Sunday, December 30, 2012

Early Foul Trouble Dooms Women’s Basketball at Texas Tech

Palmer leads Cougars with 13 points

LUBBOCK, TEXAS (December 30, 2012)  The University of Houston women’s basketball team was plagued by early foul trouble on Sunday afternoon, falling to a hot-shooting Texas Tech team by a score of 86-56 at United Spirit Arena.

Freshman guard Jessieka Palmer posted a team-high 13 points in 23 minutes of action,while freshman guard Alecia Smith and junior forward Yasmeen Thompson each chipped in nine points.

The Cougars (5-7) were neck-and-neck with the Lady Raiders early on, as freshman guard Marche’ Amerson found junior forward Te’onna Campbell under the basket to break an 8-2 Tech run and tie the score at 15 points apiece.

Texas Tech (10-2) then mounted a 7-0 run to jump out to a 22-15 advantage, but Palmer banked a 3-pointer off the glass as the shot clock expired and senior guard Porshe Landry buried a jumper to trim the deficit to 24-20 with under five minutes remaining in the opening half.

The Lady Raiders then closed the half on a 14-4 run to take a 38-24 advantage into the break as four of Houston’s starters were forced to sit the remainder of the half due to foul trouble, including three who were only able to play nine of the opening 20 minutes.

Thompson helped the Cougars close the deficit to 12 points early in the second half with a three-point play, but the Lady Raiders answered with back-to-back buckets to kick the advantage back to 16 points.

Houston went without a field goal for over six minutes down the stretch, as Tech opened its 16-point lead to a 26-point advantage.

The Cougars struggled from the field all afternoon, shooting 32 percent (19-of-60), while Tech shot 53 percent (29-of-55) from the field, including a blazing 61 percent-clip in the second half.

Houston forced 23 Texas Tech turnovers after the Lady Raiders entered the game giving up just over 14 per contest, but the Cougars committed 21 miscues of their own.

Texas Tech’s Casey Morris led four Lady Raiders in double figures with 13 points.

The Cougars wrap up non-conference play on Jan. 6 against Delaware State at 2 p.m., at Hofheinz Pavilion.

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