Houston Cougars top BYU Cougars, 79-69, and earn first Big 12 win

POSTED: January 10, 2024 -- 11:10 p.m. CT

HOUSTON, TX (Fertitta Center) -- The Houston Cougars women's basketball team defeated the BYU Cougars, 79-69, Wednesday night to earn Houston's first Big 12 Conference win.

"We learned about ourselves after the 2 road losses," (at 12th-ranked Kansas State and at 6th-ranked Baylor) Houston Head Coach Ron Hughey said after the game.

On Houston's first Big 12 win, Coach Hughey said, "To get one, it's really hard; and, it's a blessing. And, you have to earn them each and every time. And, I'm extremely proud of our girls and our staff. Everybody stuck together."

BYU struggled against Houston's pressure defense. "They pressured us and we didn't fight back," Amber Whiting, BYU Head Coach, said after the game. "We gotta make sure we take care of that on our end."

After leading Houston 3-2, BYU committed 3 turnovers in less than 3 minutes and Houston capitalized with an 9-0 run to lead 11-3. Houston's run continued and Houston led 21-6 before BYU calmed down and stopped turning over the ball.

BYU ended the first quarter with a 6-0 run to cut Houston's lead to 21-12 after to minutes. Houston scored 9 points off 6 BYU first quarter turnovers.

BYU scored the first 8 points in the second quarter to pull within 1 (21-20) and forced Houston to call timeout with 5:39 left in the 2nd period.

Houston (10-5, 1-3 in Big 12) responded and freshman guard Kierra Merchant led the way. After a steal by teammate Bria Patterson, Merchant scored a fast break layup. Then, with the shot clock winding down, Merchant was fouled while attempting three-pointer. She made all three free throws.

Next, after another BYU turnover, Laila Blair scored a layup before Maliyah Johnson sank a three-pointer to stretch Houston's lead to 31-21 with 2:23 remaining in the opening half.

Houston led BYU 34-25 at halftime. Houston had a 19-5 points off turnovers edge in the first half.

BYU (10-7, 0-4) clawed within 6 of Houston twice in the third quarter; but, Houston pushed its lead to 9 each time. BYU's Lauren Davenport made a jumper with 4 seconds left in the third to trim Houston's lead to 51-44 after 3 quarters.

Houston led 54-44 in the fourth; however, BYU outscored Houston 11-5 to get within 4 (59-55) with 4:35 to go in the game. Houston's Kamryn Jones banked in a 3-pointer from the top of the key to start a Houston 11-4 run. Houston led 70-59 with 2 minutes remaining. BYU did not get closer than 7 in the final 2 minutes.

Kamryn Jones was a defensive menace in the game. She picked up a career-high 8 steals and set the tone defensively for Houston.

Jones helped limit BYU's leading scorer, Kailey Woolston, to zero made baskets (0 for 6 field goals) and just 4 made free throws.

Houston had 13 steals in the game and BYU ended the game with 25 turnovers. Houston outscored BYU 27-11 in points off turnovers.

"They're 94 feet the whole 40 minutes," Coach Whiting said.

Houston was led by Laila Blair's game-high 20 points. Britney Onyeje was next with 16 points. Onyeje made 4 of her 8 three-point attempts and her threes were timely.

"We tried to switch to zone twice tonight and both times they hit a three on us," Coach Whiting said of Onyeje's threes. "And, we're right back out."

"We got back to who we are," Coach Hughey said. "That's the one thing we know about Houston Cougars' basketball: it's up tempo; it's forcing turnovers; it's getting threes and executing down the stretch."

"We carried on the culture of what we're building here."

NEXT:

Houston's next game is Saturday, January 13, at home, versus TCU. Tip is set for 2 p.m. on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

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