Laila Blair scored a career-high 30 points in UH women’s basketball’s upset over No. 24 USF on Sunday. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
Led by junior guard Laila Blair’s career-high 30 points, Houston women’s basketball handed No. 24 South Florida its first conference loss, defeating the Bulls 71-69 on Sunday afternoon in Tampa, Fla.
The upset extends UH’s win streak to four games, with the Cougars winning seven of their last 10 after starting the season 3-10 to move to 10-13 overall and 7-3 in AAC play.
After being down 5-4 early in the first quarter, Blair hit a 3 to put the Cougars ahead. UH never trailed for the rest of the game.
Up 12 at halftime, the Cougars’ lead shrunk as the Bulls put together a strong surge in the third quarter to get them within three points entering the fourth quarter.
Up 69-66, junior forward Avalon Miller came up with a huge block with 44 seconds left to keep UH in front. A couple of free throws from senior forward Bria Patterson sealed the Cougars’ upset.
Patterson finished with 11 points.
Guards Britney Onyeje and Tiara Young rounded out the Cougars in double figures, scoring 14 and 13 points respectively.
