Houston guard Laila Blair (14) drives to the basket against Arizona guard Skylar Jones (4) during the first overtime quarter of an NCAA college women’s basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 22 2025 in Houston, Texas. | Joshua Braggs/The Cougar

The Houston women’s basketball team faced a season full of adversity and challenges.

The Cougars have often been down to as few as six available players, and three key players: senior forward Maliyah Johnson, senior guard Kateri Poole and senior forward Avalon Miller all sustained season-ending injuries.

“It’s been a crazy year with all the injuries,” coach Ronald Hughey said. “We are a team that likes to run the floor and press, but with only six or seven players healthy enough to play, we had to change our game plan completely.”

The bad

This season, UH finished with a 5-25 record, which is tied for the second-worst record in program history.

The Cougars also finished last in the Big 12 with a 1-17 record. Their only victory came on Jan. 14, when they defeated No. 24 Oklahoma State 79-76 inside the Fertitta Center.

Houston’s conference finish, a mere .056 win percentage, is tied for the second-worst in program history. 

The only worse finish was the 1996-1997 season, their first year in the Women’s Conference USA, where they went 0-14 in conference play.

The Cougars’ offense averaged 58.7 points per game, the fifth-lowest in program history, and shot just .358 from the field and .289 from three-point range. 

“You can run the perfect offense and get wide-open looks all you want to, but at the end of the day, you have to make shots,” Hughey said.

Defensively, UH allowed 68.6 points per game, giving them a -10 scoring margin, which ranked last in the Big 12.

Opposing teams out-rebounded the Cougars by an average of 9.4 boards per game and out-assisted them by 5.5 assists per game.

With their struggles on the court, Houston also saw a drop in attendance, finishing last in the Big 12 in that category. The Cougars averaged just 891 fans per game, with the next lowest being UCF at 1,431.

To put this into perspective, Iowa State, the leader in attendance, averaged 10,000 fans per game, which is a gap of 9,109 fans per game between the Cyclones and the Cougars.

Given the poor performance this season and Houston’s 14-year NCAA tournament drought, significant work in the offseason will be necessary to get the program back on track.

The good

Graduate guard Laila Blair has been a bright spot for the Cougars this season and throughout her time at Houston.

“I am so blessed to have played my entire career as a Cougar, and it was God who brought me back here this offseason,” Blair said.

Blair averaged 13.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists this season. She made history by breaking several records, including setting the school’s 3-point record and moving to second all-time in points scored.

“I cannot even begin to say how much Laila has meant to this program,” Hughey said. “She had many options to go to different schools, but she chose to stay home to be a Cougar.”

Senior forward Peyton McFarland played a key role for Houston, especially in the latter part of the season when many players were injured.

“Peyton is doing everything she can to help us win games,” Hughey said. “Sometimes, we have to rotate in guards to give her a break, so I’m proud of how she’s overcome adversity and what she’s done for us this season.”

McFarland averaged 6.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game and played 29.8 minutes per game, an 11-minute increase from last season.

Sophomore guard Kierra Merchant also stepped up, averaging 9.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists.

“She’s had some excellent games for us, and I’m proud of how she’s improved,” Hughey said. “Merchant is giving us everything she has, and it’s challenging because she’s just a sophomore.”

Graduate guard Eylia Love and redshirt sophomore guard Gigi Cooke were also vital for the Cougars this season. The duo combined for 23.0 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, providing consistent offense for the team.

“Eylia Love and Gigi Cooke have both had moments where they’ve shone,” Hughey said.

The duo did just that in the final games of the season. 

Cooke delivered a career-high 25 points against No. 8 TCU, while Love set her season-high of 20 points against UCF.

Houston celebrated five seniors on Senior Night: redshirt senior guard Leilani Augmon, senior forward Maliyah Johnson, senior guard Keteri Poole, Blair, Love and McFarland. 

In the Big 12 Tournament, the team fell to Colorado 66-58 in the first round, despite the Buffalos turning the ball over 33 times and Houston aquirng a season high 16 steals.

The season came to a hault, leaving Houston with one Big 12 win to its name.

sports@thedailcougar.com

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“Women’s basketball 2024-25 season recap” was originally posted on The Cougar

Houston women’s basketball Head Coach Ronald Hughey rests his head in his hand during the second half of an NCAA college women’s basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025 in Houston, Texas. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar

Houston women’s basketball endured a crushing 92-47 defeat against Baylor on Wednesday, marking the Cougars’ worst defensive performance of the season allowing a season-high 92 points. 

