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Sports

Houston slipping in conference, 
set for four-game home stand

C-USA Notebook 

Arie Graham

In this week's Conference USA women's basketball action, Houston (5-11, 2-4 C-USA) and Rice (10-9, 3-3 C-USA) battled at Autry Court, with the Cougars in need of a victory to get back on track. 

The Owls took the win 70-56 and defeated their crosstown rival for the first time on their home court since 1996. Senior forward Lauren Neaves did not practice all week because of injury but still ended the game with nearly a triple-double highlighted by 23 points. 

Neaves used her 6-2 frame to snag 19 rebounds and eight blocks as both injury-wracked teams were hindered with shallow benches. Eight Owl players suited up while the Cougars could only play seven. UH junior guard Tye Jackson, Conference USA's second leading scorer, managed 16 points on a dismal six-for-25 shooting. 

The Cougars were hurt the most, shooting 30.1 percent from the floor. The game could easily have been a blowout if the Owls had not shot a shoddy 13 of 31 from the free-throw line. 

However, this was a game the Owls can build off of and one the Cougars can learn from. Houston, like Rice, will embark on a four-game home stand. Without the stress of having to travel, these teams may be able to settle into a groove, work through the injuries and try to develop consistency.

The Cougars have been forced to make adjustments all season because of injuries, but there is still time for the team to make a run for a top spot in the standings.

Double Trouble 

Tulsa senior forward Jillian Robbins, the player known throughout the conference as "Double Trouble," received C-USA Player of the Week honors for the second time this season. Robbins finished this week with 18 points, 10.5 rebounds, three steals, three blocks and two assists per game. Robbins also shot a whopping 65 percent from the field. 

While Tulsa sits in ninth place in the conference at the moment, no team has been able to find an answer for Robbins inside. 

Tulsa, the defending C-USA champion, will make two trips to Houston this week to play the Cougars at 7 p.m. Thursday night followed by a Saturday afternoon showdown with Rice. The match-up between Neaves and Robbins will be one to watch.

The young teams

The Memphis Tigers will have to search for their first win in conference play on the road. The Tigers have no more home games and they sit at the bottom of the standings with a 0-7 conference record. 

The blame could easily be placed on their lack of experience, but this cannot continue to be used as the team's scapegoat. Southern Miss is a young team as well, and the Golden Eagles are sitting in the No. 1 spot in C-USA after sneaking by 11th-place Central Florida 65-63 Saturday. 

The majority of Southern Miss' scoring comes from sophomore guards Amber Eugene and Kendra Reed. Redshirt sophomore forward Emer Foley has also chipped in from the field. 

The Tigers have some talent on their squad, but something needs to be done if they want to pull out of this season-long tailspin. With their next three games slated against Marshall, East Carolina and Alabama-Birmingham all on the road, however, things may get worse before they get better.

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