Cougars lose to Cincinnati Bearcats

Posted: February 11, 2017 -- 5:42 pm CST.

HOUSTON, TX (Hofheinz Pavilion) -- The Houston Cougars made the first two baskets of the game Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, the Cincinnati Bearcats outscored the Coogs 16-2 the rest of the first quarter which set the tone for the rest of the ball game. The Coogs were defeated by the Bearcats 71-62 in front of an announced crowd of 698 fans.

The Coogs (9-16 overall, 2-10 in the American Athletic Conference) made their first four shots of the second quarter and clawed within three points (21-18) before Cincinnati's Nikira Goings got hot from behind the three-point arc. Goings made three consecutive three-point baskets in the second period during another run by the Bearcats which resulted in a 42-27 Coogs' deficit at halftime.

The Bearcats (15-9, 6-5) led 54-35 before Houston's Angela Harris (5 points) and Kierra Graves (3 points) combined for an 8-0 run to reduce the Coogs' deficit to 11 points with 2:48 remaining in the third period. The Coogs did not score the rest of the third quarter and trailed the Bearcats 59-43 at the end of three periods.

Pressure defense and timely shooting helped the Coogs get as close as 8 points in the final quarter; however, despite making 0 field goal attempts the final 5 plus minutes of the game, the Bearcats picked up the victory. The Bearcats made 8 of 10 free throws in the fourth quarter.

Angela Harris (6 for 18 field goals) scored a team-high 16 points for the Coogs. Jasmyne Harris added 13 points (3 for 9 field goals), 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Jacqueline Blake (11 points) and Serithia Hawkins (10 points) also scored in double digits for the Coogs. Hawkins also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.

Houston's next game is a Wednesday road tilt at Tulsa, February 15, at 7 p.m.

CLICK HERE for The HRR's NCAAW write-ups.