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Conference USA Basketball: Men’s and Women’s Bracketology (Feb. 26)

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Conference USA Basketball hopes to extend its season into the NCAA Tournament. Here are the latest Bracketology projections for the men and women.

Men

13-Seed North Texas vs 4-Seed Oregon (West Region)

Pod play was meant to raise the profile of the conference, enabling the top teams to gain additional resume-building wins. We haven’t seen that ideal play out yet. As things currently stand, Conference USA looks to be a one-bid league once again.

Louisiana Tech and Western Kentucky are currently the two teams on the outside looking in. Tech owns the conference’s best record at 20-7 and sits at No. 73 in Kenpom’s ratings, two spots ahead of North Texas (No. 74th).

It’s conceivable that either North Texas or Louisiana Tech could run the rest of the table in the regular season before the other wins the conference tournament. Even then, it would take an exceedingly weak bubble to get two C-USA squads into the field this year.

Women

11-Seed Western Kentucky vs 6-Seed TCU (Fort Wayne Region)
11-Seed Old Dominion vs 6-Seed Kentucky (Greenville Region)

The women have a much better chance of getting multiple bids. Old Dominion and Western Kentucky are both projected to be in the field right now. They’ve each compiled an RPI in the Top 35, well within the range of an at-large selection should they fail to clinch an automatic bid.

Defending Conference USA Basketball Tournament Champion Rice is tied with Old Dominion atop the standings. Rice doesn’t have the resume to get in without winning the tournament, whereas both Old Dominion and Western Kentucky could secure a spot with a few more wins down the stretch.

It’s more likely the women get three teams into the NCAA Tournament than it is for the men to get two representatives. The Rice women would have to win the tournament with some bubble help for the other squads, but it’s starting to look like more of a legitimate possibility than anyone might have thought a few months ago.

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Rice Football 2020: Spring Practice Day 1 Notes

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The first day of Rice football spring practice is in the books. It’s too early to draw any definitive conclusions, but the groundwork is being laid for the fall.

A full complement of players took the field on Monday for the first day of Rice football spring practice. The complete roster lists 79 players, more than enough to field two full units on both sides of the ball. Some positions will be deeper than others, but the Owls have reached enough bodies to make significant strides this spring.

Head coach Mike Bloomgren likes where the team is at entering the spring, particularly on defense. “I love where our defense is…” he said. “I love that coach [Brian] Smith has them in the mindset that nothing they did last year is going to make a single play for them this year. Everything’s got to be earned again. I can’t wait to see what they can build over there on that side [of the ball]”.

Bloomgren did make sure to mention that the Owls return 20 of 22 players on the defensive two-deep depth chart. That’s the best in the nation in terms of returning defensive production.

Quarterbacks

In a somewhat surprising move, there were no “OR” designations on the first Rice football depth chart of the spring. The quarterbacks, listed from top to bottom:

  1. JoVoni Johnson
  2. Mike Collins
  3. TJ McMahon
  4. Wiley Green
  5. Evan Marshman
  6. Parker Towns

A true No. 1 is far from being finalized, but the decision to put Johnson atop the pack was intentional. “He gained a lot of our trust,” Bloomgren said. “He earned the right, in my opinion, and coach [Jerry] Mack’s opinion, to be on top. So he’s taking those [first team] reps.”

After Johnson, Collins and McMahon have clearly separated themselves from the rest of the group. It would be surprising if one of those three isn’t named the opening day starter for the Owls in the fall. The value of having Mack in the quarterback room as well as having all three starting options on campus for the full duration of spring cannot be understated.

Offensive line

Bloomgren spent the majority of the first practice in the trenches with the offensive line. Injecting his extensive experience into that group will be crucial as the Owls look to reconfigure their front five on the fly.

Rice loses Brian Chaffin, Justin Gooseberry and Nick Leverett. The first reps of spring ball featured this revamped first team line:

LT – Clay Servin
LG – Adam Sheriff
C – Isaac Klarkowski
RG – Shea Baker
RT – Jovaun Woolford

Baker at the guard position probably says more about the uncertainty at that spot than it does about the center position. Klarkowski’s work last season in emergency duty had staying power. “I don’t know if we think of him as a walk-on anymore,” admitted Bloomgren, who showed no qualms about him starting the spring with the first team.

Rice has two full lines this spring as opposed to six or seven healthy bodies at the position at this time last year. The tackle spots seem more or less locked down, but the remaining options on the interior could position themselves for a bigger role in the fall with a good showing over the next few weeks.

Injuries

It seems like having 100 percent of the roster fully healthy at the same time is all but impossible. The Owls are relatively healthy, but these four players are expected to miss all of spring ball.

