University of Houston
11-17 (4-11)
East Carolina
11-18 (2-14)
Cougars Close Hofheinz with Win over ECU
2/25/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
HOUSTON â€" The Houston Cougar Women's Basketball team finished its final season inside historic Hofheinz Pavilion with an 81-65 win over East Carolina in the team's home finale. The Cougars honored seniors Jacqueline Blake and Kierra Graves prior to the contest.
Houston's defense had a stellar first quarter, holding East Carolina to 26.7 percent (4-of15) shooting in the period. Led by five points from freshman Angela Harris, the Cougars raced out to an early 7-2 lead before the teams traded buckets the remainder of the quarter. Houston scored 12 of the last 19 points to take a 14-10 lead into the break.
Each team found its rhythm in the second quarter, and the scoring picked up for the remainder of the half. The Pirates tied the score at 18 early in the quarter, on a 3-pointer from Antoinette Bannister. However, the Cougars answered with four straight points on baskets by Blake and Serithia Hawkins to regain the lead. East Carolina was able to keep the score within four points for the majority of the period, but shot just 3-of-12 from the free-throw line in the first half. As a result, the Cougars ended the half with five straight points from senior Kierra Graves to take a 33-27 lead into the locker room.
Freshman Jasmyne Harris caught fire in the second half after being limited to just four points in the first 20 minutes. Harris led the Cougars with nine points in the third quarter including a big 3-pointer to stop an East Carolina run. The Pirates cut Houston's lead to three with 7:01 remaining in the quarter on a 3-point play from Kristen Gaffney. However, Houston rattled off eight straight points to extend the lead back to 11. The Pirates worked the score back down to single digits but with 52 second remaining in the quarter, Harris buried her three, and Houston took a 59-48 lead into the final quarter.
Harris put on a show in the final quarter for the Cougars inside Hofheinz Pavilion. The Freeport, Texas, native scored 14 of her career-high 27 points in the fourth, and shot 6-of-7 from the field and 2-of-3 from beyond the 3-point line. East Carolina trimmed the lead to nine on the first bucket of the quarter but the Cougars outscored the Pirates 22-15 down the stretch to win 81-65.
THE BASICS
Score: Houston 81, East Carolina 65
Date: Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017
Location: Hofheinz Pavilion (Houston, Texas)
TURNING POINT
East Carolina cut the lead to three points at 39-36 with 7:01 remaining in the third quarter. The Cougars would then reel off eight straight points and 10-of-12 to push the lead to double digits and out of reach for good.
TOP PERFORMERS
Houston: The Cougars had four players finish in double figures including Jasmyne Harris' career-best 27 points. Senior Jacqueline Blake tallied 13 points in her final game in front of the home fans, while freshman Angela Harris and junior Chyanne Butler added 10 each. Sophomore Serithia Hawkins led the Cougars with 11 rebounds, while senior Kierra Graves scored nine points, pulled down four rebounds and assisted on three baskets in her final home game.
East Carolina: The Pirates picked up a big night from Antoinnette Bannister who finished the contest with 16 points on 6-of-14 shooting. Alex Frazier and Bre McDonald also scored in double-figures with 14 and 12 points respectively. Kristen Gaffney led the Pirates on the glass with nine rebounds.
NEWS AND NOTES
- The 81 points scored for Houston is the most the team has tallied against an American Athletic Conference opponent in the four years of the league's existence.
- The 81 points also ranks as the most Houston has scored against a conference opponent since Feb. 6, 2011, when they scored 85 in a win over Tulane, when each team was in Conference USA.
- With her 27 points and eight rebounds, freshman Jasmyne Harris became just the fifth freshman in school history to score 300 points and pull down 150 rebounds in her rookie season. Harris joins Pat Luckey, (495 points, 225 rebounds), Monica Lamb (390 points, 222 rebounds), Sha'Ratta Hawkins (401 points, 163 rebounds) and Jennifer Jones (312 points, 241 rebounds) as the only freshman in school history to accomplish the feat.
- With 325 points this season, Harris moved into No. 6 on the all-time freshman scoring list, passing Jennifer Jones who scored 312 in 1994-95.
- Houston dominated nearly every statistical category. The Cougars won points in the paint 40-30, points off turnovers 26-12, second chance points 18-13, fast break points 18-2 and bench points 16-8.
- After the Pirates claimed the lead early in the contest at 3-2, Houston answered with a 3-pointer and never relinquished the lead. The Cougars led for 37:23 in the game.
- Saturday's contest was the final game inside Hofheinz Pavilion for the Cougars, as the arena will undergo large-scale renovations following the season.
- As part of the final-game celebration, the program had over 60 Houston Cougar Women's Basketball alumni on hand for the contest.
UP NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
Houston wraps the 2016-17 regular season with a showdown against in-state rival SMU. The Cougars tipoff against the Mustangs at 7 p.m., on Monday, inside Moody Coliseum.
STAY CONNECTED
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