Cougars no match for 25th-ranked Texas Tech

Posted: November 17, 2011 -- 8:44 a.m. CT.

HOUSTON, TX (Hofheinz Pavilion) -- The Houston Cougars were no match for 25th-ranked (AP) Texas Tech Wednesday night (November 16). The Lady Raiders defeated the Cougars 88-58 in front of an announced crowd of 807 fans.

Christine Hyde scored a layup 71 seconds into the game to give Tech a 2-0 lead. The Cougars never led in the ball in the game. The Cougars never tied the ball game.

Texas Tech (2-0) scored the first 15 points of the game. Houston (0-2) committed six turnovers and missed all five shot attempts before senior Roxana Button broke the drought with a layup at the 14:49 mark of the first half. The Cougars trailed 22-2 before going on a 11-3 run to pull within 25-13; but, Tech's Chynna Brown drained a baseline jumper and nailed a three point shot to give the Lady Raiders a 30-13 lead and force the Cougars to call a 30 second timeout.

Houston finished the first half trailing 39-16. The 16 points were one more than the 15 turnovers. Porsche Landry, Houston's best player and a first team All-Conference USA selection, was held scoreless in the opening 20 minutes. Landry missed all six of her shots and committed six turnovers. Texas Tech's defense made it clear Landry was not going to beat them.

"We did a great job in the first half (defending Landry)," said Texas Tech head coach Kristy Curry. "We were making it hard on her; and, I thought our changing defenses and our full-court pressure, getting the ball out of her hands, and not letting her getting the ball back, was key."

Landry scored 20 points in the second half (7 for 13 from the field, 5 for 6 free throws); but, the Lady Raiders led by as many as 39 points (84-45) and cruised to the victory.

"I feel like we let the game get away from us early," said Porsche Landry. "We had a lot of cheap turnovers. We weren't taking care of the ball."

Landry's 20 points were a team-high for the Cougars. Senior Roxana Button added 14 points on 4 for 15 shooting. Overall, the Cougars shot 28.1 percent (18 for 64) from the field and committed 24 turnovers.

Texas Tech out-rebounded the Cougars 55-41 -- including 25 to 21 on the offensive boards.

Chynna Brown scored a game-high 21 points for the Lady Raiders. Kierra Mallard added 16 points and 13 rebounds while Casey Morris scored 15 points and added six rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals. Junior guard Monique Smalls (from College Park High School in The Woodlands) contributed nine points, eight assists, six rebounds and four steals.

"It's very frustrating. It's very, very difficult to sit there and watch us self-destruct," Houston head coach Todd Buchanan said after the game. "I don't know any other way to put it.

"It's very difficult. It's very difficult to know what we do in practice and not able to demonstrate that and execute that during a the game."

Button was asked what she thinks her young teammates will take from the game.

"I would like to say that it will fire them up," Button admitted. "But, only time's gonna tell. Practice this week is going to tell how they take this game."

The Cougars next game is on the road, Saturday, November 19, versus top 25 Georgetown. Tip is set for noon.

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