chairman of the University of Houston System Board of Regents, presented a historic $20 million gift to the University of Houston to transform the UH basketball arena into a state of the art collegiate sports facility and rename the arena Fertitta Center. Fertitta's gift is the largest individual donation to UH Athletics.
The Fertitta gift is a significant step forward in the $60 million University of Houston Basketball capital renewal project for the center's design and renovation. Design work is currently underway. Renovations and construction are scheduled to follow the 2016-17 season, with completion expected during the 2018-19 season. Plans for the Cougars' home facility during the 2017-18 season have not been finalized.
The facility will feature a premium club area and a courtside club. The reconfigured bowl will move mid-court seating locations closer to game action with floor-level seating opposite the team benches for UH students. Renovations include a new audio system, sports lighting and video boards as well as new concession stands and expanded restrooms. The facility's exterior also will be refreshed.
Prominent to the center's exterior, the renovation will preserve the legacy of the Hofheinz family and its contributions to both UH and the city of Houston. UH will transform an area adjacent to the new facility into Hofheinz Plaza, where fans will be greeted by a bronze statue of former Harris County Judge Roy Hofheinz. The University of Houston will request that city officials rename a portion of Holman Street in front of the arena after the Hofheinz family. In addition, Roy Hofheinz's records will be permanently archived and publicly accessible as a special collection in the UH library and the Alumni Center will house an area describing the lives and public service of Roy and Irene Hofheinz.
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.
