Rice Women’s Basketball traded blows with Gonzaga for four quarters before running out of steam late, falling on the road.
Emily Klaczek and Hailey Adams were determined that Rice women’s basketball would get off on the right foot in their first foray out from the confines of Tudor Fieldhouse. Klazcek got things started with seven first quarter points including a three-pointer to get the Owls back within one-score after a hot start from Gonzaga. Adams had seven in the frame too, becoming the driving force for the team in the early goings.
Adams would lead all scorers in the first half with 13 points, already a season-high. She added six boards along the way, all before the halftime buzzer. Her final basket of the half put Rice ahead of Gonzaga for the first time with 2:28 to go in the second quarter. Gonzaga would take a one-point lead into the half, but thanks to that tandem of Klaczek and Adams, the game was on.
More: Rice Women’s Basketball 2024-2025 Season Preview
The lead would exchange hands seven times in the third quarter. Neither side led by more than two possessions and the game was tied twice but it was the visiting Owls in front when the fourth quarter commenced.
Back and forth they went with the lead changing 12 times before the final buzzer sounded and it the outcome of the game hung in the balance until the final minutes. The teams were tied at 64 points apiece with 2:24 to play in the fourth quarter. That’s when Rice missed a few key shots and Gonzaga rolled to a crushing 10-0 run.
The final margin would be just three, representative of a game that truly went down to the wire. Unfortunately for the Owls, they came down on the wrong side.
Final Box | Gonzaga 72, Rice 69
FINAL | Gonzaga 72, @RiceWBB 69 pic.twitter.com/Asr63uXKKU
— The Roost (@AtTheRoost) November 22, 2024
Key takeaway | Missed opportunity
Gonzaga was picked to finish first in the West Coast Conference in the preseason polls. When it comes to building a non-conference resume for a potential NCAA bid, these are the kinds of games you need to win. The Owls came up short.
Malia Fisher still has yet to play this season. Gonzaga had just recently had a streak of 36 consecutive home victories ended last week by Cal. This won’t be an ugly when it comes time for resume comparisons in March, but it’s a missed opportunity all the same.
Over the course of their non-conference slate thus far this team has proven they can hang with anyone. That’s undeniable. But there are only so many opportunities left before AAC play arrives. That sets up an important week ahead in Cancun.
Up Next: vs BYU (Thr. 11/28), vs Vermont (Fri. 11/29)
