Houston edges SFA, 61-59, in hard fought battle

POSTED: December 12, 2020 -- 12:46 a.m. CT

HOUSTON, TX (Fertitta Center) -- The Houston Cougars women's basketball team defeated Stephen F. Austin 61-59 Friday night. Houston improves to 3-1 with the win. The 3-1 start is Houston's best starts since the 2010-11 season -- which is the last time Houston reached the NCAA Tournament.

In her first start as a Coog, Houston's Miya Crump scored 16 points to lead Houston. After the game, Crump admitted she was nervous before the game.

"Most definitely nerves. Especially when the game first started; but, I felt very prepared because I've been practicing with the starting five the whole week. So, there was no excuse to have nerves; but, I definitely had nerves."

Crump sprained her ankle early in the game; but, she overcame the sprain and made two of Houston's 5 three-point shots in the fourth quarter.

"It was bad," Crump said of her ankle sprain. "It's only because I had a previous injury a couple of months ago; but, I stuck it through for my team. That's all that matters."

Crump's second three-point basket in the fourth quarter gave Houston a 53-51 lead. SFA's Brianna Mitchell scored a layup to tie the game at 53; but, Houston's Bria Patterson drained a corner 3 (assist from Crump) for a 56-53 Houston lead with 3:22 remaining in the game.

Tatyana Hill, a 50 percent free throw shooter last season, made 2 free throws to increase Houston's lead to 58-53 with 2:24 on the clock. SFA's Stephanie Visscher sank two foul shots to cut Houston's lead to 58-55.

Neither team scored for nearly 90 seconds when Eryka Sidney swished a three-point shot for a 61-55 lead with 28 seconds on the game clock. 50 seconds earlier, Sidney committed a traveling violation to give the ball to SFA.

"We talk about toughness every day in practice," Ronald Hughey, Houston head coach said during his postgame media session. "And, we say that one hundred times in practice; and, I told her to reach deep to find that toughness because we need you right now."

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Mitchell scored a layup to slice 2 points off Houston's lead. SFA fouled Eryka Sidney; and, Sidney went to the line for 2. She missed both free throws. SFA's Visscher scored a layup with 9 seconds remaining; and, Houston's lead was down to 2 points, 61-59, with 9 seconds left on the clock.

SFA forced a Houston turnover; and, with 6 seconds remaining, SFA set up a play to either tie the game or win the game with a 3. SFA's Brianna Mitchell dribbled the ball into the frontcourt. Mitchell tossed a pass which Tatyana Hill deflected and stole to seal Houston's two point victory.

Hill described her defense after the game with a very matter-of-fact response: "What we do everyday in practice. Sticking to what we do: getting up the line; getting my hands out; being active; getting deflections. That's all that was."

Hill finished the game with 10 points and 15 rebounds for the sixth double-double of her UH career.

Crump added, "It's going to be a lot of games like this; and, I'm just glad everybody stuck it out. Everybody just stuck it out; and, I'm just happy to get the dub."

NEXT:

Houston's next game is scheduled for Wednesday, December 16, versus American Athletic Conference foe, Cincinnati, inside the Fertitta Center. Tip is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.

"As we head into conference, it's going to be really tough," Tatyana Hill said. "So, we have to stay disciplined and keep the toughness going and just be your best you."

"It's tremendously important for us to have a short-term memory," Coach Hughey said. Because, a 3-1 start can turn into a 3-3 really quick going into conference play."

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