Rice basketball never trailed after halftime, taking down Charlotte at Tudor Fieldhouse to clinch the Owls’ first-ever 2-0 start in AAC play.
Looking to improve to 2-0 in AAC play for the first time in program history, Rice Basketball weathered an early barrage of three-pointers from Charlotte before finding their groove. With the game tied 21-21, Andrew Akuchie sparked a 10-0 Rice run which included an emphatic three from himself to put the home team in front by 10. Rice never looked back.
Charlotte would not roll over. The visiting 49ers cut their deficit to as little as four points midway through the second half, but a resilient combination of consistent defense and great shooting from the Owls kept the game from ever getting too close again. Following a Charlotte three-pointer with 10:06 to play, Rice would not allow Charlotte to score on back-to-back possessions for the remainder of the game.
Nine different Rice players recorded multiple field goals. Seven recorded multiple rebounds. Another full-team effort paid off in fresh legs in the final moments and seemingly limitless support off the bench, which outscored Charlotte’s bench 26-22.
More: Rice Basketball 2024-2025 Season Preview
The Owls put the game out of reach for good with an 8-1 run in the final minute and a half of play, scoring all of those points from the free throw line. Early season struggles at the charity stripe didn’t seem to spook the team on Saturday with Rice knocking down 14-of-16 free throws to hold on for a relatively comfortable double-digit victory.
Final Box | Rice 68, Charlotte 55
FINAL | @RiceMBB 68, Charlotte 55
— The Roost (@AtTheRoost) January 4, 2025
Owls start 2-0 in AAC play for the first time in program history. pic.twitter.com/5mVnaZrWkK
Key takeaway | Already, 11
The victory over Charlotte was the 11th win for Rob Lanier and his team so far this season with the bulk of conference play still on deck. A 2-0 start in league play is significant in itself, but the 11th win is another milestone for this staff in their first year at the helm.
Rice basketball won 11 games last season in 33 attempts. This current squad is 11-4. Last year’s team won their second conference game on January 31. Lanier’s bunch went 2-0 in league play by January 4.
All teams, schedules and circumstances aren’t created equal and this is by no means an apples to apples comparison, but it’s a major step forward for a program that finally has momentum and a definitive culture working in tandem. Even if they don’t win two-thirds of their games for the remainder of the season, the precedent has been set.
A new era of Rice basketball has officially arrived on South Main. And this version of the Owls are going to play tenacious defense and fight for 40 minutes. So far, that’s meant a sizable jump in the win column.
Up Next: vs North Texas (Wed, Jan. 8)
