Rice Women’s Basketball took an early lead and kept adding to it as the game progressed, taking down Temple on the road for the Owls’ 20th consecutive victory.
If there were any nerves as Rice women’s basketball sought its 20th consecutive victory on Wednesday night in Philadelphia, they were hard to see. The visiting Owls fell behind 2-0, taking a 5-2 lead in a matter of minutes, serving as the aggressor for the remainder of the contest against Temple.
Temple shot a decent percentage, converting more than 40 percent of their field goals in all four quarters, but the physicality of the Rice defense, which forced 20 turnovers, prevented them from getting into any sort of sustained rhythm.
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Rice led 40-35 at halftime, wasting no time squashing any aspirations of a comeback by Temple after the break, outscoring their hosts 21-12 in the third quarter. Staked to a 14-point led going into the fourth quarter, Rice was able to fall back on its defense and grind out another convincing victory.
With the win, Rice women’s basketball improves to 25-3 on the season, 15-0 in league play. They’ve won 20 games in a row. They’ve officially clinched at least a share of the regular season conference title.
Final Box | Rice 77, Temple 66
Key takeaway | Versatility Kills
Good luck to any opposing coach scouting this Rice women’s basketball team. Senior Hailey Adams was named American Conference Player of the Week this past week, so naturally, she’s the one you’d prioritize shutting down, right? Well Adams was limited to six points, passing the baton to her teammates who more than picked up any slack.
Dominique Ennis led the way with 21 points, no surprise from the Owls’ leading scorer, but this time it was Shelby Hayes who reeled off a dominant 19-point game, changing the complexion of the offense and giving Temple fits.
“They did what seniors are supposed to do,” head coach Lindsday Edmond said of Ennis and Hayes. “They set the tone for us. They got us going, offensively. When things got tight, I knew I could count on them to step it up on the defensive end. They did what seniors do, what veterans do, what captains and what leaders do, so I’m really proud of that.”
While the Rice roster might not have that singular superstar, the have an entire starting lineup, plus more, filled with extremely talented basketball players. It really is a “pick your poison” approach when defending this team and, so far, nobody in the conference has figured out the antidote.
Up Next: vs Tulsa (Sat. Feb. 28 at 1:00 pm)