Arizona women’s basketball closes home schedule with Senior Night victory over Houston, fueled by second-half surge

Wildcats rally after halftime to beat Cougars 75-67 at McKale Center

Arizona’s women’s basketball team ended its home schedule with a 75-67 win over Houston on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, using a decisive second half on Senior Night at McKale Center in Tucson. The Wildcats, who entered the game 12-16 overall and 3-14 in Big 12 play, outscored the Cougars 56-41 after halftime to secure their third conference victory of the season. Houston fell to 7-21 overall and 1-16 in league play.

The game swung sharply after an Arizona first half defined by missed shots and Houston’s early control. Arizona shot 8-of-29 in the opening half and went scoreless for long stretches, including a six-point second quarter. Houston carried a 26-19 lead into the break after holding Arizona to 27.6% shooting in the first 20 minutes.

Third-quarter efficiency and late free throws decide a game with 12 lead changes

Arizona flipped the tempo coming out of halftime, scoring 27 points in the third quarter on 64.3% shooting to erase the deficit. The Wildcats followed with 29 points in the fourth, aided by consistent trips to the foul line and a 60% shooting rate in the final period. Arizona finished 25-of-27 on free throws (92.6%), including 15-of-16 in the fourth quarter.

The contest was back-and-forth throughout, featuring 12 lead changes. Arizona’s advantage at the line and its ability to convert late possessions were central in separating from Houston in the closing minutes; the Wildcats’ largest lead was 11 points in the final 20 seconds.

Key performers: Sugapong, Cornfield, Francois; Houston led by Hunter

• Sumayah Sugapong: 20 points, five rebounds, five steals in 40 minutes.
• Noelani “Lani” Cornfield (senior): 18 points and nine assists.
• Nora Francois (senior): 12 points and seven rebounds.
• Houston’s Kyndall Hunter: 21 points, including five three-pointers.

Arizona also generated offense through defensive pressure, forcing 19 turnovers and scoring 18 fast-break points. Houston shot 36.5% from the field and was outscored 29-20 in the fourth quarter, despite matching Arizona with 30 points in the paint. TK Pitts added 12 points and seven rebounds for the Cougars, while Amirah Abdur-Rahim posted 10 points and nine rebounds.

Senior Night context and what comes next

The home finale doubled as Senior Night for Arizona, recognizing a senior class that included Cornfield and Francois. The Wildcats played in front of an announced crowd of 5,576 and now turn to the final stretch of the Big 12 schedule. Arizona’s next game is Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Utah in Salt Lake City.

Final score (Feb. 24, 2026): Arizona 75, Houston 67.