Jackson sparks thrilling win
Senior point guard scores 33 as undefeated Owls continue the best start in program history
Trailing most of the game, Rice women overcame a double-digit firsthalf deficit and needed two overtimes to put away Houston 91-88 on Saturday afternoon at Tudor Fieldhouse. A boisterous crowd of 1,500 saw two competitive teams battle for 50 minutes.
Rice's largest lead in regulation was only four points with 36 seconds left, but they squandered that advantage. The Owls were only in front 21 percent of the game, committing 25 turnovers.
“There were a lot of things that didn't always go our way, but we proved how mentally tough we are, how physically tough we are,” Rice coach Lindsay Edmonds said. “We stayed the course, we trusted in each other and what we were doing, and we kept chipping away.”
It did not hurt the Owls' cause that they had Destiny Jackson on their side.
The senior was the sparkplug for the Owls (8-0), off to their best start in program history. For the first time since their WNIT championship season (2020-21), the Owls earned votes in the latest AP poll.
From her point guard position, the 5-foot-9 lefthanded Jackson affected the game with her penetration to the basket and quickness. She accumulated 33 points on 12-of-14 shooting, with seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. Jackson's layup with 4.8 seconds remaining in the game concluded the scoring.
Houston (2-8), which last led 78-77, could not get a shot attempt off to tie the game again.
“We played hard and we never give up,” said Jackson, who was 9-of-10 from the foul line. “Confidence is key, believing in ourselves.”
All but one of Jackson's baskets were outside of 15 feet. She constantly drove to the basket, finishing shots that elicited loud cheers from the fans.
“I love watching the confidence that is in her,” Edmonds said. “Her teammates believe in her, I believe in her, and she believes in herself.”
Rice's Ashlee Austin was just shy of a doubledouble, compiling 21 points and nine rebounds.
Both Jackson and the 6-0 Austin are tough defensive matchups for opponents. Austin was 8of-14 from the field, playing a game-high 48 minutes.
“We came in knowing they were going to be physical,” Austin said. “If they get transition points, it's going to be a rough game. That's exactly what happened.”
Houston, which had two players foul out, was whistled for 31 fouls, including an intentional on Kamryn Jones that came with UH up by 10 in the third quarter. It resulted in two made free throws from Jackson that gave the Owls momentum.
Rice was called for 26 fouls and had three players foul out. The Owls' largest lead was 88-80 in the second overtime.
The score was 69-69 at the end of regulation and 78-78 at the end of the first overtime. In the first extra session, Houston's Tiara Young, who had 15 points, missed an uncontested layup at the buzzer that would have given the Cougars the win.
Houston led after each of the first three quarters. The Owls were playing a game for the first time in eight days. Houston, which led by as many as 12 points, could not put away the Owls, who enjoyed a 42-24 rebounding edge and outshot the visitors, 55.2 percent to 40.3.
“We found a way to get a great win and take care of home court,” Edmonds said.
Forward India Bellamy recorded 12 points and eight rebounds for the Owls.
For the Cougars, Laila Blair was valuable with her interior passing and overall game. She posted a team-high 17 points with five assists and had four of the team's 15 steals. Bria Patterson added 16 points and nine rebounds for the Cougars, which had 15 points off turnovers and posted a season-high 14 assists.
“I told the team all week, don't look at their record, because they're an unbelievably talented team,” Edmonds said. “They play so physical. They play so tough. They're going to win a lot of basketball games this year.”
Houston's Tatyana Hill converted a pair of free throws with 18 seconds remaining to tie the game 6969, sending the game into the first overtime.
Through three quarters, Houston led 53-48. Over 30 minutes, Rice led only one minute, 25 seconds.
Hill, the team's leading rebounder on the season, picked up her second foul less than two minutes into the game. She watched from the bench as the Cougars built as much as a seven-point (13-6) lead in the opening quarter.
Houston upstaged Rice over the first 20 minutes, taking a 39-29 halftime lead, keyed by eight credited steals and taking 14 more shots than Rice in the opening half. The Cougars defensively presented a lot of problems for the Owls, who were outscored 26-12 in the paint in the half.
Rice did not take its first lead until the 1:36 mark of the first quarter. A 3-pointer from the left corner by Katelyn Crosthwait just before the shot clock expired put the Owls ahead 16-15. Young's layup with one second left in the first quarter gave Houston a 1917 advantage.