Both Cougar basketball teams saw defeat against instate rival Southern Methodist University over the weekend. | Courtesy of UH Athletics
It was a rough weekend for the Cougars on the court as both the men and women basketball teams lost against Southern Methodist University.
Men’s Basketball
The Mustangs dominated the Cougars 85-64. At halftime, the score was 42-25.
The Cougars are now 13-7 overall and 4-4 in the conference. The University of Connecticut is one win behind Houston with 3.
Senior Guard Damyean Dotson’s career-high six 3-pointers and 25 points were not enough to get the Cougars past their tough conference rival.
Junior Guard Rob Gray Jr. finished with 16 points, five assists and three rebounds.
Southern Methodist proved to be too difficult to handle as they led in field goal percentage (56.6), 3-point percentage (48.1) and rebounds (35). SMU finished with 12 more rebounds than Houston.
SMU’s 85 points were the most allowed in a game this season by Houston with the average being 63.2.
The Cougars have find themselves in a three game losing streak. Head Coach Kelvin Sampson refuses to get caught up in superstition.
“I’m more concerned with fixing the issues rather than worrying about a losing streak,” Sampson said.
The Cougars hope to turn things around as they return home Tuesday to play Tulane University at 8 p.m.
Women’s Basketball
The ladies played a hard fought game, led by Freshmen guard Jasmyne Harris’s 16 points, but fell 66-55 to the Mustangs. Harris also matched her career high in assists with five.
The Cougars fall to 8-11 overall and 1-5 in the conference. Senior Center Jacqueline Blake added 11 points and a team high seven rebounds.
At halftime, SMU held a slim 28-27 lead. However in the second half, the Mustangs outscored the cougars 34-18. The Cougars shot only 24 percent from the field.
Two important challenges are now ahead of the 8-11 Cougars. The next game for the ladies will be against AAC opponent, the University of Memphis, on Jan. 25 at 7:00 pm. The Cougars then travel to Connecticut to face No. 1 UConn at 11 a.m.
