Erika Wakefield Posts Career-High 25 Points in 71-66 Loss to Houston

Sunday, January 1

Houston, Texas

3:30 pm

Tulsa

4-10 (0-1)

Houston

8-6 (1-0)

Tulsa

Houston

Erika Wakefield Posts Career-High 25 Points in 71-66 Loss to Houston

1/1/2017 5:59:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Stephanie Hall

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Erika Wakefield scored a career-high 25 points, but it wasn't enough as Tulsa dropped a 71-66 decision to Houston on Sunday afternoon at Hofheinz Pavilion in Houston, Texas. TU fell to 4-10 overall and 0-1 in American Athletic Conference play, while UH moved to 8-6 overall and 1-0 in the league.

"Erika is very capable of doing that," Head Coach Matilda Mossman said. "She stepped it up a notch in the second half, but we have to find someone else to have that sense of urgency to help her out. I am proud of how hard Liesl and Erika played, especially in the second half. We had some other kids play hard too, they just weren't able to make buckets."

Liesl Spoerl added 12 points and a team-best nine rebounds, while Alexis Gaulden scored nine points. Kendrian Elliott had eight boards and four blocks, and Wakefield had four steals.

Houston had a 48-44 lead in rebounds and an 11-8 advantage in assists, while Tulsa had a 5-1 lead in blocks. Both teams had 12 assists.

TU shot 34-percent from the field, including 20-percent from three-point range, and 73-percent from the charity stripe, while UH shot 39-percent from the field, 23-percent from behind the arc and 60-percent at the free throw line.

The Cougars also amassed 38 points in the paint, 33 points off the bench, 19 points off turnovers and 16 second chance points, compared to the Hurricane's 16 points in the paint, 10 points off the bench, five points off turnovers and nine second chance points.

Tulsa jumped out to a 12-4 lead with 5:23 to play in the first quarter, but Houston closed the gap as TU had a 15-14 advantage at the end of the frame. The Golden Hurricane was held scoreless in the final 3:19 off the clock, while the Cougars scored six points.

Houston tied the contest at 22-all at the 5:41 mark of the second quarter and took their first lead of the game just over a minute later (4:35) off a steal and a fast-break layup by Chyanne Butler. The Cougars climbed to a first-half best seven-point advantage at the break, 39-32, and wouldn't relinquish the lead for the remainder of the contest.

TU shot 37-percent from the field, including 35-percent from three-point range, and were 5-of-6 from the charity stripe in the first half, while UH shot 48-percent from the field, 40-percent from behind the arc and 60-percent from the free throw line (9-of-15).

After getting down by 16 (54-38) with 3:13 left to play in the third quarter, TU outscored the Cougars, 14-6, to trail 60-52 with one quarter remaining.

The Golden Hurricane outscored Houston, 14-11, in the final frame, and trailed by just three (67-64) at the 0:28 mark and again with five seconds remaining (69-66), but fell to the Cougars by five points (71-66).

"We finally found a group of players that would play hard," Mossman added. "We got down by 16 because we didn't play with a sense of urgency. I'm disappointed with how many free throws we gave up and we have to have players step up."

Houston was led by five players with double-figure scoring, including two that posted double-doubles. Jasmyne Harris had a team-high 14 points, while Jacqueline Blake had 13 points and 10 rebounds, Serithia Hawkins had 12 points and 11 boards, Kierra Graves added 11 points, and Butler had 10.

Tulsa will return to action on Wednesday, January 4 against Memphis. Game time is set for 7:00 pm at the Donald W. Reynolds Center.