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Rice Women’s Basketball 2021: ODU makes Owls work for series sweep

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Rice women’s basketball was pushed to the wire twice, but prevailed each time, earning an important road series sweep over Old Dominion.

Despite entering the weekend undefeated in conference play, Rice women’s basketball was weary of what waited for them inside the confines of Chartway Arena. The Old Dominion Monarchs broke the Owls’ 30-game conference winning streak on that very court a season ago. Both programs had experienced turnover since, but there were no illusions amongst either side: this was going to be a battle.

Old Dominion came out ready on Friday night, taking advantage of some early miscues from Rice and adding some second-chance points of their own. A 20-17 first quarter lead would not last long, though. Rice rallied quickly, exploding for 26 points in the second quarter to take an eight-point lead into halftime. Nancy Mulkey’s near-perfect sowing from the field proved to be more than enough to power the Owls to a game one victory.

Rice came out more composed in game two, earning an early lead and extending it to a 38-28 lead at halftime. This time it was Katelyn Crosthwait with three big three point makes to give the Owls some breathing room. But Old Dominion would not go quietly. The Monarchs retook the lead with their first bucket of the fourth quarter.

Then it was the Owls’ turn for a statement. Mulkey and Lauren Schwartz powered a late run, capped off by a Jasmine Smith three point shot to put Rice comfortably ahead in the final minutes. Old Dominion would try to extend the game, but Rice hit their free throws and finished off the road sweep.

Player Spotlight | Nancy Mulkey

A short bench meant the Owls would have to ask a lot from their star center. Mulkey came through in a big way, delivering 21 points and eight rebounds on Friday with an encore of  25 points and five rebounds on Saturday. She was essential on both sides of the court, prevent the Monarchs from ever getting into a rhythm for two long and making what felt like every shot she took.

Mulkey began the Friday game 8-for-8 from the field before finishing 10-of-13. She was 10-of-16 from the field on Saturday, averaging 76.9 percent from the floor in the series. If she’s shooting at that clip, it’s opens up the offense. And when Rice can score, their defense will do the rest. That was the formula against Old Dominion and it’s probably not the last we see of it this spring.

Stat Corner | The few, the proud, the undefeated

NCAA scholarship restrictions put the cap at 15 players available per team each season. Eight players saw action for the Owls on Friday night. Only seven played on Saturday. That’s a far cry from the 10 players that suited up and got on the court for Rice in their season opener against Houston Baptist.

Injuries played a part in what became a rather lean contingent against Old Dominion. Nevertheless, the Owls persevered. Even when tasked with playing two games in less than 24 hours, they found a way to dig deep and finish in the fourth quarter.

For the first time this season, Rice was outscored in the third quarter in both games of a conference series. On both occasions this weekend, Rice answered by outscoring Old Dominion in the fourth quarter and held on for two important road victories.

Up Next

Rice returns home next weekend to face UAB. The Blazers are in the middle of the pack in the West with a series win over Southern Miss and a series loss to North Texas. This past weekend they were swept by Charlotte.

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Rice Basketball 2021: Owls split with ODU, fail to complete Saturday rally

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Rice basketball split a physical home series against Old Dominion, failing to complete a Saturday comeback to secure a sweep.

Head coach Scott Pera knows the identity of this Rice Basketball team and has kept his squad marching to that beat all season long. The Owls’ commitment to shooting high-value shots, particularly the three-ball, was on full display in a home series split against a physical Old Dominion squad.

Rice won the opener going away, leading by double-digits for most of the contest. The gap was created, and widened, by a masterful day from deep by Quincy Olivari. The sophomore guard drilled seven threes, five of which came in the first half to spot the Owls to an early lead. Old Dominion got as close as six points down in the second half before a trio of threes from Payton Moore, Chris Mullins and Evee put the game back out of reach.

Saturday was much more nerve-wracking for both sides. Old Domini0n came out hot, leading Rice through most of the first half and deep into the second frame. Then Rice caught fire, erasing a 12 point deficit in four minutes, riding a 15-2. Ege Havsa and Riley Abercrombie each contributed big shots in the rally.

Rice would retake the lead in the final minutes before a back-and-forth battle that went down to the wire. The Owls had their chance, trailing by one with 78 percent free throw shooter Travis Evee at the line but he missed both shots, leaving Rice without enough time for a last-second heave.

