Jasmyne Harris leads 5 Coogs in double digit scoring to help Coogs top Tulsa

Posted: January 1, 2017 -- 8:25 pm CST.

HOUSTON, TX (Hofheinz Pavilion) -- The Houston Cougars are learning to win in the 2016-'17 season. Sometimes, learning to win is filled with growing pains. Growing pains were clear as day the final 11 minutes of Houston's 71-66 victory over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.

Houston (8-6 overall, 1-0 in the American Athletic Conference) led 60-44 with 1:49 remaining in the third quarter. However, the remainder of the game, the Coogs struggled to do anything correctly.

"We got complacent. Complacency is the enemy of change and success," said Head Coach Ronald Hughey. "We saw them sub 5 in and out, and we started talking to each other on the bench about them giving up. But without knowing half of them played in the conference last year, some of them didn’t get time. The others haven’t even played yet. We just got complacent. We talked about staying resilient because when you do that you put a lot of pressure on your offense. You try to be perfect, and when they take momentum and start taking the lead you start to look at the clock and play the time instead of the game. That’s something we’re going to have to continue to rectify."

Tulsa finished the third quarter with an 8-0 run to cut Houston's lead in half.

Then, Houston began the fourth quarter with a turnover and Tulsa scored to cut the Coogs' lead to 60-54 with 8:44 remaining.

Kierra Graves scored lay-up to end Houston's nearly 4 minute scoreless drought.

Both teams went scoreless the next two minutes before Houston's Jasmyne Harris split two free throws for a 63-54 lead.

Tulsa's Liesl Spoerl sank a jump shot; but, Graves scored a lay-up to begin a see-saw exchange between the two of them. Spoerl made another jump shot. Graves sank two free throws.

Spoerl scored a lay-up to slice Houston's lead to seven (67-60) with 2:13 remaining in the game.

Jasmyne Harris missed a jump shot; and six seconds later Tulsa's Erika Wakefield was fouled and went to the foul line for two shots. Wakefield made the first foul shot but missed the second attempt.

Houston sophomore Serithia Hawkins grabbed the rebound; but, Graves was whistled for an offensive foul for a turnover.

Tulsa had the ball; but, Spoerl lost the ball in the paint -- right into Houston's Jackie Blake's hands; but, Blake through the ball off teammate Mariah Mitchell's head for a turnover.

Tulsa regained possession; but, Alexis Gaulden missed a three-point shot attempt. Mariah Mitchell missed her own three-point shot; and, with 45 seconds remaining, Spoerl nailed a jump shot to trim the Coogs' lead to only four points (67-63).

After a 30-second timeout, Houston point guard  Chyanne Butler was fouled and went to the line. Butler missed both free throws.

Tulsa rebounded the second missed foul shot; then, TU's Ebony Parker missed a three-point shot; but, Houston failed to get the defensive rebound and freshman post Kendrian Elliott rebounded the shot. But, she missed the layup.

Elliott rebounded her own miss; and, this time, she was fouled. She attempted two foul shots -- made the first, missed the second; but, once again, the Coogs failed to grab the missed shot which two more shots for the Golden Hurricane.

Both attempts missed and Serithia Hawkins rebounded the second missed shot and  dished to Chyanne Butler for a lay-up to put the Coogs up 69-64 with 14 seconds remaining.

Wakefield scored for Tulsa with 5 seconds remaining; and, Tulsa was forced to foul Kierra Graves with just 2 seconds on the game clock. Graves made both free throws to ice the ball game and give the Coogs the hard fought victory.

The fourth quarter featured 27 missed shots and 14 turnovers combined. The Coogs made only 3 of 13 field goals while Tulsa made 6 of 23 attempts.

Not pretty; but, a win is a win for Houston head coach Ronald Hughey and his squad.

Jasmyne Harris scored a team-high 14 points for the Coogs. Harris led four other teammates in double digit scoring. Jackie Blake scored 13 points and added 10 boards while Serithia Hawkins scored 12, grabbed 11 boards, and had 4 steals. Kierra Graves scored 11 and Chyanne Butler scored 10, dished 6 assists and had 4 steals.

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