Owls take down a hot Houston Cougars squad to remain perfect in conference

​By Miles Bailey, OwlSports Update

​It hasn’t been easy for the Temple women’s basketball team to get on the court in 2022. Five games on the schedule with three being postponed due to Covid-19 since January 1st. But when the Owls have found the court, they’ve been perfect. This includes beating a Houston team Saturday afternoon that had won six of its last seven before the trip to McGonigle Hall. With the 62-54 win, Temple is both 2-0 in January and in conference.
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Owls Head Coach Tonya Cardoza was asked about the team’s perseverance through these trying times. “We came back from Christmas, and it was like we were idled for over two weeks,” she said. “But we just tried to stay focus, and focus on the things we really need to work on.”
 
Prior to this rash of postponements, there was a lot to work on. The Owls were 1-3 in the month of December. 
 
“A little concerning, but we’ve been trying to go hard in practice,” said Cardoza. “You know, getting up and down. I know it’s not the same as a game, but for us, it was probably good because guys get to rest their bodies or their ailments.”
 
And now, the Owls (7-6, 2-0) are rolling with a record above 500 for the first time in more than a month. Forward Mia Davis continues to be the team’s offensive spark plug, as she scored a team-high 22 points in the win over the Cougars (9-7, 2-2). 
 
When asked about Mia's impact, Cardoza said, “I mean she is a leader on and off the court. Obviously, she is our go-to player. She knows that she is our go-to player, but she is one of the most unselfish people that you’ll ever be around.”
 
Davis did a lot of the heavy lifting scoring-wise, but multiple players contributed to the team’s win. Forward Alexa Williamson contributed with ten points and a game-high three blocks, and guard Aniya Gourdine scored eight points and had a game-high six assists.
 
And there was also the defensive effort. Houston made just one of its 13 shots from beyond the arc and shot 31 percent from the field overall.
 
The Owls hit the road for this Wednesday's game at East Carolina University. The Pirates have a current record of 7-9 and are riding a three-game losing streak.