The Cougars continue to deal with adversity this season as they only had six available players for this matchup.

“It is admirable what they are doing and how hard they fight,” Baylor’s coach Nicki Collen said. “I had seven players my first year here and understand what they are going through.”

The Bears stormed out to a quick 7-0 lead led by junior guard Darianna Littlepage-Buggs with back-to-back layups and a 3-point jumper by senior guard Sarah Andrews.

The Cougars landed their first points with a layup from redshirt sophomore guard Gigi Cooke off of a turnover, bringing the score to 7-2.

With 1:34 remaining in the first quarter, graduate guard Laila Blair hit a step-back 3-point jumper to put Houston within one point of the Bears, 14-13.

Despite a promising start, Houston was quickly overrun by the Bears, who dominated both offensively and defensively, outscoring the Cougars by 44 points after the first quarter.

Trouble began in the second quarter as the Cougars were outscored 24-9. 

Graduate guard Eylia Love made a jumper and later a layup to give Houston over half of their points in the quarter. 

To close the half, Baylor made three consecutive 3-point jumpers to go into halftime with a 38-22 lead.

The second-half wasn’t any better for UH as the Bears outscored Houston 54-25.

The Bears shot 45.8% from behind the arc and rattled in 11 3-point jumpers compared to Houston’s 11.1% with only two 3-point jumpers made.

Houston shot just 31% from the field, while Baylor shot 58%.

Baylor also grabbed 20 more rebounds and recorded 24 more assists than UH.

Littlepage-Buggs was the star tonight for Baylor and ended the game with 19 points, six assists and seven rebounds.

Senior guard Yaya Felder played a huge role off the bench and tallied 15 points and eight assists.

Senior guard Jada Walker followed in scoring with 14 points. She also added five assists, two rebounds and a steal to her stat line.

Merchant was a spark defensively as she recorded five steals. She also added 13 points and six rebounds.

Love also scored 13 points and added an assist and six rebounds.

“At the end of the day it is still five-on-five basketball,” coach Ronald Hughey said. “My team is prepared and knows what to do, we just have to execute.”

With the loss, the Cougars remain at the bottom of the Big 12 with a 1-11 conference record and are 5-18 overall.

sports@thedailycougar.com

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“Houston women’s basketball mauled by the Bears in 92-47 loss” was originally posted on The Cougar

Houston guard Gigi Cooke (3) low-fives guard Laila Blair (14) after a successful layup in the second half of an NCAA college Women’s Basketball game, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, in Houston, Texas. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar

Houston women’s basketball defeated No. 24 Oklahoma State in a narrow 79-76 win Tuesday night in the Fertitta Center.

“I thought this was the first complete game we played all season,” coach Ronald Hughey said. “We played hard throughout and found a way to come through with a big win.”

The Cougars led for over 34 minutes, but UH’s 18-point lead was reduced to just three in the game’s final moments. A missed last-second three-point attempt by the Cowgirls secured the victory for UH.

This was Houston’s first conference win of the season and first victory over a ranked opponent since Feb. 2023.

First half

The Cougars started the night strong with a three-point jumper by graduate guard Laila Blair, giving UH a 15-6 lead. 

OSU responded with twelve unanswered points to take their first lead of the game at 18-15. 

The first quarter ended with a three-point jumper by sophomore guard Summer Bostock to tie the game at 18.

The second quarter was marked by back-to-back gameplay, with both the Cougars and Cowboys scoring nine points each before Houston’s offense took over. 

Tied at 27, OSU’s freshman guard Jadyn Wooten made a single free throw, giving OSU their last point of the half. 

Houston scored twelve continuous points, including two three-point jumpers by sophomore guard Kierra Merchant. The Cougars comfortably entered halftime up 39-28.

Second half

To begin the third quarter, Merchant made back-to-back layups to force an OSU timeout.

Houston continued their offensive rhythm with a 17-2 run and led by as many as 26 in the frame.

The Cougars led 62-42 at the end of the third quarter.

Oklahoma State began the fourth quarter with a quick 6-0 run to cut the lead to 14 points.

In the last nine minutes of the game, Oklahoma State scored almost twice as many points as Houston, but it was not enough to overcome the 20-point deficit.

