Box Score

Post-Game Interview with Mary Gleason (video)

HOUSTON – Houston Baptist had career nights from Tayler Jefferson and Maisie Elston, but it wasn't enough as the Huskies lost to visiting Texas Southern, 54-44, Tuesday evening from Sharp Gym.

Jefferson's 11 points were one more than her previous mark of 10 set twice, at UT-Arlington (12/30) and against UT-Pan American (1/28). Elston scored 10 points, besting her previous mark of nine, for the Huskies (1-20). Devyn Weymouth's 12 rebounds were one shy of her career mark of 13, set against UTPA.

Morgan Simmons recorded a double-double of 13 points and 15 rebounds for Texas Southern (4-17), while Gianne Fleming scored 13 points and Azalea Hall added 10.

Texas Southern started the game hitting two-straight baskets, but the Huskies tied the game at four on a jumper by Elston and a layup by Joselyn Pugh. Fleming scored five-straight points for the Lady Tigers, but the Huskies scored six of the next eight points on three-pointers by Jefferson and Brittany Barton, as the Huskies trailed by one, 11-10, with 11:16 left in the opening half.

HBU took its first lead of the game on the very next possession, a jumper by Olivia Madison, as the Huskies led, 12-11, with 10:38 remaining.

The two teams were neck-and-neck for the next six minutes, with no team leading by more than four, until a Simmons' layup gave the visitors a six-point lead, 21-15, with 4:46 left in the first half.

After a made free throw by Weymouth, Fleming hit a jumper, giving the Lady Tigers a seven-point lead, 23-16, with 1:50 remaining. But the Huskies made a furious comeback in the waning seconds, outscoring TSU 8-1 as the two teams entered halftime tied at 24-all.

Jefferson led all scorers with eight points in the first half, on 3-of-5 shooting from the floor and 2-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc. Elston had five points and four rebounds. Fleming led TSU with seven points, while Simmons was tops with eight boards.

TSU scored the second half's first points, but HBU rattled off five-straight points to lead, 29-26, with 16:51 left in regulation. Simmons scored five-straight points herself, as the Lady Tigers went on a 7-0 run to lead the Huskies by four, 33-29, with 11:44 remaining.

An Elston three cut the deficit to one, 33-32, but TSU used a 7-1 run to lead by seven, 40-33, with nine minutes left in regulation.

The Lady Tigers led 44-37 with seven-and-a-half left in the game before HBU went on a 5-1 run to trail TSU by three, 45-42, with 3:55 left in the game.

The two teams traded layups, but Simmons' layup with 50 seconds remaining gave TSU a five-point lead. The Huskies were forced to foul and TSU went 5-for-6 from the line, sealing the win.

HBU will have nine days off before hitting the road for Great West Conference action, taking on Chicago State on Feb. 16 and NJIT on Feb. 18.