Sophomore guard Laila Blair led the UH women’s basketball team with 13 points in the Cougars’ loss to Tulane on Monday afternoon at Fertitta Center. | Sean Thomas/The Cougar
The Houston women’s basketball team’s comeback efforts fell short, as the Cougars lost 64-59 to Tulane on Monday afternoon at Fertitta Center.
UH was led by sophomore guard Laila Blair, who scored 13 points and pulled down four rebounds. Redshirt junior guard Britney Onyeje scored 12 points in the loss.
The Cougars won the opening tip and scored the first basket of the game, going up 2-0 early on a basket by graduate guard Julia Blackshell-Fair.
The early minutes were marked by back-and-forth scoring as the two teams fought over the lead for the majority of the opening quarter.
Tulane took a four point advantage at 15-11 led by Dynah Jones’ 6 points early, but neither team was able to put a substantial run together in the first quarter.
In the waning minutes of the opening quarter, the Cougars struggled, scoring only one field goal in the final three minutes.
At the end of the first quarter, the Cougars trailed 18-13
UH opened the scoring in the second quarter with a layup by junior guard Tiara Young to make the score 18-15. The Cougars continued to run, cutting the deficit down to just one on a layup which forced a Tulane timeout.
Following the timeout, both teams got hot offensively, but Tulane continued to hold UH off.
Tulane made five of seven field goals down a dominant stretch where it expanded its lead to eight points, as the Green Wave took a 33-25 lead into the half.
Tulane opened up the scoring in the second half by making a free throw to extend its lead.
Blair quickly responded with a 3-pointer to shrink the Green Wave lead back down.
Tulane continued to roll offensively despite UH improved shooting, expanding its lead to as many as nine points in the third period.
UH’s shooting struggles continued once again as it went nearly three minutes without a score.
Tulane hit a cold spell offensively, which UH took advantage of to cut its deficit to 40-36.
The Green Wave cold streak ended with a run that brought their lead to nine points with four minutes left in the third quarter.
Tulane’s dominance down the stretch of the third quarter continued, as it built a 10-0 run that left the Cougars trailing 50-36.
Entering the fourth quarter, the Cougars trailed 55-43.
UH opened up the fourth on a 9-0 run to bring the Tulane lead down to just three points.
Following a Tulane timeout, the offensive production slowed down for both teams before Tulane knocked down a basket to leave the Cougars trailing by five points.
On a jumper by Blackshell-Fair, UH brought the game back to three points with 3:06 to play. The momentum fully shifted to UH, as the Cougars went on a 7-0 run to give them a 59-57 lead.
Tulane retook the lead on two straight layups 61-59 with 21 seconds left in the game, and would not give it back.
UH fell 64-59, marking the Cougars’ first loss at Fertitta Center this season.
