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WBB: Owls hoping to build NCAA Tournament worthy resume

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Rice women’s basketball is in the midst of an incredible run which the team hopes will end in an NCAA Tournament berth. How close are the Owls to the postseason?

March is nearing and Rice women’s basketball is looking for their dancing shoes. The squad has been one of the most dominant teams in the nation for the entirety of 2019. They’ll hope to capitalize on their storybook season with a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The necessary preparations for a postseason run are being put in place.

The Streak

The circumstances are almost irrelevant — this team doesn’t care. All they do is win. The Rice women’s basketball team has won 20 of their last 21 games and has yet to suffer defeat in conference play. With just two road games remaining against 5-6 North Texas and 1-10 UTSA, the Owls have a real shot at winning out and reaching 25 wins before the conference tournament.

Rice has won 13 games in a row, the most consecutive victories in school history and the third longest active streak in the nation. Every win literally makes history. The Owls have won 11 straight conference games, reaching 20 wins early in February. For comparison, Rice won their 20th game on March 3 in 2018,  March 19 in 2017 and only reached 18 wins combined between the ’14-’15 and ’15-’16 seasons.

Bracketology

There’s no doubting the Owls’ impressive run will force the NCAA selection committee to look long and hard at all this team has accomplished this season. With five regular season games remaining, Rice is projected as an 11-seed in ESPN analyst Charlie Creme’s latest Bracketology. That seed line could creep higher if Rice continues to win, but a higher seed isn’t all that’s at stake right now.

Multiple CUSA teams have reached the field in the somewhat recent past. MTSU and Western Kentucky both made the field in 2014, the Blue Raiders first year in the conference. Multiple CUSA squads haven’t made the field together since the conference contract to 14 teams in 2015.

Conference USA has traditionally been a one-bid league. Win the conference tournament and you’re going dancing, regardless of how your season has faired up until that point. Lose the conference tournament, and more often than not, you’re out.

If Rice can win out, but falls in the conference tournament, they’ll still have a strong chance of making it in, which is another testament to the incredible job these ladies have done this season. Rice is closing in on lock status, but the Owls can’t truly be sure of their NCAA fates without cutting down the nets in Frisco.

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MBB: Owls survive Marshall to earn big home win

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Rice basketball saw a massive lead evaporate but found a way to out-tough Marshall down the stretch, knocking off the Herd at home, 74-69.

This script is getting all-too familiar. No lead seems safe, no matter how impactful or impressive the Owls look in the middle portion of their games. Marshall’s biggest lead on Saturday was five points at the 12:35 mark of the first half. Rice led by 17 with 15:39 to play in the second half.

This isn’t the first, the second or even the third game which felt in hand before spiraling into a slugfest in the final moments. By the time 30 seconds remained in the contest Rice and Marshall were separated by one point, a far cry from the 17 point advantage the Owls had not that long ago.

What was different on Saturday though, was the amount of gas left in the tank. Rather than survive into two overtimes the Owls’ defense held strong in the final minute. Marshall connected one field goal in the final three minutes. This time the Owls’ were able to weather the storm. Maybe next time it might not feel as perilous.

Box

Player PTS FG 3FG FT OR DR REB A PF TO BL ST MIN +/-
PARRISH 7 3-5 1-1 0-0 1 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 28 11
ADAMS 6 1-5 1-4 3-4 0 3 3 0 4 0 0 1 13 6
MULLINS 12 4-5 1-1 3-7 0 8 8 4 4 6 1 3 32 -10
WILLIAMS 11 5-12 0-3 1-2 2 6 8 0 4 1 1 0 27 0
MILLORA-BROWN 10 5-10 0-0 0-0 1 5 6 4 2 1 0 0 26 7
MOORE 7 0-2 0-1 7-8 0 4 4 3 0 3 1 3 23 1
MURPHY III 11 3-9 3-7 2-3 0 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 20 9
MARTIN 10 3-11 1-5 3-7 1 6 7 2 4 2 0 0 28 3
PETERSON 0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 3 -2

Player of the game – Quentin Millora-Brown

The young forward appears to be getting more and more confident with each passing game. He’s starting to assert himself in the paint and the team is finding him for high percentage shots. Millora-Brown was one of five Owls who scored in double-digits while adding six rebounds and a team-high four assists.

