The Rice basketball has both teams back in action last week, taking on Louisiana Tech as the regular season winds down.
Time: Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. CT and Feb. 27 at 1:00 p.m.
Venue: Thomas Assembly Center
Radio: Stretch Internet Portal
TV: Friday – CUSAtv / Saturday – CBS Sports Network
Louisiana Tech 17-6 (10-4), Last 5 (4-1)
- 65-62 (W) vs Southern Miss
- 68-63 (W) at North Texas
- 55-57 (L) at North Texas
- 70-58 (W) vs UAB
- 69-64 (W) vs UAB
Louisiana Tech statistical leaders
- Scoring | Isaiah Crawford – 11.5 per game
- Rebounds | Kenneth Lofton – 7.3 per game
- Assists | Cobe Williams – 3.1 per game
- Steals | Cobe Williams – 3.1 per game
- Blocks | Isaiah Crawford – 0.6 per game
Rice 12-10 (6-8), Last 5 (2-3)
- 53-79 (L) at North Texas
- 88-62 (W) vs Southern Miss
- 76-68 (W) vs Southern Miss
- 71-77 (L) at Western Kentucky
- 66-89 (L) at Western Kentucky
Rice statistical leaders
- Scoring | Quincy Olivari – 15.9 per game
- Rebounds | Max Fiedler – 8.8 per game
- Assists | Max Fiedler – 3.9 per game
- Steals | Travis Evee – 1.2 per game
- Blocks | Max Fiedler – 1.0 per game
What’s at stake
Conference USA made the curious, late-in-the-season decision to expand the conference tournament field this past week. Rather than limit the tournament to the top 12 teams as has been the custom in the past, every team will receive an invite this year.
At 6-8, Rice is in the middle of the pack among the overall conference standings, but only two games out of the bottom spot in the West. They won’t have any worries about missing the tournament now, making the opportunity to climb in the seedings and face a team that might just barely originally snuck in all the more appealing.
Time: Feb. 26 at 2:00 p.m. CT and Feb. 27 at 4:00 p.m.
Venue: Tudor Fieldhouse
Radio: Stretch Internet Portal
TV: Friday – CUSAtv / Saturday – CUSAtv
Louisiana Tech 13-7 (8-6), Last 5 (3-2)
- 44-57 (L) at Southern Miss
- 60-55 (W) vs North Texas
- 58-63 (L) vs North Texas
- 77-51 (W) at UAB
- 83-61 (W) at UAB
Louisiana Tech statistical leaders
- Scoring | Keiunna Walker – 16.6 per game
- Rebounds | Anna Larr Roberson – 6.8 per game
- Assists | Amber Dixon – 3.3 per game
- Steals | Raizel Guinto – 1.5 per game
- Blocks | Anna Larr Roberson – 0.7 per game
Rice 13-2 (9-1), Last 5 (4-1)
- 67-59 (W) at Old Dominion
- 64-55 (W) vs Western Kentucky
- 77-74 (W) vs Western Kentucky
- 54-48 (W) at Marshall
- 56-68 (L) at Marshall
Rice statistical leaders
- Scoring | Nancy Mulkey – 16.3 per game
- Rebounds | Nancy Mulkey – 7.5 per game
- Assists | Jasmine Smith – 4.3 per game
- Steals | Jasmine Smith and Sydne Wiggins – 1.3 per game
- Blocks | Nancy Mulkey – 3.2 per game
Whats’s at stake
Rice women’s basketball faded in the fourth quarter in rather uncharacteristic fashion last time out against Marshall. One loss in 10 tries is stomachable, but the Owls wiggle room was less forgiving. North Texas (8-2) and Middle Tennessee (10-2) sit within percentage points of Rice for the best record in the conference. The pressure is now on Rice to take care of business, otherwise they might lose the top spot in the conference tournament to someone else.