  • Robbie Blosser
  • Jake Bailey
  • Bennett Mecom
  • Trey Schuman

The absence of Jake Bailey is probably the most notable. Trey Schuman is in line to regain his starting role in the fall. He’s somewhat of a more known quantity. Bailey’s absence from the spring will make things a bit more complicated in a wide receiver room that’s starting to get a little more crowded.

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Rice Football 2020: Breaking down the spring roster

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Spring practice has arrived for Rice football. Here’s where each position stands now. Several things could change over the next several weeks.

The 2020 Rice Football spring roster has been released. Depth charts won’t be finalized until the fall, but here’s how the Owls are most likely to line up at the beginning of camp.

Quarterback

Starter: None
Backup: None
In contention: Mike Collins, TJ McMahon, JoVoni Johnson and Wiley Green
Also at spring ball: Robbie Blosser, Evan Marshman and Parker Towns

This position truly is wide open. Collins, Johnson and Green have all started and won D1 football games. McMahon shattered JUCO records last year. All four offer disparate skill sets and we can’t be certain which variation of the Rice offense we’ll see this year. This will be the most-watched position battle of the spring.

More: 2020 National Signing Day Review and Spring Football questions

Running back

Starter: Juma Otoviano
Backup: Jawan King
Also at spring ball: Cam Montgomery, Ari Broussard, Ayden Noriega

Montgomery had some fumbling issues that prevented him from getting on the field last season. Noriega and Broussard redshirted. King did as well, but his absence from the field was driven by the wealth of upperclassmen tailbacks Rice had on the roster last year. Barring a late transfer addition, it’s most likely going to be a two-man show this spring.

Fullback 

Starter: Brendan Suckley
Backup: Luke Armstrong, Jerry Johnson

Suckley became the starter last season after transfer Reagan Williams went down and played well. Johnson appears to be a position switch for the spring.

Wide receiver

Starters: Brad Rozner, Austin Trammell, August Pitre
Backups: Zane Knipe, Jake Bailey
Also at spring ball: Chris Boudreaux, Austin Conrad, Jashon Palmer

I’ll be paying close attention to Knipe and Bailey this spring. We only scratched the surface of what both were capable of last year. With Knipe fully healthy, this is his chance to force his way into the starting three. Pitre’s inconsistency has opened up the door. Whether he bounces back or someone else rises up should be interesting to see.

Tight end

Starters: Jordan Myers, Jaeger Bull
Backup: Jack Bradley
Also at spring ball: Jonathan Sanchez, Robert French, Bennett Mecom

The staff really likes what Bradley was able to do as a true freshman last season. Now in his first spring, his role should only continue to grow. That could put pressure on a guy like Bull.

Offensive line

Starters: Jovaun Woolford, Cole Garcia, Shea Baker, Adam Sheriff, and Clay Servin
Backup/In Contention: Brandt Peterson, Derek Ferraro, Izeya Floyd, Regan Riddle, and Isaac Klarkowski
Also at spring ball: Connor Hughes, Nick Wagman

Rice has more than enough options on the offensive line this spring after running extremely thin this time last year. Floyd’s transition to the offensive side of the ball will be worth keeping an eye on. Beyond that, there’s room for one or two more younger players to emerge and challenge for a spot at guard.

Defensive End / Rush End

Starters: Trey Schuman, Kenneth Orji
Backups: Ikenna Enechukwu, Jacob Doddridge
Also at spring ball: Kebreyun Page, Miles Adams, Josh Pearcy

Orji came on strong last season and should cement his starting role this spring. Page and Pearcy are two developmental guys who have taken big strides during the fall and could be more in the mix this time around.

Defensive Tackle

Starters: Elijah Garcia, De’Braylon Carroll
Backups: JaVante Hubbard, Cam Valentine
Also at spring ball: Will Martinez, Hunter Hanley

Carroll is going to be a starter this season. Watching him go up against an offensive line in the midst of solidifying its rotation could spell trouble for the Rice football offense. How the coaching staff chooses to deploy Garcia and Hubbard should be telling.

Linebacker

Starters: Blaze Alldredge, Antonio Montero
Backups: Garrett Grammer, Myron Morrison, Adrian Bickham
Also at spring ball: Garret Braden

Linebacker might be the deepest position on the team. Alldredge and Montero are locked in as starters, but the rotation could change significantly this year. Morison and Bickham came on strong in the fall. Both should be in the mix.

