Rice Women’s Basketball saw its 22-game winning streak come to an end on Senior Day, falling at home to UTSA in a stunner.
The opening minutes of the final Rice women’s basketball regular season game didn’t look that much different from most of their previous conference bouts. The Owls trailed by a small margin through much of the first quarter, sticking in striking range for their expected rally, which typically had come somewhere in the mid-second to early third quarters.
This time, though, there was no bounce back. Rice tied the game at 19 apiece at the beginning of the second frame, then went on to score just one more basket in the remainder of the quarter. UTSA exploded with a 22-2 run, converting four of five from deep in the period while the Owls managed just three total field goals themselves, none from deep.
MORE: Playing with Joy — Rice Women’s Basketball Secret to Sustained Success
Even though the Owls did their best to rally, outscoring UTSA by 11 in the second half, the deficit proved too big to overcome. With the loss, Rice women’s basketball falls to 27-4 on the season and 17-1 in league play.
The silver lining, if there is one, is that the Owls’ conference tournament seeding had already been secured and this singular result didn’t directly dictate their postseason opportunities. That said, there’s no more room for error.
“The next game means the most. That game has the most weight that we’ve played all season long,” head coach Lindsay Edmonds said. “If this adds fuel to our fire. If this wakes us up. If this keeps me up at night for the next few nights, whatever it is in finding ways to make this team the best version of us that we can possibly be.”
Final Box | UTSA 61, Rice 52
What They’re Saying
“Obviously disappointed in the outcome on Senior Day. You always want to send the seniors out the right way. We wanted to protect home one last time, and so I’m disappointed in the moment, and I feel that, and I know these players feel that. When we get through this moment, we’re going to have the opportunity to reflect on all the amazing things that we have accomplished this season. And our season’s not over, there’s still a lot left that we want to accomplish.” – Head Coach Lindsay Edmonds
Key takeaway | Health Scare
Both Hailey Adams and Shelby Hayes left this game in the first half with apparent injuries, causing some alarm for what lies ahead for Rice women’s basketball. Both players were able to return to the game in the second half and see a large allotment of minutes, but the fragility of this team when not playing at full strength was uncomfortable.
The expectation, at this time, is that both players should be okay moving forward.
Fortunately, the Owls’ earned byes in the early rounds of the American Conference Basketball Tournament will give both players extra time to rest and heal up before Rice takes the court again. That’s good, as the Owls certainly look much more dangerous when they have their starting five on the court and healthy.
Up Next: American Conference Tournament Semifinals vs UTSA (Sat. Mar. 7 at 2:00 pm)