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Sports

No. 13 hangs among UH basketball greats

Chandi Jones' jersey retired in ceremony at Hofheinz on Saturday

By Sam Khan Jr.
The Daily Cougar

You need a list longer than the Nile River to tally all her accomplishments at UH, but she'll be the first to let you know that she couldn't have done it without her teammates.

Following the Lady Cougars 92-47 victory over the Saint Louis Lady Billikens on Saturday, former Lady Cougar Chandi Jones was honored as her jersey number (13) was retired and hung in the rafters of Hofheinz Pavilion.

And in a gesture that speaks volumes of her character, Jones had the numbers of her teammates from the 2003-04 Conference USA championship squad added to the banner.

"They deserve the accolades just as much as I do," Jones said. "I was considered a scorer here at the University of Houston, but I couldn't have scored without them on the floor."

Jones was the leading scorer (22.5 points per game) of that 2003-04 squad that set many school records including best record (28-4), the highest-ever rankings in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today polls (9th and 16th, respectively) and the Lady Cougars' third ever trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Head coach Joe Curl said Jones was instrumental in turning the entire program around.

"This great player made our program start to move," Curl said. "And our players bought into it.

"I am so personally appreciative of Chandi Jones' commitment to come here. It wasn't done by herself, but we would not be where we're out right now without Chandi Jones."

Among some of Jones' accomplishments while at UH were tallying the highest career-scoring average (23.6 points per game in 114 games), becoming C-USA's all-time scoring leader and being named C-USA Player of the Year in three consecutive seasons. She ranks first or second in virtually every offensive category among Houston's all-time leaders.

During Jones' career, the Lady Cougars were 88-38 and made trips to the Womens' National Invitation Tournament (2000-01) and to the NCAA Tournament (2003-04).

"From the first day I came here, I just wanted to make the team better," Jones said. "I wanted to help turn the program around from day one."

Jones said she is also glad to see that the success is being maintained, as the Lady Cougars are 16-5 and likely bound for the post season again.

"I'm very excited about that (success of the team)," she said. "I'm very proud of the girls and the progress that we've made. I feel like our program is on the rise, and they can't go anywhere but up. 

"I'm happy that they're playing hard and winning. That's all I asked after I left -- keep winning and take us farther than we went when I was here."

Her jersey joins the rafters with other former UH greats like Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Otis Birdsong, Elvin Hayes and former head coach Guy V. Lewis. She is the first Lady Cougar to have her number retired.

"To walk into this gym now, and to see Chandi Jones hung up there, and to see all the greatness this place has, it takes your breath away," Curl said.

"It's like a dream come true for me, it's a great honor," Jones said. "Especially to be up there with the greats of Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Otis Birdsong and players like that. Those are terrific players that came to UH. For the University of Houston to consider me up there with them -- to me that's the greatest accomplishment I can ever achieve as a basketball player."
 

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