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Rice Basketball fades down the stretch, falls to UTSA

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Rice Basketball had their chances to come back against UTSA but the Owls weren’t able to hold onto the ball and fell on the road in their season finale.

The three point shot has been the bread and butter of Rice basketball for as long as Scott Pera has been the Owls’ head coach. It’s only fitting then that Rice wrapped up its regular season with a particularly effective outing from long range.

UTSA came out firing on cylinders, scoring 18 points in the first six minutes of play. Trailing 18-6, Rice was in dire straights early but then Riley Abercrombie and Carl Pierre drained back-to-back triples and cut the deficit in half. All of a sudden the score was 18-12 and Rice was very much back in the mix.

Last Time Out: Rice Basketball record-setting night not enough vs UTEP

That’s how much of the game would progress. UTSA would stretch out its lead to within the vicinity of double digits only for Rice to get a chunk or two back with their trademark three ball. Although the Owls trailed by as many as 12 points in the first half on multiple occasions, Rice took a six-point deficit into the break.

Things would stay close through the early portions of the second half. Rice would cut the UTSA lead down to one, but it was UTSA who would begin to heat up from distance and pull away. Rice would get within five points with just under three minutes to play before UTSA would put things out of reach with an 8-2 run to put it away.

Player Spotlight | Carl Pierre

In his final regular season game with Rice basketball, Pierre put together yet another pristine performance. He was 3-of-6 from three and scored 16 points. He also contributed three rebounds, one assist and one steal. The timing of his baskets was crucial, frequently giving the Owls hope. Rice could have used a few more down the stretch, but things wouldn’t have been nearly as close without Pierre on the court.

Stat Corner | Too many turnovers

When Rice basketball plays disciplined, they’ve proven their ability to stand toe-to-toe with even the best teams in Conference USA. That wasn’t the case on Saturday. The Owls turned the ball over 20 times, providing their opponents with an excess of opportunities. USTA made them pay.

Final Box | UTSA 82 – Rice 71

Up Next | Full Schedule

The regular season has come to a close for Rice basketball. Win or lose on Saturday, they had already secured a first-round bye and were locked into the fifth seed in the West. They’ll meet the fourth seed in the East. That game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 9.

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Rice Basketball runs out of threes in narrow road loss at UTEP

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Rice Basketball ran out of three-pointers in the final moments, falling to UTEP on the road despite a sizable second-half lead.

Max Fiedler and Chris Mullins got Rice basketball off to as good of a start as could have been asked for in their Thursday night road tilt with the UTEP Miners. The senior duo put up the first five points of the game, staking the visiting Owls to an early 5-0 lead. It wouldn’t last.

No sooner had the Owls exhaled from the quick run than UTEP had the lead, and then some. The Miners reeled off a 13-0 run of their own, quickly turning what had been an auspicious start for Rice into a full-scale battle. UTEP’s lead would grow to as many as 12 points before Rice started to chip away in earnest. Mullins laid one in to start a run, which would balloon to a 13-2 Rice streak resulting in a halftime tie.

Last Time Out: Rice Basketball rallies past Southern Miss on Senior Day

Rice leveled the game with a smattering of offensive sets and firm defense. In the second half, their spark came from deep. Carl Pierre seemingly couldn’t miss from long range, pulling Rice along with him as he rained down three after three. He helped the Owls open up an 11-point lead which might have been safe had it not been for a furious assault in the paint from the Miners.

UTEP would pull things back to even, setting up a thrilling final few minutes. Pierre would put Rice in front with a pair of free throws with 58 seconds to play. UTEP crept back in front with three free throw makes in their next two possessions, sending the ball back to Rice for what could have been the game-tying shot, but it would not fall.

Mullins and Pierre each had a chance at the equalizing three, as would Fiedler from half court, but none of them could put it in. On a night of so many threes, Rice fell one three short.

Player Spotlight | Carl Pierre

On paper, the addition of Pierre from the Transfer Portal seemed like a nice win for the Owls. At a minimum, the veteran three-point shooter would give Rice another weapon on the outside. The best-case scenario? Rice basketball might be living it right now.

Pierre set the program record for three-pointers in a season with his outburst against UTEP. He and Travis Evee collectively became the Rice duo with the most total triples between them in a single campaign. Rice was already an offensive centered around good three-point shooting when Pierre arrived. He’s taken it to another level.

Stat Corner | Three-falling

On his way to his record-setting performance, Pierre knocked down six threes. It was the fourth time this season he’s made that many triples in a game. He’s made at least one three-pointer in all but two games this season. His shooting stroke has been crucial to the Owls’ offensive rhythm.

