Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Houston Cougars drop first conference game of season to Tulane Green Wave

Photo by Darla S. Tamulitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2015 All Rights Reserved
By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2015 TexSport Publications

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA (December 30, 2015) Marche’ Amerson scored 11 points and pulled down seven rebounds, but it was not enough as the Houston Cougars dropped a 70-48 decision to the Tulane Green Wave at Avon B. Fogelman Arena in Devlin Fieldhouse in New Orleans, Louisiana on Wednesday, December 30, 2015. The game was the first American Athletic Conference game for both teams and their final game of 2015.

The Cougars trailed 38-16 at the half; shooting 23% and improved to 40% in the second half. They shot 32% (19-60) from the field, 17% (3-18) from three-point range, and 47% (7-15) from the line in the final game stats. The Cougars' bench scored 24 points in the effort, along with 12 second-chance points. Amerson’s seven rebounds was a season high for the senior from Bryan, Texas. Chyanne Butler scored eight points for the Cougars, while teammates Jacqueline Blake and Jessieka Palmer added seven points each.

Houston head coach Ronald Hughey discussed the Houston effort with the media at the post-game press conference.
Photo by Darla S. Tamulitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2015 All Rights Reserved
“We didn’t come out with a lot of focus and energy in the beginning. It’s all about energy and effort: especially when you’re playing a good team. You can’t have live ball turnovers to allow them to get into transition, and you have to rebound the basketball. Those two things we didn’t do well to start out. But, we’ll get back and fix things, and watch the Peach Bowl, and support the football team, and then we’ll go to practice.”
For the Green Wave, Leslie Vorpahl scored 25 points; a season high for the junior guard who played her high school ball at Winston Churchill High School in San Antonio, Texas. Senior forward Tierra Jones got her second double-double of the season with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Kolby Morgan also scored 12 points for Tulane.

Next up for the Cougars, who fell to 4-8 for the season, will be the Temple Owls in a 2 p.m. CST matchup in Houston on January 2, 2016. The Owls are 7-4 for the season and 1-0 in conference play. The Green Wave, as result of the win over Houston, are 10-3 for the season, will next play Memphis on January 3, 2016 on the road.

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