A close game through two quarters finished in yet another Rice Women’s Basketball win, their 15th consecutive victory, this time over Memphis.
From the opening tip, Rice women’s basketball was in for a dogfight against Memphis. The Tigers were able to outmuscle the Owls inside, shooting 46 percent from the floor in the first half with 24 of their 32 points scored in the paint. Rice, by comparison, managed just eight paint points in their first two quarters.
The Owls’ largest lead in the first half was three points. It took roughly two minutes into the third quarter to triple that advantage and turn a competitive game into one that could get lopsided in a hurry if the Tigers weren’t careful. To their credit, they did fight back, keeping the game within reach through the end of the third quarter.
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Then, already in front by six, Rice exploded out of the gates in the fourth with a crushing 13-2 burst fueled by a pair of threes from Dominique Ennis and seven points (and four boards) from Hailey Adams. Suddenly the close game had officially gone sideways.
Memphis still won the battle inside, outscoring Rice 44 to 22 in the paint, but the Owls took the edge on the scoreboard where it matters most, outscoring Memphis 49 to 33 in the second half and 26 to 15 in the fourth quarter. With the win, Rice women’s basketball improves to 20-3 on the season and 10-3 away from Tudor Fieldhouse.
Final Box | Rice 82, Memphis 65
Key takeaway | Always Another Gear
One would think the odds would catch up to Rice women’s basketball at some point. A run of 14 (now 15) consecutive victories was due to reach its expiration at some point, right? So when the Owls were being bludgeoned inside and clung to a one-point halftime lead on the road, it seemed only reasonable to wonder if this would be the day they’d stumble. Perfection is (statistically) improbable, right?
Those questions will have to wait one more day as Rice once again did what they’ve done all year: finish.
Time and time again, the Owls have demonstrated a level of resiliency and tenacity that a team like Memphis just isn’t equipped to overcome. Perhaps a mediocre start might prove more problematic against a greater caliber of foe, but it simply might be time to throw the math out the window and trust one’s own eyes.
This team is built different and seems to posses that clutch gene that every coach strives to unlock. They always have another gear, another level of energy and execution to turn to when the clock starts to tick down. It’s a skillset built for March being honed one day at a time throughout January and February.
Up Next: vs North Texas (Tues. Feb. 10 at 8:00 pm)