FAMILIAR NAMES IF NOT FAMILIAR GAMES
Dropping the home opener to UTRGV 68-70 after the Vaquero’s nailed a three ball with 2 seconds remaining was not the way Houston Cougar head coach Ronald Hughey needed to start the season. Hughey is in his 11th season at Houston and the last year of his contract. He’s never taken Houston to the NCAA tournament and now is transitioning the program from the AAC to the Big 12.
Last season, their first in the Big 12, the Cougar’s finished 5-13 in a three-way tie for 11th in a 14 team league. This season voters in the conference preseason poll tabbed Houston 16th in a now 16 team league.
Following the opening loss, the outlook for improvement hasn’t improved. The Cougars lost road contests at Georgia 47-61 and Rice 48-69 before taking two home games from the formidable Houston Christian 54-52 and Alcorn State 73-48. But the two wins were followed by a loss to North Texas 53-69. And now the Cougars travel to the Big Easy to face a Minnesota team that they feel is an upgrade in competition.
Hughey, a defense and toughness coach, dove into the portal to upgrade the roster. The results have been more notable for familiarity than fearsomeness.
There’s 5’8” senior guard Kateri Poole who began as a Buckeye then relocated to LSU and winning an NCAA title before being dismissed by Kim Mulkey. Poole has not played this season. Another well traveled player is Ashley Chevalier who has traveled from Texas to Texas Tech to Houston. The 5’7” graduate guard averages 3.3 points and 1.3 rebounds in 24.8 minutes. 6’1” sophomore guard Summer Bostock we remember from Maryland.
The Starters
6’1” graduate guard Eylia Love arrived from Louisville following a stint at Georgia Tech. She averages 12 points and 6 rebounds in 34.8 minutes.
5’8” sophomore guard Gigi Cooke we know from Maryland averages 10.8 points and 3.2 rebounds in 28.7 minutes.
5’8” graduate guard Lailia Blair has spent her career at Houston and averages 10 points and 2.5 rebounds in 28.3 minutes.
5’11” senior guard Leilani Augmon arrived from Troy and averages 6.7 points and 6 rebounds in 27.5 minutes.
6’4” senior forward Peyton McFarland is in her second season at Houston after transferring from Utah. She averages 5.8 points and 3 rebounds in 28.9 minutes per game.
