HOUSTON – The HCU women's basketball team won their opening game of the Southland Conference schedule against the New Orleans Privateers 68-59 Saturday afternoon in Sharp Gym.
 
HCU (6-6, 1-0 SLC) shot lights out in the first period at just under 60 percent from the floor. Defensively they were able to force turnovers on two of the Privateers (1-9, 0-1 SLC) first three possessions.
 
Kennedy Wilson got the scoring started for the Huskies following a steal from Abbey Sutherland. After New Orleans tied the game at two, Marilyn Nzoiwu knocked down a free throw and a layup on back-to-back possessions to take a 5-2 lead. Scores on four consecutive possessions would extend the Husky lead to six, 15-9.  HCU forced six turnovers through the first ten minutes and took a 20-11 lead into the first break.
 
Kyla Davis knocked down a pair of threes in the second quarter for the Privateers to cut into the Husky lead. New Orleans locked down the paint defensively in the second and cut the HCU lead all the way down to four, 28-24, with just over three minutes to play in the first half. N'Denasija Collins and Vujakovic scored the final six points of the quarter for HCU and extended the lead back to seven, 34-27, heading into halftime.
 
New Orleans starting to find their touch from the floor in the third quarter (7-of-12 for 58 percent), however volume outweighed efficiency as the Huskies outscored the Privateers 25-18 in the period on 8-of-19 shooting from the floor.
 
After trading baskets over the first few minutes of the second half, the Huskies exploded offensively making six of eight shots beginning at the six minute mark and extended their lead to 14, 59-45. During that span Vujakovic and Collins both poured in six points while Nzoiwu had four.
 
The Privateers opened the fourth by cutting the Husky lead down to five on four consecutive buckets including a three pointer from Nahja Scott. The Husky defense finally nixed the Privateers run and at the six minute mark Nzoiwu scored the first bucket of the quarter for HCU who was held to just nine points in the period.
 
HCU's defense packed the paint and held the Privateers to just five points over the last six plus minutes of the game and came out victorious, 68-59. This marks the third consecutive meeting against the two school in which the Huskies have won by exactly nine points.
 
Nzoiwu finished with a 15 point and 11 rebound double-double for the Huskies. Vujakovic led four Huskies in double-figures with 18 points and knocked down 7-of-8 free throw chances. Collins and Wilson each finished with 11 points while Collins led in assists with four. Sutherland was a contributor on both ends, finishing with six points, three rebounds, two assists, and a team high four steals. Kyla Davis led the Privateers in scoring with 12 points.
 
HCU hits the road for a pair of Southland games, first against Southeastern on January 5th before heading to New Orleans for another meeting with the Privateers on the 7th.