Sophomore guard Miya Crump rises up for a layup in UH women’s basketball’s victory over USF. | Andy Yanez/The Cougar
Houston’s NCAA Tournament hopes took a major blow Tuesday evening as the Cougars fell to Cincinnati 65-57.
Late in the third quarter, the Cougars took a series of charges on the defensive end of the floor to spark their offense, who struggled to find any kind of rhythm throughout the first half.
UH hit its next four 3-pointers and took the lead for the first time all game early in the fourth quarter.
Up six, it appeared as if the Cougars would pull away but they quickly cooled off from the field, only scoring four points over the last 7:30 minutes of play.
On the other hand, the Bearcats got hot and scored 18 points over this span to end UH’s seven-game win streak.
UH head coach Ronald Hughey understood how hard it is to stay completely locked in when a team sits near the top of its conference and is as hot as the Cougars were entering the game.
“When we’re the hunters, we’re really good,” Hughey said after the game. “When we’re the hunted and people are trying to come after us, it’s a dogfight. (Cincinnati) had nothing to lose, and they came in and just played. We had everything to lose and we played like we had everything to lose.”
While the game did not turn out the way the Cougars wanted, there was one bright spot as senior guard Julia Blackshell-Fair, who tore her ACL in January, got to start and dribble the ball out to open up the game as a special way to honor the 5-foot-7-inch guard on Senior Night.
“It was really special for (Blackshell-Fair),” Hughey said. “And to have her family up there … I know she’s going to cherish the moment.”
Now UH’s attention turns to the American Athletic Conference Tournament, scheduled to begin Mar. 8 in Fort Worth, where the Cougars enter as the No. 3 seed.
