By Jordan Lewis
A team effort against UTSA helped the Cougars extend their record to 3-0. Offensively, the Cougars balanced the scoring load, with nine players scoring five or more points.
Sophomore guard Jherrod Stiggers led all scorers for the Cougars with 15 points and four 3-pointers. Sophomore forward TaShawn Thomas shot 6-7 from the field, contributing 14 points and six rebounds.
“I didn’t have a mindset on shooting, but I take what they give me,” Stiggers said.
In the first half, it was the Cougars’ defense that led the charge, allowing only 19 points, but in the second half it was their offense that picked up while their defense lingered.
“I feel like that first half was the best defensive stand we had all year. Everyone who stepped on the court was locked in and ready to play defense,” said Thomas.
UH was up 36-19 at the end of the first half, but UTSA was able to cut the lead down to seven points to start the second half, and then redshirt sophomore guard LeRon Barnes, senior guard Tione Womack and senior forward J.J. Richardson provided a nice spark off the bench for a combined 21 points. UH’s showed its depth, outscoring UTSA’s bench 36-12.
Barnes had a stretch where he scored seven consecutive points for the Cougars, including a 3-pointer.
The Cougars didn’t rebound well as a team, allowing 21 offensive rebounds and being out-rebounded 40-34. Head coach James Dickey said he would like the Cougars to come out with more energy to start the second half.
“The same theme is to get better defensively and complement our defense with rebounding and be tougher, and I think we are becoming a tougher team,” Dickey said.
