The Houston Roundball Review is an online basketball publication by: Kris Gardner, United States Basketball Writers Association member. Credentialed media member since 1997. USBWA approved online journalist. Voter of Katrina McClain, Naismith, USBWA, and Wooden awards.
Coogs' frosh Alecia Smith scored 18 points in the victory
Posted: February 24, 2013 -- 5:20 p.m. CT.
HOUSTON, TX (Hofheinz Pavilion) -- The Houston Cougars played their most complete basketball game of the 2012-2013 season and earned a 65-58 victory over the SMU Mustangs Sunday afternoon in front of 677 fans.
The loss was just the second Conference USA loss for the first-place Mustangs this season. The Coogs limited SMU's leading scorer, Keena Mays, to just 15 points on 6 of 21 field goal shooting. (Mays averaged 20 points on 42.1% shooting coming into the game.)
Houston freshman Alecia Smith scored a game-high 18 points (7 for 15, 4 for 9 on threes) and pulled down seven rebounds in 37 minutes of action.
Junior post Yasmeen Thompson played the entire 40 minutes and produced her fifth double-double of the season with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
The Coogs (12-14 overall, 6-7 in Conference USA) trailed the Mustangs 58-57 with 4:30 remaining in the ball game; however, freshman wing Marche' Amerson nailed a big time three-point shot from the corner to put the Coogs ahead 60-58 at the 4:02 mark.
Amerson split two free throws 35 seconds later; and, after neither team scored for two minutes, Amerson drained another three point shot from nearly the same spot as the first three to give the Coogs a 64-58 lead with 1:28 on the game clock.
The Mustangs did not score a single point in the final 4:30 of the game.
Both teams struggled to make shots in the first half.
The Coogs connected on just 9 of 30 field goal attempts (30.0%) in the first half while the Mustangs made only 11 of 35 attempts (31.4%).
Houston led 26-25 at halftime.
The second half featured five ties and 6 lead changes.
The Cougars next game is Thursday, February 28, on the road, at UCF. Tip is set for 6 p.m.