Rice Women’s Basketball frustrated Murray State from start to finish, riding a tremendous defensive performance to a massive non-conference win.
In the leadup to an important road trip to the east coast, Rice Women’s Basketball head coach Lindsay Edmonds made it abundantly clear that defense and rebounding were going to be hallmarks of this program moving forward. “I know that we can be a really, really good defensive team,” she stressed, adamant that those two things were applicable “no matter what gym we’re in.”
On Friday, the gym was the Robins Center on the campus of the University of Richmond. Sure enough, the defense was ready.
The Owls forced four first quarter turnovers and held the Racers to 29 percent shooting in the period, taking a modest one-point lead into the second frame. That lead crept up to six points at halftime as Rice pressured Murray State into early foul trouble and got a strong offensive burst from Jordin Blackmon, who scored six straight to give Rice a seven point lead, it’s largest of the game to that point.
More: Rice Women’s Basketball Season Preview
A 6-0 burst to start the third quarter put Rice women’s basketball firmly in the driver’s seat with their first double-digit lead, which would grow to 16 points before the fourth quarter began. That margin would prove important as Murray State mounted a late rally, holding Rice with just two field goals over the next seven minutes.
Success at the foul line (12-for-15) and that same persistent defense was just enough to maintain an advantage. Murray State got back within six points, but couldn’t mount a serious threat as Rice was able to hang on and secure a resume-boosting non-conference win against the defending Missouri Valley Conference Champions.
Final Box | Rice 69, Murray State 64
Key takeaway | Racers in Three-Fall
The intensity of the Rice women’s basketball defense set the tone on Friday night, but it was their defense on the perimeter that might have made the most significant impact. Murray State made five three-pointers, a low tally for any team in a D1 game. But five makes from deep is particularly alarming for a team that attempted 34 shots from beyond the arc.
More: Homecoming — Rice Basketball Welcomes Back Jacob Dar
Murray State went 31-4 last season, in part because they averaged 8.3 threes per game. They were held to less than five just once during that time, and that nearly happened again in this one had it not been for a final fling with four seconds left on the clock.