Game statistics

Houston’s offense was efficient, shooting 51.9% from the field; however, they turned over the ball 23 times, resulting in 25 points for Oklahoma State.

The defense played well throughout and forced 22 turnovers, resulting in 30 points.

OSU’s sophomore guard, Stailee Heard, led the team in scoring with 17 points and grabbed six rebounds.

Junior guard Micah Gray and senior guard Anna Gret Asi combined for 32 points, four assists,  three rebounds and five made three-pointers for the Cowgirls.

Merchant led all scorers with 20 points. She was the spark plug for this team as she brought energy to both sides of the ball and contributed four steals.

Sophomore guard Gigi Cooke scored 16 points and contributed five rebounds and three assists. She was 10 of 11 from the free-throw line.

Senior guard Eylia Love played a huge role off the bench for the Cougars, ending the game with 15 points, four rebounds, two blocks and two steals.

With Houston’s first conference victory, they are now 5-12 overall and 1-5 in the Big 12.

Next, the Cougars will travel to Waco, Texas, on Friday, Jan. 17, to face the Baylor Bears, who are 15-3 overall and 5-1 in conference play.

sports@thedailycougar.com

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“Houston women’s basketball defeats No. 24 Oklahoma State for first Big 12 win of season” was originally posted on The Cougar

Houston forward Peyton McFarland (42) falls to the floor after losing possession of the ball in a scuffle during the second half of an NCAA college Women’s Basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025 in Houston, Texas. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar

Houston women’s basketball lost 69-60 in a conference matchup against the Arizona State Sun Devils on Saturday at the Fertitta Center. 

Houston entered halftime in a one-point deficit, but an 11-1 run by the Sun Devils late in the third quarter established a lead that the Cougars could not recover from.

This loss extends the Cougars’ losing streak to three games, and they have yet to win a conference matchup.

In the first quarter, the game was competitive as the Cougars effectively scored 17 points. 

A layup from senior guard Eylia Love and a three-pointer by sophomore guard Gia Cooke established an early lead over Arizona State.

Both teams exchanged baskets early on and Houston led 17-16 at the end of the first period.

In the second quarter, Houston scored nine consecutive points, including three-pointers from sophomore guard Kierra Merchant and senior guard Ashley Chevalier, giving Houston its largest lead of the game at four points.

In the last two minutes of the half, a three-pointer by Cooke and two free throws by senior forward Peyton McFarland gave the Cougars their last lead for the rest of the game with a score of 35-32.

Returning from halftime, Houston allowed 22 points in the third quarter while only scoring nine themselves. 

The Cougars demonstrated more drive in the fourth quarter, scoring two more points than the Sun Devils in the final period. However, the final 16 points Houston scored were not enough to overcome the deficit that Arizona State had created. 

Senior guard Tyi Skinner led the Sun Devils with 18 points. Following in scoring was sophomore guard Jyah Lovett with 16 points and she also contributed four rebounds and two assists.

Senior center Nevaeh Parkinson recorded her second double-double of the season, finishing with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

McFarland kept Houston in this game as she recorded her first double-double of the season by grabbing a season-high 18 points and 13 rebounds.

Cooke followed in scoring with 13 points including two made three-pointers. Sophomore guard Summer Bostock played a big role off the bench, contributing 11 points and seven rebounds in the game.

Injuries have been an issue all season for the Cougars, and with only seven healthy players, they continue to search for their identity as a team and overcome adversity.

“You have to be dogs to fight through adversity and those moments,” coach Ronald Hughey said.

With the loss, Houston drops to 3-9 overall and remains winless in conference play. An 0-3 record places the Cougars at the bottom of the Big 12. 

The Cougars play the BYU Cougars in Provo, Utah, on Wednesday at 8:00 pm. BYU is also 0-3 in conference play, so both teams will be seeking their first conference win.

sports@thedailycougar.com

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“Cougars second-half struggles continue in loss to Arizona State” was originally posted on The Cougar

Houston guard Mylik Wilson (8) dribbles the ball while Texas A&M-Corpus Christi guard Damarion Dennis (5) flanks his approach during the second half of an NCAA college Men’s Basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Houston, Texas. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar

Houston basketball cruised to an 87-51 victory over Texas A&M Corpus Christi on Saturday at the Fertitta Center.

With the victory, the Cougars collected their 100th win inside the arena and their 29th consecutive.

