The Cougars open their season against the Texas Southern University Tigers tonight.
UH leads the all-time series 11-1 against TSU, with UH taking an 88-71 victory in the last meeting between these two cross-city schools.
The Cougars, who were without their leading scorer Tye Jackson, lost their exhibition game on Friday against the Houston Jaguars 83-80 after leading most of the game but falling short in the end.
Jackson is an integral part of the team as one-half of the experienced backcourt that the Cougars will rely on tonight. Twiggy McIntyre, the other half, started the exhibition game and finished with 17 points.
Also leading the Cougars against the Tigers tonight will be another senior, forward Ryan Meyers.
Meyers missed most of last season because of a hand injury, but started out strong against the Jaguars, going 9-for-14 and logging ten rebounds in her effort.
The team will look for these three seniors to step up in tonight’s season-opener.
In practice, the Cougars have been trying to correct their problems on defense. They are also working on improving their accuracy from the free-throw line, which was one of their problems in closing out the game against the Jaguars, after leading at the half.
Looking forward to the game against TSU, coach Danny Hughes said that the Tigers were very strong down low.
"I think they have some inside players that are going to be very strong, and they do return a nucleus of young ladies to their basketball team," Hughes said. "Their strength is certainly on the inside."
Their strength comes from their inside players, but the Cougars have one of the best backcourts not only in the conference, but in the nation, Hughes said.
"I don’t think you’ll find a better backcourt – certainly not in our conference – but I think you can compare those two, Twiggy and Tye, to anybody across the country, as talented as they are," Hughes said.
Hughes believes that the Cougars match up better at the guard position, and with that element they will be able to win games.
Overall, improving defensive pressure and containing the TSU inside game will be the key to a season-opening victory tonight for the Cougars.
