Houston Cougars earn 1st victory w/ 83-60 win over Houston Baptist
Posted: December 10, 2011 -- 6:47 p.m. CT.
HOUSTON, TX (Hofheinz Pavilion) -- The Houston Cougars picked up win number one of the 2011-2012 season Saturday afternoon with an 83-60 rout of cross-town rival Houston Baptist University. An announced crowd of 307 fans witnessed the titanic-tilt between two 0-9 teams. With the victory, the Coogs are now 1-9 while the Huskies are 0-10.
Houston freshman forward Amanda Lawson scored a career-high 24 points. Lawson scored 20 of her points in the first half. Lawson had scored a total of 33 points before today's game.
Lawson said the difference in her game was "being more focused and wanting to win". Lawson, who has battled the team-wide injury bug this season, led four Cougars in double-figure scoring.
"It's been kind of hard because I'm a freshman. But, that's an excuse," Lawson said. "I've got to step up for myself and for my team. Lately, it hasn't been that way. We worked really hard in practice all week."
The Cougars trailed the Huskies early in the ball game by as much as five points (12 to 7). The Huskies sank their first five shots before the Cougars defense tightened up and before Lawson caught fire on offense.
Lawson exploded for 13 points during a 17-2 run by the Cougars as the Coogs grabbed a 34-20 lead at the 7:20 mark in the first half. However, HBU's Maisie Elston drained a three-point shot as the Huskies answered with a 12-4 run of their own to trim Houston's lead to six points (38-32) at the 3:25 mark of the half.
Lawson made 9 of 11 field goal attempts in the first half.
Houston senior guard Roxana Button scored five straight points which jump-started a 16-0 run and gave the Cougars a 54-32 lead at halftime.
Button scored 12 points in the first half; and, with Lawson (2 for 8) struggling to regain her scoring touch in the second half, Button scored 10 second half points to help the Coogs earn the victory.
"It feels great. I forgot what winning feels like," said a relieved Button after the game. "We had four people in double figures and one person had nine; so, that helps. We were ready to play."
Lawson scored 24; Button scored 22; freshman post Terran Alford 14 (6 for 17 from the field); senior guard Michelle White scored 10; and sophomore center Mae Woods added nine.
The Cougars shot 56.4% (22 for 39) from the field in the first half; but, the offense sputtered in the second with 33.3% (13 for 39) field goal shooting. However, a win is a win.
Lawson hopes the win gives her teammates some much needed confidence.
"I think we're going to work harder now that we've got a win," said Lawson. "It will motivate us to keep working hard to get another one and another one."
Houston head coach Todd Buchanan believes the win can help his team's fragile mindset.
"It's so much more for their confidence. Their confidence has been so low," Buchanan said. "Some of the players' self-esteem has been so, so low at times. They're young; They're inexperienced; and they're fragile."
However, Buchanan did acknowledge he will maintain his coaching philosophy of success through hard work regardless of the youth of his players.
"We're going to stay as positive as we can; but, I'm not going to sugarcoat it. We're going to continue to be demanding and roll up our sleeves and go to work."
HBU freshman post Shanice Steenholdt scored a game-high 30 points and pulled down a game-leading 11 rebounds. Steenholdt was the lone Huskies player to score in double digits.
The Cougars take a break for final exams until a road game on December 18th at Washington. Tip is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
