Despite stretches from Hampton where it seemed to crawl its way back into the game, Houston women’s basketball outlasted the Pirates 73-65 to its 2026-27 season-opener at Fertitta Center on Monday.
“Very happy to win today, and you just have to give Hampton a ton of credit,” coach Matthew Mitchell said. “Really proud of our team to fight and get a victory.”
The first half was a tight contest as Mitchell’s second-season new-look squad dealt with growing pains against Hampton’s high-pressing team.
Still, the Cougars led 37-29 after two quarters, with junior guard Esmeralda Enriquez leading all scorers with 10 points. Both Houston and the Pirates had eight and seven points off turnovers, respectively, while the Cougars led the paint battle 18-14.
Houston began the third quarter red hot with a 16-6 run five minutes in. Sophomore center Elodie Lutbert made her presence known, scoring six while grabbing six boards.
At one point, the Cougars held a 20-point lead with over three minutes left. But thanks to a 6-0 run from Hampton to end the quarter, Houston led 57-43.
In the fourth quarter, the Pirates mounted a desperate rally that saw them only trailing 68-59 with nearly three minutes left. A big part of that was senior guard Kiki McElrath.
After being held in check for three quarters, McElrath went on a tear, scoring 20 of Hampton’s 22 fourth-quarter points and eventually finishing with 33 for the day on 11-for-25 shooting. Sloppy play from Houston was also a factor, as the Cougars committed nine turnovers in the frame, leading to 12 points for the Pirates.
“I just turned to the bench one time and said she’s incredible,” Mitchell said.
But despite having the momentum shift, Houston didn’t falter and held for the victory.
“When the momentum shifts, sometimes you can’t get it back,” Mitchell said. “I was really proud of our preparation to handle in-game situations.”
In her Division I debut, Enriquez doubled her first-half scoring total, finishing with 20 points on 7-for-10 shooting.
Lutbert got her first double-double of the season, with 14 points off 7-for-10 shooting and 13 rebounds.
The Cougars will now prepare for the second of their three-game homestand on Thursday, Nov. 5, when they take on Sam Houston.
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