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Sports

Cougars falter in second half

by JONG LEE
The Daily Cougar

Texas- El Paso went on a 26-9 run in the final six minutes of regulation to take a 69-61 win over the Cougars.

Houston (7-13, 4-6 Conference-USA) led in almost every single hustle category. The Cougars outscored UTEP (18-4, 7-3 C-USA) in the paint 30-26, had the edge in the second chance points 12-11, and out-rebounded the Miners 39-34.

One of Houston's biggest problems revolved around the free-throw line, however. The Miners did not attempt a free throw once in the first half. But in the second half, UTEP converted 16 of 22 free-throw attempts to pull away late in the game.

"Of course we fouled a lot down the stretch when we got behind, but it was amazing how (fast) the turnaround was, and basketball is a game of momentum, as we all know," head coach Joe Curl said. "I think a few more (active players) might have helped us, and it has come down to players and they do what it took to get it done."

Houston struggled again from the field, shooting 38 percent and hitting 25 percent from the three-point line. Junior Sunshine Misa-Uli says that the mistakes were self-inflicted.

"A lot of our big men were posting up, but we weren't really running our plays," Misa-Uli said. "We were just shooting and expecting it to fall, and we can't continue to do that if we can't find some kind of rhythm."

Near the end of the game, the Cougars went away from their inside-out approach. Curl said Houston's confidence level went down after missing clutch baskets down the stretch.

"I think that's what kept us in the game in the first half," Curl said. "In the second half, that's what kind of got us our lead and we started struggling a little bit and missed a few shots, missed a couple of free throws

"I've always thought that playing the great schedule that we play really makes you a better team in conference play. I still refuse to think that this has broken us, playing this kind of schedule. That's a 17-4 basketball team we just played and is 7-3 in conference, and we went toe-to-toe with them tonight."

Both teams were locked in a defensive battle in the first half. The Cougars stayed in the game by limiting the Miners to 26 points and 37 percent shooting from floor.

"I'm really disappointed in the first half and certainly disappointed in the last five or six minutes," Curl said. "They did a good job making adjustments to throw that lob pass, so we tried to counter that but they took the help away and we jumped into the zone and (Kasia Krezel) hit a three. 

"We thought we played pretty well in bits and pieces in the second half, but I didn't think we played well in the first half. We have no reason for it, and I take the blame for it. I felt like we had our legs and plenty of rest. It was just one of those things where if it happens, it happens."

The Cougars will play their next four games on the road. Houston tips off at 6 p.m. Friday at Central Florida. 
 

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