University of Houston
0-1
College of Charleston
1-0
Cougars Drop Opener, 55-48, at Charleston
11/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
CHARLESTON, S.C. - The University of Houston Women's Basketball team fell to College of Charleston, 55-48, Friday afternoon at TD Arena. The loss came in the season opener for both teams, dropping the Cougars to 0-1 in 2015-16.
"To win games at this level, you have to make shots, limit turnovers and have a strong post presence," Houston head coach Ronald Hughey said. "We struggled in those areas tonight, but we will correct those issues and come back with a much more complete effort Thursday night."
Hughey's team was strong defensively, holding the home team to 28.1 percent (16-for-57) shooting. But Charleston was able to edge Houston by hitting all 15 of their free throw attempts, and they rallied from a five-point halftime deficit.
 | THE BASICS |
Score: College of Charleston 55, Houston 48
Records: Houston 0-1, College of Charleston 1-0
Date: Friday, November 13, 2015
Location: Charleston, S.C. (TD Arena)
| TURNING POINT |
Houston took a 31-29 lead on two Mariah Mitchell free throws with 2:54 left in the third quarter, but Charleston responded with the largest run of the game. The home team scored 10 straight points, including 3-pointers by Breanna Bolden and Kelsey Booth, to take a commanding 39-31 lead they would not relinquish.
| TOP PERFORMERS |
Houston: Freshman Serithia Hawkins led the Cougars with 11 points in her first official collegiate game. Kierra Graves snagged a team-high nine rebounds, while Tyler Gilbert blocked four shots and Jessieka Palmer swatted three, a career high.
College of Charleston: Bolden led all scorers with 19 points while also grabbing six rebounds and dishing four assists.
| INSIDE THE BOX SCORE |
- The Cougars shot 18-for-57 (31.6 percent) from the floor and 5-for-7 (71.4 percent) from the free throw line.
- Charleston had the edge shooting 3-pointers, knocking down 8-of-12 (66.7 percent) while Houston finished 7-for-29 (24.1 percent).
- College of Charleston hit all six of their 3-pointers and all 12 of their free throw attempts in the second half.
- The rebounding battle went to the home team, 42-40.
- Houston won the first two quarters, 10-7 and 10-8. Charleston took the third and fourth, 24-14 and 16-14.
- Alecia Smith finished with 10 points on the night.
- Palmer led Houston with four assists, while Mariah Mitchell and Kierra Graves each posted two steals.
- Houston led at the half, 20-15, after scoring the final six points before intermission. The Coogs held Charleston to 17.2 percent (5-for-29) shooting in the first half.
- Hawkins led the Cougars with eight points at the break.
| NEWS & NOTES |
- The loss dropped the Houston program to 29-12 all-time in regular-season openers.
- After blocking multiple shots in 18 of 30 games last season, Gilbert notched her second rejection of the day at the 5:29 mark of the first quarter. She now has 86 career blocks, ninth in Houston history.
- Gilbert finished with three or more blocks for the 12th time in her collegiate career.
- Smith canned a trio of 3-pointers and now has 114 for her career, still seventh in Cougar history.
- Marche' Amerson played 28 minutes to move into eighth in Houston history with 2,867 career minutes. She also tied for seventh in Houston history with her 91st career start.
- Amerson scored eight points on the evening and now has 867 career points.
- Hawkins is the first Houston freshman to score double-figures in her collegiate debut since Nov. 9, 2012, when Palmer scored 10 against Mississippi State.
- In addition to Hawkins and Graves, junior Jacqueline Blake and freshman Sharayla Brown also made their Houston regular season debuts.
- Friday's game was the first in Houston history to be contested in the state of South Carolina.
- The game also had special significance for Hughey, who was born and raised in Columbia, S.C., and got his first collegiate coaching job at South Carolina State, in Orangeburg, S.C.
| UP NEXT FOR THE COUGARS |
Houston is back at Hofheinz Pavilion Thursday, Nov. 19, when they host Long Beach State. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m., and tickets are available at UHCougars.com/tickets.
The 49ers are coming off a 22-10 season last year, which included a berth in the Women's National Invitation Tournament. Long Beach State hosts San Diego State late Friday evening and Portland State Sunday before flying east to face Houston.
| $50 SHASTA PASS NOW AVAILABLE |
The Houston Fan Experience Headquarters is proud to offer the Shasta Pass for the 2015-16 athletic season. For only $50, Cougar fans can purchase one Shasta Pass, which allows season-long general admission entrance to all Houston Women's Basketball, Volleyball and Softball home games.
The Shasta Pass offers Houston fans a substantial savings as single-game tickets start at $8 for all four sports. Fans can save $126 alone during the Houston fall sports seasons. To purchase a Shasta Pass, CLICK HERE.
| STAY CONNECTED |
Fans can receive daily information and in-game updates by following @UHCougarWBB on Twitter. Fans can also catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at facebook.com/UHCougarWBB.
--UHCougars.com--
