A game-high 28 points from Rob Gray Jr. was unable to push the Cougars to victory on Saturday. | Justin Tijerina/The Cougar
As the final weekend before Spring semester ends, both Cougar basketball teams saw defeat on the road.
The men’s team fell to the University of Central Florida Saturday, losing two of their last three games. The women’s team traveled to New Orleans, losing to Tulane University that same afternoon.
Men’s Basketball
After a return to form against East Carolina University last Wednesday where they sank 13 3-pointers, the Cougars (13-5, 4-2) went cold again, going 6-20 from beyond the arc in a 70-77 loss to the Knights.
Three Cougars finished with double-digit scoring, including a game-high 28 from redshirt junior guard Rob Gray Jr. Sophomore Gary Robinson Jr. added 20 points, going 8-14 from the field.
Senior forward Danrad “Chicken” Knowles finished with eight points after fouling out with two minutes remaining. Besides Knowles, none of the frontcourt scored.
The frontcourt is averaging less than 20 points per game.
In a game where they never led, the Cougars managed to cut the Knights’ lead to 70-67 with 1:48 left to play, but a 7-0 UCF run sealed it, forcing Houston into its second Conference loss of the season.
Women’s Basketball
Since winning their AAC opener against Tulsa University, the Cougars have struggled, dropping three straight after falling at Tulane 82-56 Saturday afternoon. They have had trouble on both sides of the ball, being outscored by an average of 76.3-56 over the span.
The Cougars (8-9, 1-3) struggled out of the gate, going 3-20 in the first quarter. They picked things up in the second, going 6-14 but entered the break down 37-22.
Freshman guard Angela Harris, the lone bright spot for the offense, was the only Cougar to eclipse double-digits with 15 points on 5-12 shooting from the field, including four three-pointers.
Turnovers continue to plague the Cougars, averaging over 20 per game with 19 giveaways lead to 19 Green Wave points.
Like their counterparts, the women’s team struggles with front-court scoring. The trio of senior center Jacqueline Blake, junior forward Brianne Coffman and freshman forward Dorian Branch average under 10 points per game.