Up Next

Rice closes the predetermined portion of their conference schedule with a road trip to Florida. Their first game of the two-game road trip will be Thursday night at 6:00 p.m. against FIU before playing FAU on Saturday.

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MBB: Double OT not enough to lift Owls past WKU

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Rice basketball battled with Western Kentucky in a double overtime thriller before running out of gas. The Owls fell 92-85.

There was a full gym on Thursday night at Tudor Fieldhouse for a nationally televised game between visiting Western Kentucky and the Rice Owls. The home team got off to a slow start, falling behind 9-0 before they settled down and focused in on what would become a dogfight from start to finish.

Down early, Rice didn’t get flustered. Instead, they rallied behind one of the hottest shooting streaks of Ako Adams‘ career. The junior point guard began the game 5-for-5 from long range. Every time it looked like WKU might be able to extend the lead, Adams willed his team back into the fight.

Two points were all that separated Rice and WKU at half. Then the Owls turned it on. By way of a 13-0 run midway through the second half Rice flipped the 2-point deficit into a 9-point advantage. They’d extend the lead to as many as 13, but WKU wasn’t done. The Tops had a rally of their own, taking advantage of a five-minute scoring drought from Rice to claw back and take the lead.

Chris Mullins knocked down a foul shot to force overtime. Then Adams drained his seventh three of the contest to send the game to a second extra period. When it came time to finish, they didn’t have the energy to close. Rice fell in two overtimes, 92-85.

“We just not there yet,” admitted Pera after the game. “We all want to win. We all want to take this program up a notch. It’s hard… Nobody feels sorry for us. We gotta do better and the only way you do better is to look in the mirror, take responsibility, hold your teammates and staff accountable and get to work tomorrow. And that’s what we’ll do.”

Box

Player PTS FG 3FG FT OR DR REB A PF TO BL ST MIN +/-
ADAMS 23 8-15 7-14 0-0 0 4 4 0 3 5 0 1 46 -14
PETERSON 2 0-5 0-1 2-2 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 11 -7
MULLINS 13 3-14 1-4 6-8 1 2 3 3 1 3 0 1 36 -23
WILLIAMS 8 3-9 0-2 2-2 2 7 9 4 1 5 1 2 39 -6
MILLORA-BROWN 13 5-13 0-0 3-4 5 6 11 1 1 0 2 0 35 -5
MOORE 3 1-1 1-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 7
PARRISH 9 4-5 0-0 1-1 1 3 4 3 2 3 0 1 19 8
MURPHY III 7 3-9 0-6 1-2 1 4 5 3 3 0 2 1 33 8
MARTIN 7 3-6 1-3 0-0 1 7 8 1 5 0 0 0 26 -3

Player of the game – Ako Adams

Entering Thursday night the record for most three-point baskets made in a single game was eight set by Bobby Crawford against Tulsa in 1997. After a hot start, Adams finished 2-of-9 from deep and 7-of-14 overall, just missing out on a piece of Rice history. Still, seven threes and another layup paved the way for a season-best 23 points.

Adams took little joy in his strong start given the final result. “I definitely gotta do a better job as a better point guard and a better leader,” he declared. “I’m tired of being this close. We just gotta break through.” The Owls had lost their previous three games by five combined points prior to this overtime defeat.

Up Next

Rice will stick around town for a Saturday tilt with Marshall this Saturday. The Herd are the last home opponent on the finalized portion of the Owls’ schedule before pod play begins in the latter half of February.

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MBB: Owls unable to hold off Old Dominion rally

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Rice basketball battled first place Old Dominion to the wire but fell short of the upset, dropping the Owls to 5-6 in Conference USA play.

