Senior point guard Porsche Landry is the only player in UH history with at least 1,200 points and 375 assists. | Rebekah Stearns/The Daily Cougar
It was a humbling moment for Porsche Landry as she exited the court for the final time at Hofheinz Pavilion.
“It was hard to walk off the court because it actually hit me that it was my last game at Hofheinz. I couldn’t even get emotional because I was so happy,” Landry said.
When the redshirt senior point guard checked out, she received an embrace from her coach and a standing ovation from the crowd.
The audience responded to not just her accomplishments, but the 28 points, nine rebounds and eight assists that paced the Cougars to a 69-59 victory against Rice on Sunday. She has two guaranteed games left against Tulsa and a yet-to-be-determined opponent in the Conference USA tournament.
“I left it all on the court, and I couldn’t have asked for a better senior day, except for flirting with a triple double,” Landry said.
Landry secured seventh place in UH-scoring history, passing former teammate Brittney Scott. She needs nine assists to pass Betty Darthard for the school’s all-time assist leader.
Landry is the only player in UH history with at least 1,200 points and 375 assists.
She earned a C-USA championship ring when her 2010-11 squad went 26-6 and undefeated in conference play and clinched a berth to the NCAA tournament.
Freshman guard Alecia Smith said it’s Landry’s work ethic that has pushed her to get better since her first day.
“It basically started in the offseason. She worked hard and really challenged me,” Smith said. “I knew if I wanted to be a better player, I had to mimic what she does.
“It got her a ring, it got her to be the great player that she is, and it’s been a great and valuable experience on and off the court.”
Landry’s tenure was not without adversity, though.
After suffering a season-ending injury and having to watch the Cougars endure a 4-26 2011-12 season, Landry has helped lead a team with 10 new players to a 13-15 record, said head coach Todd Buchanan.
During her award ceremony on senior night, Landry said she was blessed to be in this position and couldn’t stop smiling.
“I was ecstatic. It wasn’t a sad moment for me, but I was just happy to serve UH the way I have done these last five years,” Landry said.
Landry was happy to have cherished the moment with her loved ones.
“I’m blessed to have both of my parents, along with my brother, to walk down with me. I was real happy,” she said.
When asked about her importance, Buchanan said Landry is a warrior, and he’s glad to have been her coach during their tenure.
“You’re trying to get me emotional aren’t you?” Buchanan said. “She’s meant everything. She’s human and will make mistakes here and there, but at the end of the day, if I had to think of two words to describe the kid, it would be ‘heart’ and ‘competitor.’”
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