Houston jumped out to an early 6-0 lead with back-to-back three-pointers from graduate guard L.J. Cryer and redshirt junior guard Emanuel Sharp.

A 3-pointer by freshman guard Damarion Dennis brought the Islanders within three points of the Cougars, which was as close as the game got.

Eight Houston 3-pointers made propelled the Cougars to a 46-27 halftime lead.

In the first seven minutes of the second half, UH picked up where they left off and rattled in four more three-point jumpers.

It was all Houston in the second half. They extended their lead by as many as 42 points and won the game 87-51.

Off the bench, graduate forward Ja’Vier Francis and Jojo Tugler each recorded four blocks while graduate guard Mylik Wilson tallied 11 rebounds.

“I’m just trying to go in and be a rebounding player just like coach Sampson said. The rebounds got me going tonight,” Wilson said.

Sharp led all scorers with 18 points and also added two assists and Cryer followed with 17 points and five three-point jumpers.

Junior guard Milos Uzan finished with 12 points on 80% shooting. He also led the team with six assists.

Sophomore guard Terrance Arceneaux made his first start of the season and contributed 13 points, three assists and five rebounds. He started in place of graduate forward J’Wan Roberts who is day to day with a leg injury.

With the win, the Cougars now are 8-3 on the season and remain undefeated at home.

Houston now prepares for their Big 12 opener against Oklahoma State on Dec. 30 at the Gallagher-Iba Arena.

“We are what we are right now, our team is going to continue to improve. We’re nowhere close to playing our best basketball,” coach Kelvin Sampson said. “Look how good we were today at times while not having J’Wan.”

sports@thedailycougar.com

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“Houston shines against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 100th win at Fertitta Center” was originally posted on The Cougar

Houston Cougars guard Gigi Cooke (3) commands her team against UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros during the second half of an NCAA women’s college basketball game, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 in Houston, Texas. | Oscar Herrera/The Cougar

Houston women’s basketball was defeated 61-47 by the Georgia Bulldogs on Friday night.

Georgia started hot, going on an 11-0 run to begin the game. Their tough defense also held the Cougars to just four points after the first quarter, and Georgia led 17-4.

In the second quarter, Houston flipped a switch and ended up outscoring the Bulldogs 17-12 in the second quarter. Houston’s redshirt sophomore guard Gigi Cooke and graduate guard Eylia Love combined for 10 points and cut the lead at halftime to just eight points.

Georgia started the third quarter on a 10-2 run which extended the lead to 16 for the Bulldogs. Houston scored nine unanswered points to cut the lead to seven and force a Georgia timeout. The third quarter ended with the Bulldogs up 43-32.

Georgia’s senior guards Asia Avinger and Roxane Makolo stole the show in the fourth quarter and led the Bulldogs to a 61-47 victory over the Cougars.

The Bulldog’s junior forward Amiya Evans led the team with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Makola and Avinger combined for 25 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman guard Trinity Turner put up a balanced stat line with 12 points, six assists and seven rebounds.

Houston’s Love was the highlight of the game for the Cougars leading the team with 17 points and nine rebounds. Senior forward Peyton McFarland scored eight points and grabbed seven boards. Cooke was a spark off the bench for the Cougars as she tallied eight points, three rebounds and an assist.

Houston managed only a 24.6% field goal percentage and shot 23.8% from behind the arc.

The Cougars seek to pick up their first win of the season Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. against their rivals Rice at Tudor Fieldhouse.

sports@thedailycougar.com

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“UH women’s basketball drops first road game in Athens” was originally posted on The Cougar

Houston quarterback Zeon Chriss (2) sprints with the ball toward the end zone during the second half of an NCAA College Football game, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Houston, Texas. | Oscar Herrera/The Cougar

Houston defeated No. 17 Kansas State 24-19 on Nov. 2. This was the Cougars’ first time beating a ranked team since they beat No.19 SMU inside TDECU Stadium on Oct. 30, 2021.

Houston’s junior defensive back Jeremiah Wilson intercepted a pass from Kansas State sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson and returned it to the KSU nine-yard line at the beginning of the fourth quarter to keep Houston’s hopes alive.

A 1-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Zeon Chriss to senior tight end Maliq Carr cut Kansas State’s lead to two points.