Player Spotlight | Quincy Olivari

Olivari’s 23-point Friday outburst came during his fourth outing of the season in which he hit five or more three pointers. His reputation as one of the team’s best marksman has been cemented in recent weeks. Friday was the second time this season he’d hit seven threes, putting him one short of the program record (eight) matched this very season by teammate Travis Evee.

The growth Olivari has displayed from his freshman year has been staggering. He’s doubled almost all of his per game stats, increasing his points from 6.0 to 16.7, rebounds from 1.7 to 4.8. Most importantly, his three point shooting percentage is 47.8 percent, the best on the team. That’s up from 38.0 percent last year.

Pera said Olivar was limited on Saturday, playing fewer minutes than he usually does. Others like Havsa and Abercrombie stepped up and were productive in his stead.

Stat Corner | Defensive turnaround

In their first game against UTEP the weekend prior to the Old Dominion series, Rice basketball surrendered 101 points. That marked the first time Rice had allowed more than 100 points in a conference game since 2018 against North Texas in Pera’s second season. The Owls haven’t been defensive juggernauts in recent years, but they haven’t been quite that porous.

“Those 101 were coach Pera’s fault” the Owls’ head coach reiterated this weekend. He took responsibility for the gameplan decision in that game and said his team has since reverted to their more traditional schemes. They’ve put a much better foot forward in their next three games.

UTEP scored 68 in the back end of that two game set. Old Dominion scored 59 on Friday and 61 on Saturday. Altogether, that’s an average of 62.7 points allowed in their past three games. The newfound resurgence is more on par, if not better, than the 70.5 points per game Rice was allowing prior to the UTEP series. If the Owls can maintain this disciplined approach they’ll be able to steal a few more games down the stretch.

Up Next

Rice goes back on the road next weekend to face UAB. The Blazers entered the weekend as the only undefeated team in C-USA play, sweeping a two-game series against Southern Miss while games against North Texas were postponed. UAB won the first game this weekend against Charlotte and dropped the Saturday finale.

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Rice Football: linebacker Blaze Alldredge enters Transfer Portal

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Rice Football linebacker Blaze Alldredge has entered the Transfer Portal. He will be missed at South Main.

The first few weeks of the offseason passed quietly for Rice football. The Owls picked up a few additional recruits, but for the most part, things were quiet on South Main. That silence was broken this week with two big news items regarding two of the most influential players on the 2020 team.

Wide receiver Austin Trammell will play in the College Gridiron Showcase, marking the end of his collegiate career as he aspires to a pro career. It appears that Trammell’s teammate and fellow team captain Blaze Alldredge will not return to South Main in 2021 either, instead, he has chosen to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, confirmed by The Roost.

A senior this past fall, Alldredge came to Rice from junior college. He’ll take advantage of the blanket waiver extended to all athletes that participated in FBS football in the fall, giving him one more year of collegiate eligibility.

The list of accolades Alldredge amassed in three years at South Main is staggering. He finished second in the nation in tackles for a loss during his junior season, receiving all-conference honors in each of the past two seasons. He’s been among the best at his position in Conference USA since he arrived. Now, presumably, he’ll use his post-graduate season at a Power 5 program.

Alldredge is the most notable player to enter the portal following the season. So far, Chris Boudreaux, Jonathan Sanchez and jawan King are the only other Owls to enter. Like Alldredge, both Boudreaux and Sanchez would be graduate transfers.

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Rice Basketball Recruiting: Guard Mekhi Mason commits to Owls

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Rice basketball recruiting is finding success off the court while the Owls win on it. Guard Mekhi Mason has committed to the Owls.

It’s been a great couple of weeks for Rice basketball. The Owls started off their 2020-2021 season with a 9-3 record, including an impressive 3-1 start in conference play. They entered the weekend tied for the most wins in the conference.

But the positive moment wasn’t limited to the court. Rice basketball recruiting was gaining momentum, too. As the Owls excelled on the hardwood they also bolstered their future with the commitment of 6-foot-5 guard Mekhi Mason from AZ Compass Prep School in Arizona. Mason also had offers from Grand Canyon and North Carolina A&T.

Mason is the second commitment in the 2022 class. Andrew King, a 6-foot-3 guard also from the state of Arizona, pledged his services to Rice last fall. Like King, Mason is a high school junior. Returning to the high school ranks is refreshing for the Owls following an unusual offseason flush with transfers and graduation.

