Tulane University
Houston
Women's Basketball Falls to Houston In Overtime
Jan 14, 2001 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 14, 2001
NEW ORLEANS, La. - - Houston was hit 11 consecutive free throws in overtime to post a 90-80 win over the Tulane women's basketball team at Fogelman Arena on Sunday.
The loss was Tulane's first in Conference USA play, leaving the Wave 11-6 overall and 4-1 in league action. Houston improved to 11-6 and also stand at 4-1 in C-USA play. The win was Houston's first over Tulane in league play and the Cougars first over the Wave since 1979.
Tulane took an early 71-69 lead in overtime on a pair of Janell Burse free throws, but an old-fashioned three-point play from UH's Chandi Jones gave the Cougars a 72-71 advantage. Burse answered with a lay-up, before the Cougars' Monet Sykes hit a jumper to give Houston the lead for good. With Tulane trailing 76-73, Teana McKiver hit a lay-up to cut the Cougar margin to just one. But on the ensuing play, Burse fouled out and Houston quickly built a five-point cushion. A free throw from Gwen Slaughter brought Tulane to within four, but Houston hit 10 straight free throws inside the final 90 seconds to seal the win.
The Green Wave dropped its first Conference USA game despite 36 points and 15 rebounds from Burse. The senior All-American also had two assists, two blocks and three steals while playing only 21 minutes. Slaughter just missed a double-double with 19 points and nine rebounds, while adding four assists and four steals. Junior Sarah Goree also added double figures, scoring 12 points, handing out eight assists and grabbing two steals.
Jones led Houston with 31 points, scoring nine in overtime thanks to a 5-of-5 performance from the free throw line. The Cougars were a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor and 11-of-11from the charity stripe in overtime. Monet Sykes had 21 points and eight rebounds for the Cougars.
Tulane led by as many as 14 in the first half, 26-12, before the Cougars slowly whittled the lead down to three at the break. The Green Wave increased its lead to seven, 40-33, with 16:55 left in the second half, but Houston answered with an 8-0 run to claim a 41-40 advantage with 14:44 remaining. Houston pushed its lead to as many as five before the Wave rallied to tie the score at 61-61 with 4:28 left. The teams traded points and Houston led 69-65 with 1:09 left before a lay-up and a pair of free throws from Janell Burse forced overtime.
The Wave connected on 50.0 percent of its shots (33-of-66), while holding Houston to just 44.7 percent shooting (34-of-76). However, the Cougars were 18-of-23 from the free throw line.
Tulane returns to action next weekend, as the Green Wave travel to face Conference USA foes Memphis and UAB. The Wave will take on Memphis on Friday before taking on UAB on Sunday.