Final Box | UTEP 70 – Rice 67

Up Next | Full Schedule

Rice basketball has one final road tilt in the regular season. They finish the regular season on Saturday, Mar. 5 at 2:00 p.m. in San Antonio against UTSA. From there, it’s onto the Conference USA Tournament, the opening rounds of which tip-off on Mar. 8.

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Rice Women’s Basketball blasts UTEP in runaway win

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Rice Women’s Basketball blasted past UTEP at home, locking up a first-round bye in the Conference USA Tournament win the win.

Maya Bokunewicz put up a three-pointer for the first shot of a midweek game between Rice women’s basketball and UTEP. It bounced off the mark before being recovered by Trinity Gooden who converted on the second-chance attempt to put Rice in front 2-0. In a dramatic divergence from the Owls’ last game where nothing would go in, even the missed shots turned into points on Thursday night.

The 2-0 lead quickly snowballed into a 22-7 lead which grew into a monstrous 28-point halftime advantage in favor of the Owls. That’s the sort of thing that happens when one team finds their stroke and shoots 57.6 from the field in the first two quarters.

Last Time Out: Rice Women’s Basketball rallies past Southern Miss in huge road win

Bokunewicz and Malia Fisher each had double-digit points before the halftime buzzer sounded. Destiny Jackson, Ashlee Austin and Trinity Gooden would join them in double figures before the night was through. And although they would cool down, averaging just 46.4 percent from the field for the game, their sizable lead was never in jeopardy.

The win secures Rice women’s basketball a top-five finish in the West, even if UTEP should win this coming Saturday. Rice will earn a bye in the first round of the conference tournament whereas UTEP will face seventh seed UTSA for a spot in the Day 2 games.

Player Spotlight | Malia Fisher

Fisher continues her bid for Conference USA Freshman of the Year with another dominant game, tying her career-high with 20 points on the way to another double-double. She also had three assists and two steals. Her versatility provides a spark to this team in a myriad of ways and has been crucial in their recent hot streak.

Stat Corner | 31

Two weeks ago following a narrow win over UAB, Rice women’s basketball head coach Lindsay Edmonds said she expected her team to be in a lot of close games. Games that — in her words — were going to “come down to the wire”. True to her prediction, Rice did play several neck-and-neck contests. Thursday’s win over UTEP was anything but close.

Rice led by as many as 31 points, essentially putting the game on ice by the midpoint of the very first quarter. It was one of the most dominant performances of the season and it came within days of the Conference USA Tournament.

Final Box | Rice 82 – UTEP 62

Up Next | Full Schedule

Rice women’s basketball has one more game remaining in the regular season. The Owls will host UTSA on Mar. 5, Senior Day. From there, it’s onto the Conference USA Tournament with the Owls’ final seeding still to be determined.

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Rice Basketball edges Southern Miss on Senior Day

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It took overtime to get it done, but Rice Basketball sent off its seniors on a high note, topping Southern Miss on Senior Day at Tudor Fieldhouse.

It had been a back-and-forth game from the start with no obvious moments of separation. Rice basketball traded runs with Southern Miss but both teams stayed neck and neck through regulation and beyond. It was always close. Right up until the moment Chris Mullins let a three-point shot fly with just under 90 seconds remaining in overtime.

The three-point shot would dive through the hoop and give Rice a 5-point advantage with time ticking off the clock quickly. From that point, forward Rice made their foul shots and played out the string, but it was Mullins’ triple that afforded the pivotal moment.

Last Time Out: Rice Basketball furious rally not enough vs LA Tech

“Fitting. Appropriate. Whatever word you want to use. A four-year warrior. He’ll never forget that shot as long as he lives. I probably won’t either,” head coach Scott Pera said of Mullins’ dagger three, reflecting on a Senior Fight victory. Ten of the Owls’ 13 points in overtime were scored by seniors, snapping a season-long losing streak and rejuvenating the entire roster.

“We needed a win,” Pera admitted.

That win didn’t come easily. Before Rice got to overtime they overcome an eight-point first-half deficit. Every time they came close, Southern Miss found a way to push their advantage up another few points. It wasn’t until a set of three three-pointers by Travis Evee at the midpoint of the second half that Rice would take their first lead in what felt like forever.

Southern Miss would answer. Then Rice volleyed back. The battle was fierce. Rice had the chance to end it in regulation but couldn’t get one more three-ball to fall as the clock expired. That would eventually set up Mullins’ deep bomb, a memorable way for the seniors’ last home game to end.

