UH Blows Chance to Tie for First
HOUSTON, TX (Hofheinz Pavilion) -- Friday night after a listless, but victorious effort, Houston head coach Joe Curl, in reference to a Sunday afternoon matchup versus 2 and 11 Tulsa, said "There's no way in Hell that we can have a let down."
Fast forward to Sunday afternoon.
Coach Curl said, "I was wrong."
Unfortunately for Coach Curl and his team, a second listless effort resulted in a loss this time. In the final home game of the regular season, Houston lost to Tulsa 59 to 55 in front of 606 fans inside Hofheinz Pavilion. With the loss, Houston (17-9 and 9-5 in Conference USA) blew a chance to tie for first place in the Conference with just two regular season games left to play.
"I was wrong. I was wrong, said Coach Curl. "We had a letdown and this was for first place; so, I'm very disappointed. Very disappointed. I'm just trying to collect myself."
The first half was poorly played by both teams. Tulsa (7-19 overall and 3-11 in C-USA) committed 11 first half turnovers while UH turned the ball over 10 times. Neither team shot better than 37 percent in the half.
Fittingly, the game was tied at 26 at the half.
Tulsa started the second half with a 12 to 2 run to put the Cougars behind 38 to 26 with 15:10 remaining. Then, Houston's Courtney Taylor hit a three-point shot from the top of the key to begin a UH comeback. After falling one steal (23 points, 14 rebounds, and 9 steals) shy of a triple-double on Friday night, Taylor scored just two points in the first half Sunday.
Houston's Brittany Mason hit a baseline jump shot to cap off a 16 to 3 run to give the Coogs a 42 to 41 lead with 9:10 on the clock.
Despite three straight Tulsa turnovers, Houston could not stretch the lead and Tulsa led 45 to 42 after a top of the key jumper by Larissa Williams with 5:51 remaining.
Taylor scored four points in a 6 to 0 UH run to give the Cougars a 48 to 45 lead with 4:36 on the game clock. However, after a Houston turnover, Tulsa's Tatum Beer tied the game with a three-point basket. Then, after two made free throws by Taylor, Beer gave TU a 51 to 50 lead with another three.
Taylor split two free throws to tie the game at 51 with 2:22 remaining.
Tulsa failed to score on its next possession; and, Houston's sophomore center, Cobilyn Hill, scored a lay-up to put UH 53 to 51 with 90 seconds remaining.
Larissa Williams split two free throws for Tulsa; but, Tulsa picked up a HUGE offensive rebound which ultimately resulted in a three-point basket by RaShawndra Jackson to give Tulsa a 55 to 53 lead with just 51 seconds in the game. Houston never led after that basket.
Jackson's three and Beer's two threes in the final 3:32 of the game were the only three-point shots Tulsa made the entire ball game.
"I don't know where to start," Taylor said after the game. "It was just a bad game. I'm at a loss for words."
Taylor was in tears after the loss.
"I take losing personal; so, it's very disappointing."
Houston 35.0% (21 for 60) from the field for the game and committed 18 turnovers. Despite 22 turnovers, Tulsa shot 39.7% (23 for 58 from the field) and outrebounded Houston 45 to 37.
Fast forward to Sunday afternoon.
Coach Curl said, "I was wrong."
Unfortunately for Coach Curl and his team, a second listless effort resulted in a loss this time. In the final home game of the regular season, Houston lost to Tulsa 59 to 55 in front of 606 fans inside Hofheinz Pavilion. With the loss, Houston (17-9 and 9-5 in Conference USA) blew a chance to tie for first place in the Conference with just two regular season games left to play.
"I was wrong. I was wrong, said Coach Curl. "We had a letdown and this was for first place; so, I'm very disappointed. Very disappointed. I'm just trying to collect myself."
The first half was poorly played by both teams. Tulsa (7-19 overall and 3-11 in C-USA) committed 11 first half turnovers while UH turned the ball over 10 times. Neither team shot better than 37 percent in the half.
Fittingly, the game was tied at 26 at the half.
Tulsa started the second half with a 12 to 2 run to put the Cougars behind 38 to 26 with 15:10 remaining. Then, Houston's Courtney Taylor hit a three-point shot from the top of the key to begin a UH comeback. After falling one steal (23 points, 14 rebounds, and 9 steals) shy of a triple-double on Friday night, Taylor scored just two points in the first half Sunday.
Houston's Brittany Mason hit a baseline jump shot to cap off a 16 to 3 run to give the Coogs a 42 to 41 lead with 9:10 on the clock.
Despite three straight Tulsa turnovers, Houston could not stretch the lead and Tulsa led 45 to 42 after a top of the key jumper by Larissa Williams with 5:51 remaining.
Taylor scored four points in a 6 to 0 UH run to give the Cougars a 48 to 45 lead with 4:36 on the game clock. However, after a Houston turnover, Tulsa's Tatum Beer tied the game with a three-point basket. Then, after two made free throws by Taylor, Beer gave TU a 51 to 50 lead with another three.
Taylor split two free throws to tie the game at 51 with 2:22 remaining.
Tulsa failed to score on its next possession; and, Houston's sophomore center, Cobilyn Hill, scored a lay-up to put UH 53 to 51 with 90 seconds remaining.
Larissa Williams split two free throws for Tulsa; but, Tulsa picked up a HUGE offensive rebound which ultimately resulted in a three-point basket by RaShawndra Jackson to give Tulsa a 55 to 53 lead with just 51 seconds in the game. Houston never led after that basket.
Jackson's three and Beer's two threes in the final 3:32 of the game were the only three-point shots Tulsa made the entire ball game.
"I don't know where to start," Taylor said after the game. "It was just a bad game. I'm at a loss for words."
Taylor was in tears after the loss.
"I take losing personal; so, it's very disappointing."
Houston 35.0% (21 for 60) from the field for the game and committed 18 turnovers. Despite 22 turnovers, Tulsa shot 39.7% (23 for 58 from the field) and outrebounded Houston 45 to 37.
posted by Kris G @ 4:48 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home