Corner

Starters: Tre’shon Devones, Tyrae Thornton
Backups: Andrew Bird, Jason White
Also at spring ball: Miles McCord, Collin Whitaker

Josh Landrum’s departure made the pecking order at corner pretty clear. Devones and Thornton started the majority of last year. Bird was the next man up with White sliding in at nickel. I don’t foresee any surprises here before the freshmen arrive in the fall.

Safety

Starters: George Nyakwol, Naeem Smith, Treshawn Chamberlain
Backups: Prudy Calderon, Isaiah Richardson
Also at spring ball: Jacob Grams, Matthew Sams, Kirk Lockhart, Chike Anigbogu

Another deep position, the backup roles at the safety spots could see some changes. Lockhart appeared in 10 games last season as a true freshman and should push further into the rotation this spring.

Specialists

Kicker: Will Harrison, Nick McQuarry
Punter: Charlie Mendes
Long Snapper: Cam Riddle

Incoming Stanford transfer Collin Riccitelli will be the placekicker for Rice football in 2020. What the Owls do at the spot before he arrives is unlikely to move the needle much at all.

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Rice Baseball 2020: Bats quiet in road sweep by UC Irvine

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Swept for the second time in as many weekends, Rice baseball leaves a three-game stint at UC Irvine with an 0-6 record for the season.

THREE FOR THE ROAD | UC Irvine wins series 3-0

1. Roel Garcia will be the Owls’ ace

Transfer Alex DeLeon has failed to seize the Friday night role after his first two outings with the Owls. He gave up six runs in four innings on Opening Day. He followed that up with a three-inning, four-run outing against UC Irvine. His 14.09 ERA through two starts won’t knock him from the rotation just yet, but the juxtaposition of Garcia’s first outing in more than a year with DeLeon’s work against the same lineup was telling.

Garcia struck out three and allowed no hits in two scoreless innings. Some rust was understandable in his first time back on the mound since the 2018 season. Holding the Anteaters scoreless through one inning would have been an encouraging sing. Blanking them in two innings is an indication he could be closer to returning to his usual self than might have been anticipated.

The Friday night role will be Garcia’s when he’s back to 100 percent, or perhaps sooner. How DeLeon, Blake Brogdon, Dalton Wood and others fit into the rest of the rotation remains to be seen.

2. Sputtering offense struggles to string together hits

Saturday’s 2-1 nail biter was even more agonizingly close than the final score reveals. After being no-hit through four innings for the second day in a row, Rice had a runner in scoring position in the final five innings. That runner got all the way to third base in four of the final five frames. Rice recorded zero hits in eight opportunities. The only RBI came on a groundout, a productive out, but a hollow showing nonetheless.

The pitching staff has been largely a net-positive through the first two weeks of the season. Singular crushing outings by one pitcher here (and another there (DeLeona and Bordwine in this case) have led to the jagged box scores.

On most days, the Owls won’t need 10 runs to walk away with a victory. Getting two to three of those hits in clutch moments could sway games, even some series, in the Owls’ favor. What Rice can’t do is disappear completely at the plate every time they have the chance to put up a crooked number.

Rice baseball has scored 14 runs through their first six games. Frankly, that’s not good enough. Rice capped the UC Irvine series with four runs on 10 hits on Sunday. Their opponents managed twice the run total (nine) on just one fewer hit.

3. The continued development of Trei Cruz

Coaches and fellow players raved about the growth of Trei Cruz this offseason. A Cape Cod League All-Star and the Preseason Conference USA Player of the Year, Cruz has played well in the Owls’ first two series. The shortstop has made multiple Sportscenter Top 10-caliber plays in the dirt, showcasing his defensive prowess.

His bat has been as productive as the rest of the Rice hitters, but it’s been his discipline that’s been most impressive. Cruz is tied for the team lead in walks (five), taking advantage of pitchers who know how dangerous a mistake thrown his way can be.

Finding protection behind in the lineup should get him more hittable pitches. But for the time being, Cruz is extending innings and giving his teammates opportunities to produce runs. He can’t do it all himself, and he’s not trying to force it.

FRIDAY | UC Irvine 10 – Rice 1

Despite having no offensive output for most of the game, Rice kept the game within reach through five innings. Roel Garcia got the Owls off to a strong start. Alex DeLeon got roughed up upon his entrance but navigated the fourth and fifth innings allowing just one run. Then the floodgates burst and UC Irvine took complete control of the game with a 4-run sixth inning.

Aaron Baulaurier doubled to right center in the eight, breaking up UC Irvine’s combined no-hit bid. Justin Dunlap scored later that inning on a wild pitch. But salvaging a run was too little too late in a one-sided series-opening loss much more convincing than any of the Owls’ losses to Texas on opening weekend.

