Sports

Cougars earn C-USA victory

Someone forgot to tell the UH women’s basketball team that conference games are not easy.

Sophomore guard Brittney Scott scored a career-high 25 points on 11-for-22 shooting to lift the Cougars (11-5, 3-1 Conference USA) to an 83-65 thrashing of Memphis (8-10, 1-4) C-USA on Sunday at Hofheinz Pavilion.

‘They were doubling on (sophomore forward) Courtney (Taylor), so all of the outside players had to be ready to hit open shots,’ Scott said. ‘I just put myself in that position.’

The Cougars dominated the game from the opening tip, when an energized UH squad jumped out to a 10-2 advantage. Tough defense throughout the game limited the Tigers, who made more free throws (23) than field goals (18), to 29 percent shooting.

‘We noticed (the differential),’ UH head coach Joe Curl said. ‘I wish we wouldn’t have put them on the line so much, but (Memphis) earned every basket.’

Freshman guard Roxana Button came out of her shooting slump, making four of eight field goal attempts and adding 14 points.

The Cougars held a sizeable advantage throughout the game. In the second half, Memphis committed turnovers at inopportune times and never came closer than 13 points.

‘Team-wise, we had one of the best defensive efforts that we’ve had all year,’ Curl said.

At one point in the game, the Cougars held a 30-0 advantage in points from turnovers.

Taylor led the Cougars in rebounds with 12 and added 12 points, recording her 20th career double-double. She also blocked four shots in the first half, preventing the Tigers from penetrating the paint.

‘We came out strong in the first half,’ Taylor said. ‘They were doubling (me), so I made sure that everybody got to the open spots.’

The Cougars’ intensity on the defensive end kept Memphis from making a field goal until the 13:49 mark of the first half.

However, there were some rough spots for the Cougars. They gave up 18 second-chance points and committed 21 fouls. Free throws were the only thing keeping Memphis within striking distance.

‘When mistakes happen, I try to give them a snap of the finger and let them go,’ Curl said.

Sunday’s win improves UH’s home record to 8-0 this season, a record the Cougars expected to have when they started the season.

‘We realize that this is conference play,’ Taylor said. ‘We have to win the home games, because it’s much harder to get a win on the road.’

Since you’ve been gone

The women’s basketball team went 6-3 during the winter break, including a comeback win after being down 16 points in the second half against Tulane.

‘The Tulane win pumps you up,’ Curl said. ‘You can put that one on the war board.’

The Cougars were unable to defeat Kansas, falling 73-56, but started conference play with three victories in four games. UH also made its first appearance on national television this season when it dropped a 74-67 win at Texas-El Paso.

UH continues its push for a bid in the NCAA Tournament when it travels to Hattiesburg, Miss. to take on Southern Mississippi on Thursday at 7 p.m.

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