Player Spotlight | Chris Mullins

A four-year starter, Mullins is the most tenured player on the roster. He was shut out in his last game against Louisiana Tech, going 0-for-4 from the field with no rebounds. On Saturday against Southern Miss he scored 12 points, grabbed seven rebounds and played 40 minutes, the second-most court time he’s gotten in a game all season, behind only a 3OT outing against Evansville in November.

“I can still remember my first game here,” Mullins said as he attempted to take in the emotions of the final home game of his career. “It’s just come full circle. I started off with a win and I ended with a win here. I’m going to have so many memories here. It’s a great feeling.”

Stat Corner | Get to the line

Rice basketball shot 29 free throws. Southern Miss shot eight. One of the major differences in this game was how often Rice was able to get to the charity stripe. Even though they only converted 20 of those chances, good for a modest 69 percent, they still vastly outdid their opponents at the line and made one of their opposing players foul out.

Final Box | Rice 77 – Southern Miss 72

Up Next | Full Schedule

Rice basketball will finish out their regular season schedule on the road. Next up is UTEP, who they’ll visit on Mar. 3 for an 8:00 p.m. tilt. Then Rice will finish in San Antonio against UTSA on Mar. 5. at 2:00 p.m. After that, it’s onto the conference tournament which tips off on Mar. 8.

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Rice Women’s Basketball rallies past Southern Miss for gritty road win

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Rice Women’s Basketball trailed for most of the game and did not shoot well at all but the Owls still found a way to take down Southern Miss.

Blisteringly fast starts have been the hallmark of Rice women’s basketball this season. Depth issues and inexperience have made those early leads tenuous at times, but winning the first quarter has never been a serious problem. That’s what made Saturday’s slow start in Hattiesburg so surprising.

Rice shot 14.3 percent from the floor in the first quarter and fell eight points behind Southern Miss 15-7, Trailing by more points than they’d managed to score, the Owls had no choice other than to chip away.

Bolstered by a powerful defensive effort, Rice began their comeback. Southern Miss made two field goals in the second quarter and attempted just seven field goals. They turned the ball over seven times in the frame compared to three turnovers from the Owls, who held the home team without a field goal for more than six consecutive minutes. When the halftime buzzer sounded, it was a one-point game in favor of Southern Miss.

Last Time Out: Rice Women’s Basketball runs out of gas, players in 2OT loss to LA Tech
While it probably won’t move the needle for those outside of South Main, this victory might very well go down as the win of the year.

The teams traded baskets in the third quarter but although Rice was able to tie the score twice, they never took the lead, instead allowing Southern Miss to gradually increase the margin to seven points midway through the fourth quarter.

Southern Miss outrebounded Rice 43-41. They outshot the Owls 36.7 percent to 27.9 percent. Through the first 38+ minutes of regulation, Rice never led. But when Malia Fisher secured a putback with 1:12 to play and Destiny Jackson followed with a layup with 18 seconds remaining, none of those numbers mattered.

Rice only led for 42 seconds, but it was the most meaningful 42 seconds of the game. For this shorthanded team to have so much go against them and still find a way to win is absolutely stunning. While it probably won’t move the needle for those outside of South Main, this victory might very well go down as the win of the year.

Player Spotlight | Ashlee Austin

On a day when nobody wearing blue and gray could find the basket, Ashlee Austin’s offensive contributions were massive. Austin led both teams with 18 points and added 10 rebounds, including three offensive boards. It was her first career double-double of the season, and every point and rebound was critical to complete the Owls’ thrilling comeback.

Stat Corner | 27.9 Percent

Rice women’s basketball came into this game averaging 40.4 percent shooting from the field on the season. Every team has its good days and its bad days when it comes to shooting, but the Owls had unarguably their worst shooting performance of the season on Saturday against the team atop the C-USA West Standings.

Entering Saturday, the Owls’ worst shooting percentage in a win was 38 percent against Texas Southern on Nov. 17.  They hadn’t won a game shooting worst than 30 percent since beating Old Dominion in February of 2019. Rice shot 27.9 percent against Southern Miss. And they won.

Final Box | Rice 51 – Southern Miss 46

Up Next | Full Schedule

Rice women’s basketball has two final games remaining on the regular season slate. They will host UTEP on Mar. 3 and then UTSA on Mar. 5, Senior Day. From there, it’s onto the Conference USA Tournament which could start for Rice as early as Tuesday, Mar. 8.

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