The addition of Mason should give Rice some more length at the guard spot, filling a gap left by some of the departing players. Mason uses that length well, elevating over defenders when he pulls up to shoot while still maintaining an ability to get to the basket quickly.  He’ll fit well in the scheme head coach Scott Pera likes to utilize, making him a great pick up for the 2022 class.

It’s hard to make too many definitive assessments of what rosters will look like next season in the age of the Transfer Portal and in the midst of COVID-19. For the time being, though, the Owls look to be setting themselves up well.

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Rice Basketball 2021 Game Previews: Owls vs Old Dominion

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Rice basketball is off to a strong start. The men split with UTEP last weekend and the women swept. Next they’ll both face off with Old Dominion.

Rice Basketball

Time: Jan. 15 at 2:00 p.m. CT and Jan. 16 at 1:00 p.m.
Venue: Tudor Fieldhouse
Radio: Stretch Internet Portal
TV: ESPN+

Old Dominion 7-3 (3-1), Last 5 (4-1)

  • 77-57 (W) vs Virginia Wesleyan
  • 67-82 (L) at FIU
  • 71-66 (W) at FIU
  • 71-67 (W) vs Florida Atlantic
  • 64-55 (W) vs Flordia Atlantic

Old Dominion statistical leaders

  • Scoring | Malik Curry – 15.9 per game
  • Rebounds | Kalu Ezikpe – 6.8 per game
  • Assists | Malik Curry – 4.4 per game
  • Steals | Malik Curry – 1.6 per game
  • Blocks | Kalu Ezikpe – 1.4 per game

Rice 9-3 (3-1), Last 5 (4-1)

  • 73-62 (W) vs New Orleans
  • 95-86 (W) vs UTSA
  • 84-69 (W) vs UTSA
  • 89-101 (L) at UTEP
  • 71-68 (L) at UTEP

Rice statistical leaders

  • Scoring | Quincy Olivari – 16.2 per game
  • Rebounds | Max Fiedler – 9.4 per game
  • Assists | Max Fiedler – 4.1 per game
  • Steals | Travis Evee – 1.4 per game
  • Blocks | Max Fiedler – 0.8 per game

Rice keys to victory

Old Dominion goes the way of Malik Curry. When he’s on his game, the Monarchs are tough to beat, in part because it’s always a different part of the supporting cast that steps up to his aid.

Last Friday against Florida Atlantic it was Austin Trice with a big day off the bench. On Saturday, AJ Oliver led the way for the team in scoring. Stopping Curry is the primary objective, but staying cognization of who else can beat you is equally important.

Rice Women's Basketball

Time: Jan. 15 at 5:30 p.m. CT and Jan. 16 at 3:00 p.m.
Venue: Tudor Fieldhouse
Radio: Stretch Internet Portal
TV: Jan. 15 – CUSAtv / Jan. 16 – ESPN+

Old Dominion 5-3 (2-2), Last 5 (3-2)

  • 73-39 (W) vs South Carolina Upstate
  • 85-92 (L) vs FIU
  • 80-81 (L) vs FIU
  • 71-56 (W) at Florida Atlantic
  • 77-72 (W) at Florida Atlantic

Old Dominion statistical leaders

  • Scoring | Victoria Morris – 17.3 per game
  • Rebounds | Ajah Wayne – 10.3 per game
  • Assists | Mariah Adams – 3.5 per game
  • Steals | Amari Young – 2.3 per game
  • Blocks | Amari Young – 0.9 per game

Rice 8-1 (4-0), Last 5 (4-1)

  • 53-57 (L) at No. 10 Texas A&M
  • 78-53 (W) at UTSA
  • 69-57 (W) at UTSA
  • 74-68 (W) vs UTEP
  • 55-43 (W) vs UTEP

Rice statistical leaders

  • Scoring | Nancy Mulkey – 14.7 per game
  • Rebounds | Nancy Mulkey – 8.1 per game
  • Assists | Sydne Wiggins and Jasmine Smith – 3.7 per game
  • Steals | Jasmine Smith – 1.3 per game
  • Blocks | Nancy Mulkey – 3.2 per game

Rice keys to victory

It seems like every time these two programs meet on the hardwood a defensive struggle ensues. Neither squad is going to shoot the lights out, but they typically don’t have to against the bulk of their competition.

When they face off with each other, though, someone is going to have to make that last push. For Rice, winning the third quarter will be even more important. The Owls pride themselves on halftime adjustments and execute incredibly well after the break. If they can take a lead into the fourth quarter, no matter how slight, they’ll be positioned well for a big conference win.

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