University of Houston Athletics
Saturday, January 17
Houston, Texas
1 p.m.
University of Houston
6-12,0-7Big 12
61
vs
71
Utah
14-5,5-2Big 12
1
2
3
4
F
Utah
20
22
10
19
71
Houston
13
8
19
21
61
Women’s Basketball Second Half Comeback Bid Falls Short Against rv Utah
1/17/2026 4:33:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Cougars outscore Utes 40-29 in the second half
HOUSTON – Despite a late push in the second half, the University of Houston Women's Basketball team's comeback bid fell short, falling 71-61 against rv/- Utah inside the Fertitta Center on Saturday afternoon.
Senior guard TK Pitts led the Cougars (6-12, 0-7 Big 12) with 14 points, including 11 in the second half. Junior guard Kierra Merchant followed with 13 points.
Utah's (14-5, 5-2 Big 12) Lani White led the Utes with 19 points on the day.
Following a quick 5-0 Utah lead, Houston responded with a 10-2 run to take an early advantage into the media timeout. The Utes regained momentum, outscoring the Cougars 13-3 to end the quarter with a 20-13 lead.
Utah continued to extend its lead in the second quarter and limited the Houston offense to take a 38-15 lead. Two late 3-pointers from the Cougars, including a half-court shot at the buzzer from sophomore guard Shun'teria Anumele, cut the deficit to 42-21 heading into the half.
The Cougars found rhythm offensively to open the second half, slowly chipping away at the deficit to 19. Houston ended the period on a 7-0 run, capped off by an old-school 3-point play from freshman forward Jade Jones, cutting the gap to 12 points at 52-40.
The Cougars carried over momentum offensively into the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit down to single digits at 54-45 with eight minutes remaining. Utah pushed back to build a 17-point lead, going on a 9-2 run to lead 67-50 late in the quarter. Despite a late surge to close the gap down to 10, Houston's second-half comeback bid fell short.
UP NEXT
Houston will go back on the road and face Kansas State at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, inside Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kan.
SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Women's Basketball by providing NIL opportunities, purchasing tickets and joining Full Court Press, which provides support directly to Houston Women's Basketball for needs beyond its operating budget.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarWBB on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarWBB or on the team's Instagram page at @UHCougarWBB.
Senior guard TK Pitts led the Cougars (6-12, 0-7 Big 12) with 14 points, including 11 in the second half. Junior guard Kierra Merchant followed with 13 points.
Utah's (14-5, 5-2 Big 12) Lani White led the Utes with 19 points on the day.
Following a quick 5-0 Utah lead, Houston responded with a 10-2 run to take an early advantage into the media timeout. The Utes regained momentum, outscoring the Cougars 13-3 to end the quarter with a 20-13 lead.
Utah continued to extend its lead in the second quarter and limited the Houston offense to take a 38-15 lead. Two late 3-pointers from the Cougars, including a half-court shot at the buzzer from sophomore guard Shun'teria Anumele, cut the deficit to 42-21 heading into the half.
The Cougars found rhythm offensively to open the second half, slowly chipping away at the deficit to 19. Houston ended the period on a 7-0 run, capped off by an old-school 3-point play from freshman forward Jade Jones, cutting the gap to 12 points at 52-40.
The Cougars carried over momentum offensively into the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit down to single digits at 54-45 with eight minutes remaining. Utah pushed back to build a 17-point lead, going on a 9-2 run to lead 67-50 late in the quarter. Despite a late surge to close the gap down to 10, Houston's second-half comeback bid fell short.
UP NEXT
Houston will go back on the road and face Kansas State at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, inside Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kan.
SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Women's Basketball by providing NIL opportunities, purchasing tickets and joining Full Court Press, which provides support directly to Houston Women's Basketball for needs beyond its operating budget.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarWBB on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarWBB or on the team's Instagram page at @UHCougarWBB.
– UHCougars.com –
Team Stats
Utah
UH
FG%
.473
.333
3FG%
.393
.263
FT%
.800
.824
RB
37
35
TO
19
15
STL
6
6
Game Leaders
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
6
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
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