-/RV Houston Opens Season at 24/RV Cal

Tuesday, November 6

Berkeley, Calif.

9 p.m.

University of Houston

California

Buy Tickets

11/5/2018 9:43:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Cougars set to open fifth season of Ronald Hughey era

HOUSTON – The -/RV Houston Cougar Women's Basketball team opens up the fifth season of the Ronald Hughey era with a west-coast road trip to 24/RV Cal on Tuesday, in Berkeley, Calif.

Fans can hear the 2018-19 season opener live via Houston's home for Women's Basketball Radio, UHCougars.com/wbbradio. A live stream of Tuesday's game will also be available courtesy of Cal Athletics and can be found by clicking HERE. Live statistics are also available through StatBroadcast, and the official Twitter account of Houston Women's Basketball, @UHCougarWBB, will offer updates throughout the game.

THE STARTING FIVE
Here are five names, numbers, news items and storylines you need to know about the season opener at Cal.

Season Openers – Houston is 30-13 all-time in season openers, including an 8-7 mark when opening on the road. The Cougars opened the 1983-84 season on the road at California, where they fell 80-75.

Series vs. Cal – Houston and California have met just twice in their histories, and the series record sits even at 1-1. Houston won the series opener in 1982 before Cal claimed the return match the following year.

American Awards – For the first time since joining The American, Houston had players named to the American Preseason All-Conference teams with Jasmyne Harris landing of the First Team and Angela Harris named Second Team.

Coming Home – Houston has three players from the state of California on their roster. Julia Blackshell-Fair, Dymond Gladney and Doris Jones will all enjoy return trips to their home state.

Familiar Five – Houston returns all five starters from its 2017-18 season and will also feature an astounding 96.9 percent of its scoring returning for the 2018-19 campaign.

SERIES vs. CAL
Houston and Cal have met twice previously in their histories, however 2018 marks the first time the two squads will meet since 1983.

The Cougars claimed the first meeting between the two programs with a 79-71 win on Dec. 14, 1982 in Houston, however the Bears claimed the return match the following year, 80-75 on Nov. 25 in Berkeley, Calif. The matchup against Cal in 1983 also served as Houston's season-opener.

ABOUT THE COUGARS
Houston enters the 2018-19 season fresh off a 20-win season and its first postseason appearance since 2010-11, which featured a trip to the WNIT, where they met South Dakota.

In 2017-18, Houston was led offensively by now-junior guard Jasmyne Harris, who averaged 19.6 points per game to rank third in The American, while her 21.7 points per night in league play paced the conference. Junior Angela Harris averaged 14.9 points per contest a season ago, while Serithia Hawkins, the Cougars' lone 4-year senior, put in 12.0 points per game.

As a team in 2017-18, the Cougars scored 73.7 points per night, which ranked third in American play, and the Cougars will return 96.9 percent of their points from a season ago. The Cougars shot 41.2 percent from the field and 34.0 from beyond the arc. On the defensive side, Houston allowed opponents to score 70.9 points, on 41.9 percent from the field, but they held opponents to an impressive 28.3 percent from beyond the 3-point line which ranked second in The American.

For the third-consecutive season, Houston was led on the boards by Hawkins, who pulled down 8.1 rebounds per game in 2017-18. Hawkins enters the season ranked inside the top-10 on the Houston all-time rebounding lists in each, defensive, offensive and total rebounds as well as rebounds per game.

Houston was one of the strongest defensive teams in The American last season, leading the league with 11.1 steals per game and ranking second in total steals with 356. Those numbers ranked No. 13 and No. 16 nationally. Individually, Angela Harris led the American Athletic Conference in steals (93) and steals per game (2.91), while each of her totals sat 15th and 16th nationally.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN BEARS
California finished the 2017-18 season with a 21-11 overall record and an 11-7 mark in Pac-12 play. The Golden Bears advanced to the second round of the Pac-12 Women's Basketball Tournament, before advancing to the First Round of the NCAA Tournament, where as a No. 7 seed they fell 68-62 to No. 10 seed Virginia.

A season ago, the Bears averaged 69.0 points per game on 45.4 percent from the field and 33.9 percent from beyond the 3-point line while allowing opponents to score just 65.9 points per game and shot 39.7 and 32.2 from the field and beyond the arc, respectively. Cal returns all three of its leading scorers from 2017-18, including Kristine Anigwe (16.7 ppg.), Mi'Cole Cayton (13.0 ppg.) and Asha Thomas (12.8 ppg.)

California held a decisive advantage on the glass last season, pulling down 5.5 more rebounds per night than their opponents at 38.3 to 32.8. Anigwe led all Bears with 8.8 rebounds per game, but Cal will look to replace its second-best rebounder in Penina Davidson, who pulled down 7.0 boards per night in her senior season.

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.