The women’s basketball team kicks off the 2009-10 season when it travels to Boiling Springs, N.C. to take on Gardner-Webb at 7 p.m. today.
The Cougars are coming off an 82-63 victory over the semi-professional Houston Jaguars on Monday at Hofheinz Pavilion.
Head coach Joe Curl enters his 12th season at the helm looking to improve on last season’s 19-10 record and second-place finish in the Conference USA tournament. He will lean on the experienced combination of four returning starters as well as several other players who gained significant playing time last year.
Heading into today’s matchup, Curl said he was pleased with how his team played in Monday’s exhibition game.
‘That’s a good ball club we played,’ Curl said. ‘I think (the win) has helped us with a little bit of confidence, especially the ability to rebound, and that’s something we really focused on.’
Much has been made of the Cougars’ lack of size heading into the season, but Curl believes his team can counter that with fundamental basketball and by utilizing its speed.
‘This isn’t a game that you have to have size (in),’ Curl said. ‘You have to have great guards and it would be nice to have another (former Cougar) Sanco Lyttle ‘hellip; but they’re hard to find. If we started (players who are) 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 I would still be teaching the same fundamentals’
Curl also hopes to use the non-conference schedule to work on things other than developing team chemistry -- a luxury he is afforded in part by the experienced lineup taking the court every night.
‘I think our chemistry is already there,’ Curl said. ‘A lot of people have to work on their chemistry and really don’t gain it until they’re in conference play. I think we should start out strong and finish even stronger.’
One factor Curl will not have to worry about is Jasmine Johnson, who appears to be fully recovered from her offseason hip injury.
‘I thought (Johnson) played great the other night,’ Curl said. ‘We got in foul trouble at our point guard spot, she led us (and) made some key baskets in the first half. I’m really pleased with her ability to come back and I think she’s healthy and ready to go.’
Curl can only hope the rest of the squad is ready to go today, when the baskets, rebounds and fouls really count.
Men’s basketball place pair on preseason All C-USA Team
The men’s basketball team was selected to finish fourth in the Orlando Sentinel’s inaugural C-USA preseason media poll.
Leading the way for the Cougars on individual fronts, Kelvin Lewis and Aubrey Coleman were selected to the preseason All C-USA Team, with Coleman being one of only two unanimous selections.
The men’s team kicks of its 2009-10 season at 7 p.m. Tuesday when it hosts Nicholls State inside Hofheinz Pavilion.
Changes to football ticket procedures
The UH Athletic Department announced changes to its procedures for the purchasing of student guest tickets for the remaining two home games this season.
Student guest tickets are usually made available for purchase the Monday immediately preceding a game, but tickets to both the Nov. 21 and 28 games against Memphis and Rice, respectively, will go on sale Monday. The price per ticket remains at $10 and there is still a limit of four per student per game, but fans can now guarantee admission to the team’s remaining home games.
There will also be a contest for various student organizations to see which can attract the most fans for the Memphis game. The winner will receive a suite for a men’s basketball game.
