Junior guard Laila Blair led the Cougars with 17 points in the loss to Rice. | Sean Thomas/The Cougar

The UH women’s basketball team fell in a tight 91-88 double overtime loss on the road against Rice on Saturday.

The Cougars fell to 2-8 overall on the season to continue a slew of losses dictated by seven or less points with two of the last three defeats coming in one-possession games.

UH and Rice teed off in the first quarter while exchanging points, keeping a close first period before the Cougars broke out to a 13-6 lead. The Owls responded with an 11-2 run to take the lead at 17-15 before UH scored four in a row to end the quarter 19-17.

The second quarter mirrored the first in competitiveness between both team, matching scores at each end before UH broke away once again for its first double-digit lead of the night at 35-25.

Rice produced an effort to come back, but UH held on firm to a 10-point lead heading into halftime at 39-29.

No team held a clear advantage in the third quarter as UH held on to a 53-48 lead heading in to the final period.

Rice came out strong with an 8-2 run to start the fourth quarter to lead 56-55. Rice held on to a four-point lead with under a minute remaining before two trips to the free throw line aided UH to a tie to force overtime at 69-69.

UH took the lead in overtime, but a foul with four seconds left gave Rice two free throws to tie the game at 78-78 heading into double overtime.

A close second overtime put UH behind, and with possession to take the lead in the final seconds, the Cougars lost the ball as Rice added an insurance fast break score to lead 91-88 and close out the game.

Junior guard Laila Blair led UH with 17 points while senior forward Bria Patterson posted a season-high 16 points.

The Cougars will now travel to take on Middle Tennessee on Wednesday, Dec. 19 at Monte Hale Arena.

sports@thedailycougar.com

—
“UH women’s basketball drops in double overtime to Rice” was originally posted on The Cougar