Rice never seemed fazed or outmatched during their road game against the top team in Conference USA. The Owls and Old Dominion traded baskets throughout the first half of their game on Saturday. The lead jumped back and forth between the two teams with neither side pulling ahead by more than four points before half time.

It was Rice who took the four-point lead into the break, setting up an intriguing finish. The back and forth continued until Old Dominion emerged on top, 80-76. The Monarchs outrebounded the Owls 40-33, but the stat sheet beyond that looked fairly similar with both teams shooting about 45 percent from the field with more than 10 made three-pointers apiece.

Box

PLAYER FG 3PT FT OREB DREB REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
J. Williams 3-8 2-3 4-5 1 9 10 0 0 1 1 4 12
Q. Millora-Brown 3-3 0-0 0-0 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 4 6
D. Peterson 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0
C. Mullins 6-11 0-2 2-4 2 1 3 5 1 0 0 1 14
A. Adams 3-10 3-8 2-2 0 1 1 4 0 0 4 3 11
R. Martin 4-13 3-7 2-2 1 6 7 0 0 1 0 1 13
J. Parrish 4-4 0-0 0-0 2 1 3 2 1 0 2 1 8
P. Moore 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
T. Murphy III 3-9 3-9 1-3 1 3 4 1 0 0 2 4 10

Player of the game – Jack Williams

Despite the loss, this was one of the Owls’ better games as a unit this season. Five players scored double-digit points. It was Jack Williams, though, who managed his sixth double-double of the year.

This team has done a lot of growing up over the course of the season. The freshmen have taken tremendous steps in just a few months, but it’s been Williams and guard Ako Adams who have paced this team with consistent performances night by night. Williams did it again on Saturday.

Up Next

After a brief two-game road trip, Rice will return home for a pair of games next week. First, they’ll welcome Western Kentucky on Thursday. The Hill Toppers have won four of their last five (prior to 2/2 UTEP game). Tip off is set for 8 p.m.

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MBB: Old Dominion could be Owls’ toughest road test yet

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Rice basketball heads north to Virginia for one of their most challenging road games of the season. How to the Owls stack up against Old Dominion?

Coming off their first road win in conference play, Rice will be tasked with earning their first road winning streak on Saturday against Old Dominion. The Monarchs are one of the hottest teams in Conference USA right now, but the Owls have played them close in recent years. Rice and Old Dominion went to overtime last year and the Owls’ lone head-to-head win came at Ted Constant Convocation Center in 2015.

The game is scheduled for TV broadcast on ESPN+. Radio is available via the Stretch Internet Portal.

Old Dominion 17-6 (7-3), Last 5 (4-1)

  • W, 72-61 vs North Texas
  • L, 74-73 @ UTSA
  • W, 50-48 @ UTEP
  • W, 76-70 vs Charlotte
  • W, 78-60 vs Southern Miss

Rice 9-13 (4-5), Last 5 (2-3)

  • W, 65-61 vs Charlotte
  • L, 89-86 vs UAB
  • W, 79-68 vs MTSU
  • L, 76-75 @ North Texas
  • L, 65-64 @ UTEP

Old Dominion players to watch

BJ. Stith and Ahmad Caver could be one of the best scoring tandems in Conference USA. Collectively the pair averages 35.0 points per game while also accounting for 13.4 rebounds. As they lead the charge, the rest of the unit fills in with superb defense. The Monarchs allow a CUSA-best 61.4 points per game and are outrebounding their opponents by an average of 5.7 boards per game. Smith is sixth in the conference, averaging 7.7 rebounds.

Rice keys to victory

Old Dominion has lost only one home game this season, falling by three points to a tough Marshall team who’s hovered around the top of the Conference USA standings all season.  In that game Marshall did two things extremely well: share the basketball and play fundamentally sound basketball.

If Rice is going to knock off Old Dominion, they’ll need to limit their turnovers. They’ve averaged 13.8 turnovers over their last five games and have a -3.44 turnover margin in conference play. The ODU defense is stiff enough without doing them any additional favors. Rice needs to play smart and take care of the basketball. If they can do that, they have more than enough firepower to pull off the upset.

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