Houston Picked Third in American Preseason Poll
10/15/2018 10:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jasmyne Harris, Angela Harris earn preseason All-Conference honors
PHILADELPHIA – The Houston Cougar Women's Basketball team was picked third in the annual American Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, the league office announced Monday at American Athletic Conference Basketball Media Day. Additionally, junior guards Jasmyne Harris and Angela Harris were named to Preseason All-Conference teams.
Head Coach Ronald Hughey's Cougars earned their highest preseason ranking in the poll since joining the league, earning 95 points from fellow coaches. The Cougars are slotted behind UConn, who received 10 first place-votes and 121 points, and USF who received one first-place vote and 111 points.
The Cougars enter 2018-19 on the strength of their first postseason appearance since 2010-11 after advancing to the First Round of the WNIT a season ago. Houston won 20 games for the first time in seven years and returns all five starters and 96.9 percent of its scoring from a team that finished fifth in the league in 2017-18.
Two of those returning starters are Jasmyne Harris and Angela Harris, who will anchor the Cougars' backcourt with new conference laurels. Jasmyne Harris was named to the Preseason All-Conference First Team, while Angela Harris earned Second-Team honors.
Jasmyne Harris was Houston's leading scorer for the second-consecutive season in 2017-18, putting in 19.6 points per night. In conference play, Harris upped those numbers to 21.7 points per contest, which paced The American. Harris tallied four double-doubles during her sophomore season and became Houston's first student-athlete to score 30 points in a game since Porsche Landry in 2012. Harris finished the season with double-figure points in her final 22 games and in 29 of 31 overall.
Angela Harris turned into one of the top defenders in the nation a season ago while becoming a sharpshooter from beyond the 3-point line as well. Harris' 92 steals and 2.91 steals per game each paced The American and ranked 15th and 16th in the nation, respectively. From beyond the arc, Harris made 85 3-pointers in her sophomore season, ranking third in the league, and giving her 137 in her career, which is seventh on the all-time Houston 3-pointers made list after just two seasons.
Houston opens the 2018-19 campaign with a road matchup at Cal on Nov. 6 before beginning the home portion of the season by welcoming Georgia Tech for a 7 p.m. CT, tipoff on Nov. 9. The Cougars will play their first three home games on the campus of TSU before moving into the Fertitta Center with a matchup against Texas A&M on Dec. 6.
AMERICAN POLLS
Coaches Poll
1. UConn (10), 121 points
2. USF (1), 111 points
3. Houston, 95 points
4. UCF, 92 points
5. Cincinnati, 74 points
6. Temple, 72 points
7. SMU, 55 points
8. ECU, 46 points
9. Tulane, 42 points
10. Wichita State, 35 points
11. Memphis, 25 points
12. Tulsa, 24 points
Preseason Player of the Year
Katie Lou Samuelson, UConn
Preseason All-Conference Team
First Team
Napheesa Collier, UConn
Crystal Dangerfield, UConn
Katie Lou Samuelson, UConn
Jasmyne Harris, Houston
Kitija Laksa, USF
Second Team
Angela Harris, Houston
Laura Ferreira, USF
Alicia Froling, SMU
Alliya Butts, Temple
Mia Davis, Temple
SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Season tickets for the 2018-19 season are on sale now and start at just $50 for General Admission seating and feature options for reserved seating as well. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit UHCougars.com/tickets or click HERE. Fans can also reach the UH Ticket Office by phone at 713-GO-COOGS (462-6647).
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.
