Kierra Merchant leads Houston past UTSA in second-straight victory

Houston women’s basketball defeated the UTSA Roadrunners 52-48 on Saturday night at the Fertitta Center.

Junior guard Kierra Merchant scored a season-high 21 points, and she led all scorers in the game.

“From day one since I got here, to who she is now, and how she has developed not only as a basketball player, but as a person, it would be hard to be more impressed with a young person,” coach Matthew Mitchell said. 

The returning guard bounced back from a tough opening night, where she finished with only three points, three rebounds and one assist, and she was the best player on the floor.

“She didn’t have a great stat line the first night, and she was the happiest Coog in that locker room,” Mitchell said. “She’s all about Houston; she loves it. She loves this university. She could’ve gone to other places, but she decided to stay here.”

Merchant is one of two returners, and she willed the team to victory with her performance tonight.

She came in clutch with a late assist to senior guard Briana Peguero on a layup with 14 seconds remaining, to put the game out of reach.

The Cougars are now 2-0 under coach Matthew Mitchell’s tenure, and they have demonstrated that they are a significantly improved team from last season.

Houston vs. UTSA recap

Despite a 14-point half by Merchant, the Cougars found themselves tied at halftime 27-27.

The offense came to life in the third quarter, outscoring UTSA 15-9 in the period.

UTSA managed to fight its way within two points of the lead, but the Cougars were too much for the Roadrunners down the stretch.

Merchant led the team with 21 points and went 3-for-4 from behind the arc. She also contributed eight rebounds, three blocks and two steals.

She was the spark this team needed and the leader Mitchell expected her to be in this game.

Houston’s hard work in the offseason recruiting is starting to be noticed, with the much-improved play to start this year.

Senior forward Amirah Abdur-Rahim, a transfer from Texas A&M, has been a valuable addition to the Cougars so far.

She led the team with 11 rebounds and added nine points, two assists, two rebounds and two blocks to her final stat line.

Peguero, a transfer from Troy, followed in scoring, ending her night with eight points, five assists and two steals.

SMU transfer and senior guard TK Pitts made her impact on the game in a different way than scoring. She grabbed 10 rebounds, which was much needed with Houston’s foul trouble, and she recorded a steal and a block.

Mitchell has helped reinvigorate the Houston women’s basketball program, bringing back a new type of energy and enthusiasm as the Cougars look ahead to a promising future.

“There is so much good basketball in front of this team,” Mitchell said. “We are an unfinished product right now, and they won this one tonight with their effort, energy and attitude.”

Next up

Houston women’s basketball’s next game will be against their hometown rival, the Rice Owls, on Tuesday, Nov 11, at 6:30 p.m., inside the Fertitta Center.

Cougarsports.one@gmail.com