In the final minutes of the game, Chriss broke away for a 41-yard touchdown run to regain the lead. On the next drive, senior linebacker Michael Batton intercepted Johnson’s pass, putting the Cougars one step closer to victory.

The rain may have delayed the game by 55 minutes, but it couldn’t extinguish the Cougars’ blackout magic. 

At the end of the game, Kansas State had a shot at a last-second Hail Mary, which was a familiar moment for the Cougars, who experienced a thrilling win over West Virginia during last season’s blackout game in the same fashion.

As Johnson’s final pass was batted down by Houston’s junior defensive back Latrell McCutchin Sr., the remaining students stormed the field to celebrate the Cougars’ upset victory.

“This is just the beginning,” Batton said. “The sky’s the limit with this team.” 

On the first drive of the game, Kansas State led a 15-play, 70-yard drive capped off by a 23-yard field goal from senior kicker Chris Tennant. 

On fourth and 2, Chriss threw a 44-yard pass that was caught by senior wide receiver Joseph Manjack IV just shy of a touchdown at the end of the first quarter.

To begin the second quarter, senior quarterback Donovon Smith’s 1-yard run earned UH its first touchdown.

This was Houston’s first-ever scoring drive against the Wildcats after their first matchup ended with a 41-0 shutout in 2023.

Following a Kansas State three-and-out, UH went on a nine-play 55-yard drive that ended in a 22-yard field goal by senior kicker Jack Martin. 

Kansas State responded with a two-yard rushing touchdown by junior running back DJ Giddens, but McCutchin Sr. blocked the extra point attempt, preventing the Wildcats from tying the score at 10. 

With 38 seconds remaining in the half, Chriss was sacked by KSU’s sophomore defensive end Tobi Osunsanmi, which resulted in a recovery by Kansas State’s junior linebacker Desmond Purnell at midfield.

A seven-yard pass from Johnson to junior wide receiver Keagan Johnson was caught in the endzone, and the Wildcats reclaimed the lead.

 The Cougars trailed 10-16 heading into halftime.

“I didn’t like the way some of the guys came into the locker room,” said head coach Willie Fritz. “Luckily, the strong guys imposed their will in the locker room, and we came out fighting.”

In the third quarter, a KSU drive ended with a botched snap on a 53-yard field goal attempt, resulting in a loss of downs and a Kansas State turnover on the Houston 45-yard line. 

On the following drive, Smith was stopped short on fourth down, giving Kansas State the ball at their own 47.

Kansas State ended the third quarter with a five-play 55-yard drive and a 47-yard field goal by Tennant, which was their only points of the half. 

With the Cougars holding Kansas State to just three second-half points, Houston now has outscored their past two opponents 24-0 in the fourth quarter.

“I thought Jerimiah and Michael did excellent fighting through adversity tonight,” Fritz said. “The defensive staff has done a fabulous job keeping us in games all season.”

Although the Cougars were conservative in the passing game, it was the first time a Cougar quarterback maintained a 100% completion percentage in a game with 10+ attempts as Chriss went 11-11.

UH’s freshman punter Liam Dougherty set a new career high with a 65-yard punt in the third quarter.

The Cougars are now 3-3 in conference and have won four games overall, the same amount they won in 2023. 

With three games remaining, the Cougars bowl hopes remain alive. 

“Since I have been here, the Coogs never quit until the final whistle is blown,” Manjack IV said. “That is something you cherish for the rest of your life.”

They will now ride their two-game win streak into a bye week before traveling to Tucson, Arizona to play against the Arizona Wildcats on Nov. 15. 

sports@thedailycougar.com

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“Cougars upset No. 17 Kansas State in thrilling blackout victory” was originally posted on The Cougar

Shasta hypes up the crowd midcourt at Fertitta Center. | Oscar Herrera/The Cougar

With Houston ranked No. 4 in the AP preseason poll and coming off a dominating 79-64 win against No. 13 Texas A&M at the charity exhibition game on Oct. 27, the Cougars are looking to start the season strong and capitalize on recent success. 

Ranked first in scoring defense, the Cougars effectively combine their strong defensive skills with efficient offensive rebounding, often holding opponents well below their average points per game.

Despite their recent success, Houston’s basketball program is still relatively young, having played its first season in 1950. 

In contrast, long-established programs like Kansas, founded in 1898 by James Naismith, embrace an extensive game history with deep-rooted traditions and a secure reputation. 

Even Iowa State, an up-and-coming threat to the Cougars, claims a 40-year headstart on Houston. 

