Rice University
Houston
Owls Lose 79-72 at Houston
1/15/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 15, 2006
Houston -
Tye Jackson scored a season-high 37 points, including three free throws in the final 16 seconds to lead Houston to a 79-72 win over Rice Sunday at Hofheinz Pavilion. Jackson connected on 14 field goals, including a pair of three-pointers, as the Cougars moved to 7-8 overall and 4-0 in Conference USA play. Rice dropped to 6-9 and 2-2.
The game started out on an even keel, with the lead switching hands often. Valeriya Berezhynska hit a pair of jumpers to put Rice up 5-4 with 16:39 to go, and a pair of baskets by Krystal Frazier made it 13-12 Rice at the 12:56 mark. Kadie Riverin stretched the Owls' lead to three and Tiffany Loggins kept it there with a lay-up. A short jumper with 7:29 left by Catherine DuPont gave Rice a four-point edge, 26-22, but a trey by Sha'Ratta Hawkins and a jumper and free throw from Jackson helped the Cougars claw back and go up by four with 4:47 to go.
Amber Cunningham scored on a jumper with 39 seconds to go, and after a missed three-pointer by Jackson, Kadie Riverin scored on a lay-up at the buzzer to give Rice a 37-36 lead at the half.
Frazier, who led the Owls with 23 points, sank a pair of treys to open the second half and put Rice up 43-40 with 18:30 remaining. Two buckets by Jackson and a trio of treys from Hawkins blew open the game in the next three minutes as the Cougars took a commanding 55-45 lead with 15:20 to go. Nakazi Glover increased that lead to 11 on a jumper with 10:03 left, and Jackson's three-pointer with 4:01 on the clock put Houston up 68-57.
Frazier hit an NBA-distance three to bring the Owls back within four at 76-72 with 19 seconds remaining, but Jackson converted three charity shots in the final 16 clicks to seal the win.
Berezhynska had a season-high 15 points for the Owls to go with a career-high nine rebounds, and Riverin added 10 points and three assists. Lauren Neaves was held to six points and nine rebounds for Rice, and didn't hit her first field goal until the 1:40 mark in the second half.
Hawkins chipped in 17 points and five steals for the Cougars, while Emily Fryters had a double-double, scoring 10 and grabbing 14 boards.
Rice returns to action Friday at Tulsa, and will play at SMU Sunday.
