‘Bigger than us’: Houston women’s basketball celebrates Mitchell’s birthday with comeback win over Montana

With 29 seconds remaining, senior guard TK Pitts’ right-corner triple helped seal Houston women’s basketball’s 60-54 late comeback win over Montana amidst a crowd of multiple school field trips Tuesday afternoon at Fertitta Center. 

“I needed that,” Pitts said, recalling the efforts she used in practice to take the initiative of 3-pointers, which ultimately paid off in that moment.

While multiple school children were in attendance for the program’s education day theme, the win served as a proper celebration for coach Matthew Mitchell’s birthday, as nothing further was on the Cougars’ minds knowing they needed to snap a two-game skid ahead of the non-conference finale. 

“Today we knew it was very important,” Pitts said. “It was bigger than us, for the kids, for him and his birthday. I’m just glad we were able to give him that gift.” 

Facing a 48-41 deficit, the Cougars signed, sealed and delivered that gift in the form of a 19-6 run over the final 4:40 of the game. 

With 3:52 remaining, graduate guard Briana Peguero was fouled by freshman guard Ehrman Rae on a made right-wing triple. She ultimately converted the four-point play to cut the Cougars’ deficit down to a full possession. 

“When I went to the free throw line it was more so that I gotta make it count,” Peguero said. “Every bucket we needed, and I was just trying to keep that going.”

When paired with her made triple, Peguero’s perfect 5-for-5 mark at the stripe accounted heavily for her 10-point fourth quarter. 

Peguero and Pitts combined for 25 Houston points on 9 of 20 shooting.

Though signs looked promising with the Cougars only having committed five first half turnovers, that total more than tripled in the second half.

Houston still has yet to record a game of committing turnovers in just single digits.

However, Houston’s efforts in the turnover battle held firm as it finished with a +4 margin, leaving the Cougars a perfect 6-0 when winning the split. 

“We have to turn people over then we have to take care of the ball to get that margin to where we want it,” Mitchell said. “They’re working hard, and we have to keep improving in that area.”

What improved nonetheless in Mitchell’s first season at Houston was the Cougars’ win total from 2024-25, as a 6-5 non-conference finish capped off by Tuesday’s comeback played suit.

Up next, the first test of Big 12 play under Mitchell begins as the Cougars will travel to Morgantown, W. Va. to face the West Virginia Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum on Sunday, Dec. 21 at 1 p.m. CST.