Older programs benefit from established reputations and generations of alumni that financially reinvest into the team. 

Most importantly, these older programs started traditions decades ago that shape the program’s culture and still exist today. 

Having not experienced this level of success since the Phi Slama Jama era of 1982-84, Houston is looking to foster an off-the-court fan culture that matches the intensity and intimidation of their on-the-court performance. 

Houston has great growth potential, and with the right dedication, it can match the legacy of older programs.

Strengthening current traditions

Houston’s Fertitta Center, recently opened in 2018, offers a prime venue for crowds of dedicated students, yet its capacity of 7,100 is the lowest in the Big 12 conference. Nevertheless, strides have been made to create a challenging home-court experience for opposing teams.

“I like the new traditions that UH has implemented recently,” said sophomore biomedical science student Kailey Jirsa. “The inflatables and banners during the opposing team’s free throws give us an advantage.” 

These additions complement longstanding traditions, such as the iconic newspaper confetti throw during opponent announcements and spirited Cougar chants during gameplay.

“Every season, I see our student section become more electric,” said computer information systems senior Axel Avendano.

Students dedicated to UH traditions must consistently fill the Fertitta Center to build on this developing excitement heading into basketball season.

Outside of the stands

Enhancing the game day experience in the Fertitta Center involves more than just a spirited student section.

Initiatives such as towel handouts, shirt tosses and Cane’s discounts are incentives provided by the University that motivate student turnout, and a deeper investment into these practices would boost student attendance.

The opening team videos in the lights-out arena, accompanied by a court illuminated with red and white, are further displays of pride that exhilarate fans and create an electrifying game day experience – precisely the kind of thrill the Fertitta Center needs seconds before a game. 

Next steps

To maximize fan engagement, the Houston student section could benefit from two improvements: a firmer commitment to the current traditions and efforts to expand school spirit. 

Learning from the football program, Houston could adopt new traditions, such as striping the sections in red and white, in addition to the annual blackout game, to create a unified visual impact.

While it would be exciting to establish an original practice of spirit, Houston still has much to gain from observing established programs. 

For example, Kansas students camp out for up-close seats to their home games, and the Duke’s Cameron Crazies create a fervent atmosphere that rivals the intensity of UH’s Bleacher Creatures.

The most radical improvement to the fanbase would be expanding the student section from section 107 into the current section 109. 

“Being able to crowd behind the basketball goals and distract opposing teams during their free throws would be a fun addition to the game,” architecture junior Jenna Small said.

This adjustment would permanently create a more formidable presence behind the goalposts where opponents shoot for a half, a practice that most of our rivals have already employed.

However, expansion of the student section is unlikely until the current allotment is consistently filled. 

We are Houston

Students are integral to UH basketball’s everlasting reputation. The chant “We are Houston” echoed by the Cougar Dolls during gameplay serves as a reminder that every fan contributes to the team’s success in the Fertitta Center. 

Men’s basketball head coach Kelvin Sampson emphasized this connection to students at the Student Center pep rally on Oct. 24.

“The environment we create in the Fertitta Center always comes from the students,” Sampson said.

Students are responsible for creating an intimidating atmosphere for visiting teams and have the unique opportunity to continue to get Houston on the map.

“The more students come to support our student-athletes, the better we are all going to be. It’s going to elevate our play and elevate the experience,” said athletic director Eddie Nuñez. “I need them now more than ever.”

sports@thedailycougar.com

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“Column: Fostering fan culture in Houston Basketball” was originally posted on The Cougar

Houston’s Alana Torres-Rivera (2) receives a serve from Baylor during the second half of an NCAA college volleyball match, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, in Houston. | Oscar Herrera/The Cougar

Houston volleyball was defeated by the No. 23 Baylor Bears 3-1 on Wednesday, Oct. 23. 

The Cougars started the game on fire with an early 4-0 lead in the first set. Several consecutive points by Baylor tied the score at 8. 

Both teams battled back and forth to once again tie the game at 14. UH pulled away to establish a 21-17 lead over the Bears. 

Houston’s drive persisted throughout the match, and a kill by senior outside hitter Katie Corelli earned the Cougars a win in set one.    

UH continued their momentum from the first set, with several strong kills by Corelli that showcased Houston’s electric offense. 

