Contact Kris Gardner for details pertaining to advertising on the website; the blogs; and / or the podcasts.
Houston Cougars routed by Rutgers
Coogs shot 26% (13 of 50 field goals) and trailed by as much as 37 points in loss
Posted: February 11, 2014 -- 10:29 pm CST.
HOUSTON, TX (Hofheinz Pavilion) -- Tuesday night inside Hofheinz Pavilion, the Houston Cougars had hoped to build off their first win in the American Athletic Conference (48-39 over Cincinnati Saturday afternoon) when they squared off against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Rutgers would have none of it. The Cougars lost 74-42 before an announced crowd of 442 fans -- including a few very loud and supportive RU fans.
Rutgers' Kahleah Copper scored the first four points of the game; but, Houston's Te'onna Campbell scored a layup to get the Coogs on the board. Marche' Amerson sank a three-point shot for a 5-4 Houston lead which proved to be Houston's last lead of the ball game.
Copper nailed a jump shot for a 6-5 Scarlet Knights' lead. Copper scored 10 of Rutgers' first 12 points before RU's sensational freshman Tyler Scaife went to work.
Scaife scored 10 points (5 jump shots) in a four minute burst to boost Rutgers lead to 24-10 with 6:33 remaining in the first half.
At halftime, the Coogs trailed 33-14. Houston (5-19 overall, 1-12 in the American Athletic Conference) was ice, ice cold from the floor in the opening 20 minutes: 4 for 27 field goals.
"We left too many points on the table in the first half. Missed too many easy shots," lamented interim-head coach Wade Scott. "Missed too many free throws. Turned the ball over for the first time in about four games; 22 times. We were there on some of the shots, but Tyler (Scaife) is a really good player, and she got hot, and she was hard to stop. It forced us to change our defense. For the most part, we left too many points on the table."
Scaife (12 points) and Copper (10) combined for 22 of Rutgers' 33 first-half points.
The Coogs made 3 of their first 4 field goals to start the second half; but, the Scarlet Knights were still able to increase the lead to 21 points.
The Coogs trailed by as much as 37 points in the second half.
Senior Yasmeen Thompson scored a career-high 24 points to lead the Coogs. Thompson also pulled down 13 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season and 10th in her UH career.
The Coogs made 13 of 50 field goal attempts in the game (1 for 11 three-point shots) and 15 of 24 from the foul line.
The Coogs next two games are on the road: Saturday, February 15, at 2 pm, versus SMU followed by a Wednesday, February 19, 6 pm game against Louisville.
CLICK HERE for The HRR's NCAAW write-ups.
The HRR on Twitter
Tweets by TheHRReview
The HRR on Facebook