Lady Cougars take over
C-USA
By Crystal J. Doucette
Daily Cougar Staff
The UH women's basketball team snapped
a seven-game winning streak and shook off a halftime jinx as it ended a
weekend of Conference USA road play with two victories and a new view --
from the top of the heap.
The Lady Cougars (4-1 C-USA, 11-6 overall)
took out Tulane and Southern Miss this weekend, putting them in the top
spot of the National Division of C-USA and, technically, at No. 1 in the
entire conference.
UH traveled to Tulane on Sunday with everything
to gain. Poised at second in the division, the Lady Cougars were at the
right time and place to take it all. The Lady Green Wave was riding a seven-game
winning streak and was No. 1 in the National Division and in C-USA with
an undefeated conference record. The Lady Coogs ended Tulane's reign, 90-80,
in overtime.
Houston ended the first half down by three
but turned around in the second half with a smoking offense. Tulane's Janell
Burse, named C-USA Player of the Week on Jan. 8, hit 14 points in the first
half -- but she couldn't hold off the Lady Cougars.
Chris Galloway/ The Daily
Cougar
Freshman guard forward Chandi
Jones puts up two in a Lady Cougar victory over Middle Tennessee. Jones,
an All-American candidate, is at the forefront of UH's offensive attack,
averaging 22.1 points per game. She ranks 11th in the nation in ppg.
UH took the lead within the first six minutes
of the half as freshman guard/forward Chandi Jones put up 22 points after
halftime. Tulane came rushing back, pulling to within a basket and then
tying the game with two clutch free throws from Burse. Senior forward Mone't
Sykes hit 17 in regulation.
The Lady Coogs were golden in overtime,
going five-of-five from the field and 11-of-11 from the charity stripe
as they finished the five-minute period with a 10-point lead and a perfect
shooting percentage.
Jones ended the night with 31 points, one
short of her career-high, posting her seventh consecutive 20-plus point
game and her 12th this season. Sykes put in 21 points, eight rebounds and
four steals in her ninth consecutive double-digit shooting performance.
Senior forward/center ShaRonda Lasseter contributed 10 points to the win.
Senior guard Jessica Shanklin passed a season and career-high 11 assists.
Burse put in 36 points and 15 rebounds
in 22 minutes for the Lady Green Wave, followed by Gwen Slaughter with
19 points and four steals.
Sunday's game was the first victory UH
has pulled out over Tulane since 1979. It also marked the best record the
team has posted in C-USA play.
The Lady Cougars picked up their first
double-digit win record since the 1995-96 season and their best season
ever in C-USA after clipping the Southern Miss Lady Eagles, 66-56, on Friday
in Hattiesburg, Miss. The victory pushed the Lady Cougars up to second
in the National Division of C-USA under the then-undefeated Tulane Green
Wave.
Down by two at halftime, UH turned around
the deficit for the first time this season with its second-half play. Jones
led the Lady Coogs with 24 points and six steals. Sykes followed with 19
points, off eight-of-15 shooting. Senior guard/forward Cathy Lida pulled
down a team-high seven boards and Shanklin pushed five assists in the win.
The Lady Cougars take the court again Sunday
at Hofheinz Pavilion as they play host to South Florida. UH defeated South
Florida in its conference opener in Tampa, Fla., on Jan. 2. Tip-off for
the rematch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