Two kills by junior outside hitter Avery Shimaitis and an ace from graduate outside hitter Angela Grieve secured an early 8-5 lead for the Cougars. 

Baylor responded with two kills and an ace to take the lead, but a kill by Corelli tied the game at 13. 

Baylor managed to pull away with five straight points. Grieve’s back-to-back kills ended Baylor’s scoring streak, but Houston was unable to catch up.

The Bears scored another five consecutive points, and a block assist by Baylor’s sophomore middle blocker Victoria Davis and graduate setter Jackie Barrett Fraizer wrapped set two as a 25-16 victory for the Bears.

Following the loss in the second set, Houston struggled to find a rhythm in the third set. A 2-7 start forced the Cougars to take a timeout and regroup.

Two kills by Grieve and an ace by senior setter Rebecca Roccasin changed the pace of the game, which forced a Baylor timeout, and narrowed Houston’s deficit to just two points. 

Nevertheless, Baylor’s offense was too much for the Cougars to handle in set three. A UH attack error gave Baylor their second match point, ending the set with a 25-17 Cougar loss. 

Houston entered set four, looking to reignite the spark that they entered the game with. A 6-0 scoring run by Baylor was terminated with a kill from UH’s freshman middle blocker Addisyn Pohl. 

Despite competitive back-and-forth play, Houston was unable to overcome the seven-point deficit and was defeated in a narrow 25-23 match.

Grieve led the Cougars with 18 kills and Cooke had a team-high 40 assists

Graduate libero Kate Georgiades led the team with 16 digs and junior libero Alana Torres-Rivera recorded a career-high of ten digs. 

At the net, redshirt junior middle blocker Barakat Rahmon tied the Cougars’ season-high with seven blocks in the match. 

With the loss, Houston’s record drops to 8-10 overall and 3-5 in conference play.

The Cougars’ next game is against UCF in Orlando, Fla., on Oct. 25 at 6 p.m.

sports@thedailycougar.com

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“Volleyball falls to No. 23 Baylor in hard-fought 3-1 match” was originally posted on The Cougar

Sophomore Aaron Crittenden in the Arturo Barrios Invitational on Oct. 18 in College Station, Texas. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

Houston cross country finished their regular season at the Arturo Barrios Invitational on Oct. 18 in College Station, Texas.  

38 teams from around the country competed in the race. The men’s team finished 22nd in the 8k, while the women’s team placed 31st in the 6k.

Sophomore Aaron Crittenden led the men’s team, finishing as the first Cougar in 52nd place with a personal best time of 23:44.9. 

Freshman Caden Thurman, who finished 115th with a time of 24:16.7, and sophomore Michael Archie, who placed 119th with a time of 24:19.9, also recorded personal bests.

Freshman Remay Abraha made his collegiate debut at 24:42.4 and finished 171st. Junior Branch Cox crossed the finish line at 24:45.9 and finished 182nd.

Other notable finishes included freshman Zade Kayyali, who finished 156th in 24:37.1, junior Miles Cox in 182nd with a time of 24:45.8, and junior Benym Fantue, who finished 347th in 27:06.2.  

Sophomore Grant Sims completed the scoring for the men with a personal best time of 24:55.8 and finished 209th.

The team’s average time of 24:20.20 was nearly 11 seconds faster than their performance at the A&M Invitational last month.

For the women’s team, freshman Cadence Patterson led the team and finished in 107th place with a time of 21:04.1. 

Freshman Madelyn Hunter made her collegiate debut, finishing second for Houston at 21:42.2 in 165th, followed by freshman AnnClaire Cop at 21:43.8 in 167th place.

Other scorers for the Cougars included three freshmen: Emily Pharris, who finished with a time of 21:54.0 in 165th; Julia Shimel, who took 196th, finishing in 22:15.8; and Lily Campos, who finished 205th in 22:21.8. 

Senior Eleni Kaiser was the final scorer for the Cougars, recording a personal best time of 22:30.1 and finished 214th.

The women’s team faced challenges compared to their earlier impressive third-place finish at the A&M Invitational. Overall, the Cougars’ total time was 2:01:41.00, just seconds shy of surpassing the four teams in front of them in the standings.

The Cougars have just under two weeks to prepare for the Big 12 cross-country championship on Nov. 1 in Waco, Texas.

sports@thedailycougar.com

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“Cougars wrap up regular season at Arturo Barrios Invitational” was originally posted on The Cougar