Freshmen like Voche Martin have been counted on to step up due to injuries to vertan players. On Wednesday the Cougars learned that they would be without starting guards Porsche Landry and Tasha Tubbs as well as freshman Tahlia Pope. Landry had led UH in scoring (22.0 points per game) in three games this season. | Joshua Siegel/The Daily Cougar
The Cougars have faced many obstacles this season and have gotten off to a slow start (2-14, 1-3), but their matchup against Tulsa is a good time to begin the turn around effort.
Tulsa (7-8, 2-2), fifth in the C-USA, brings a balanced attack with four players averaging over seven points per game and six players averaging more than five points per game.
The Cougars’ defense will also need to pay special attention to Taleya Mayberry. Mayberry is leading the Golden Hurricane in scoring (14.4 points per game) and almost never leaves the floor, averaging 35 minutes per game.
Head coach Todd Buchannan is hoping for solid contributions across the board to defeat the Hurricane.
“Right now we’re lacking consistency and balance,” he said. “We need it to win,”
Buchannan believes that consistency is not only important for this game, but also to help the Cougars turn their season around.
Three Cougars out for the season
UH has battled through an injury-riddled season, and the news did not get any better on Wednesday when Buchannan announced that starters Porshe Landry and Tasha Tubbs, along with freshman guard Tahlia Pope would miss the remainder of the season due to injuries.
Landry, who is out because of a concussion suffered against Georgetown, is perhaps the biggest loss for the Cougars.
“Porsche, along with Roxana (Button), is the heart and soul of this team and you can’t replace her,” Buchanan said in a release. “She’s such a special kid and we were expecting a huge year from her. She’ll apply for a medical redshirt and our hope is that she’ll have a phenomenal senior season in 2012-13.”
In three games played this year, Landry was averaging 22 points and three steals per game. Landry was a C-USA All-First Team selection as a part of last season’s conference-winning squad.
Despite being a senior, Landry will apply for a medical redshirt and hopes to return for the 2012-13 season.
Tubbs, who injured her knee against Georgetown, started the first three games of the season for the Cougars after transferring from Howard College.
“We’ve missed her scoring ability, but especially her experience,” Buchannan said.
Pope started six games this season for the Cougars. She is averaging 3.2 points and 3.6 rebounds this season for the Cougars, including an 11-point and 9-rebound performance in a loss against Louisiana Tech.
The lack of Landry’s presence in the lineup this season has pivoted the strategy on offense and forced the team to depend more on Button as a ball handler. The Cougars need other players besides Button to step up on the offensive end of the floor.
Buchanan believes he has found a consistent second option in freshman Amanda Lawson. Lawson has scored in double figures over the last three games. He believes she can grow into the role and help spread the defense.
