Houston Women Open With a Win: Cougars Beat Hampton 73-65 at Fertitta Center in the Season Opener
Year two under Matthew Mitchell starts in the win column. The Houston women beat Hampton 73-65 at Fertitta Center on Monday afternoon in the season opener for both teams, opening with a 20-14 first quarter and closing out the Lady Pirates at home.
HOUSTON - The Houston women's basketball team opened its 2026-27 season with a 73-65 win over the Hampton Lady Pirates on Monday afternoon at Fertitta Center - the season opener for both teams, carried on ESPN+.
Houston set the terms early, taking the first quarter 20-14, and finished the afternoon eight points clear. The final is the verified line from the match record read by this desk; quarter-by-quarter detail beyond the first period was not in the record, and this desk does not fill it in.
The win matters against last season's backdrop. Head coach Matthew Mitchell's first year ended 7-23 overall and 1-17 in Big 12 play, on a nine-game losing streak, and the Cougars were picked 15th in the conference this season. A home win on opening day - against anybody - is the first piece of evidence that the second year runs differently.
The Fertitta Center doubleheader completes tonight, when the Houston men open their regular season against La Salle at 8 p.m. - the subject of the next file in this cycle.