SATURDAY | UC Irvine 2 – Rice 1

This was the ultimate game of missed opportunities. Rice baseball was one hit away from winning this one for what felt likes hours. The hit never came. Blake Brogdon’s strong night (5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 8 K) came up void. The two runs Brogdon allowed came immediately following leadoff doubles, one in the fourth and another in the sixth. When faced with similar chances, Rice hitters couldn’t push even the tying run across.

The final effort came with two outs in the ninth. Braden Comeaux and Cade Edwards singled to put runners on the corners. Trei Cruz came to the plate, a hit from tying the game. He popped one down the right field line in foul territory. UC Irvine outfielder Riley Kasper made a play on the ball but was injured and forced to leave the game after an extended delay. Facing one more pitch after the wait, Cruz struck out.

SUNDAY | UC Irvine 9 – Rice 4

Comeaux slapped a leadoff single to start the game, ruining any no-hit bids out of the gate. Rice would tally 10 hits on the day, three more than they’d managed in the first two games of the series. The Owls wouldn’t score until the eighth inning. By that time the game was essentially over.

UC Irvine dealt a three-run blow to Rice starter Drake Greenwood in the second inning. The finishing blow came as soon as he was relieved in the fifth. Kel Bordwine was ambushed upon his entrance. He allowed six runs (five charged to him) on four hits and one walk, retiring two of the seven batters he faced. Down 9-0, Rice baseball played things out to the finish.

ON DECK | at Texas State (Tues), vs Missouri State (Fri-Sun)

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Rice Basketball 2020 Game Preview: Men at UTEP | Women at UAB

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There will be no Rice basketball at Tudor Fieldhouse this weekend. Both the men and the women hit the road for games against UTEP and UAB, respectively.

Rice Basketball

Time: Feb. 22 at 6:00 p.m. CT
Venue: Don Haskins Center
Radio: Stretch Internet Portal
TV: CUSATV

UTEP 13-14 (4-10), Last 5 (0-5)

  • 69-55 (L) vs UAB
  • 68-64 (L) at Charlotte
  • 72-53 (L) at Old Dominion
  • 67-62 (L) vs WKU
  • 71-61 (L) vs Marshall

Rice 13-14 (5-9), Last 5 (4-1)

  • 84-75 (W) vs North Texas
  • 86-72 (W) at UAB
  • 91-83 (W) at MTSU
  • 73-70 (L) vs Old Dominion
  • 70-54 (W) vs Charlotte

UTEP statistical leaders

  • Scoring | Bryson Williams – 18.6 per game
  • Rebounds | Bryson Williams- 7.1 per game
  • Assists | Jordan Lathon – 2.8 per game
  • Steals | Nigel Hawkins – 1.0 per game
  • Blocks | Bryson Williams – 0.9 per game

Rice keys to victory

Rice basketball put together a near-perfect gameplan when they squared off with UTEP in Houston earlier this year. The Owls silenced Bryson Williams, holding him to three points before he fouled out. He attempted just two field goals, well under his season average of 13.4 attempts.

The supporting cast didn’t was limited, too. UTEP shot 5-of-28 from three (17.8%). Still, the Miners managed to make a few more shots than Rice down the stretch. If Rice can execute that plan again but bring their recent hot shooting hands, the Owls have all the pieces they need to get their revenge.

Rice Women's Basketball

Time: Feb. 22 at 2:00 p.m. CT
Venue: Bartow Arena
TV: CUSATV

UAB 17-9 (9-5), Last 5 (3-2)

  • 63-51 (W) vs UTEP
  • 64-53 (L) at Rice
  • 51-50 (W) at North Texas
  • 62-52 (L) vs MTSU
  • 61-59 (W) at MTSU

Rice 16-8 (11-2), Last 5 (3-2)

  • 64-53 (W) vs UAB
  • 77-60 (W) vs MTSU
  • 66-59 OT (L) at Old Dominion
  • 62-51 (L) at Charlotte
  • 69-66 (W) vs North Texas

UAB statistical leaders

  • Scoring | Rachael Childress – 16.9 per game
  • Rebounds | Angela Vendrell – 7.7 per game
  • Assists | Angela Vendrell – 4.7 per game
  • Steals | Angela Vendrell – 1.2 per game
  • Blocks | Zakyia Weathersby – 1.1 per game

Rice keys to victory

The Owls cycled through much more of their bench against North Texas than they’ve typically rotated through in previous weeks. As long as Nancy Mulkey is limited or unable to go, finding production from the bench will be hugely important. Alexah Chrisman, Kendall Ellig, Destiny Jackson and others have risen up from time to time. Who will it be on Saturday?

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