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Rice Basketball Recruiting: Owls putting together strong 2022 class

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The 2022 Rice basketball recruiting class is coming together quite nicely with two players already in the fold for the Owls so far.

Head coach Scott Pera and company have returned to Tudor Fieldhouse and turned their focus to the upcoming season. Practice tipped off last week. For the past few weeks, though, the future of the program has been at the forefront of their minds as they look to put the finishing touches on the 2022 Rice basketball recruiting class.

The Owls have assembled a two-man class thus far, drawing from programs all over the nation to find the right pieces for the upcoming class. First came Andrew King, a guard from Arizona who stuck with Rice from October until March when he announced he was decommiting from the program. At that point, Rice had already added another commitment, this time from guard Mekhi Mason.

Mason made his pledge to the Owls in January and has stuck with Rice from that point onward. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard is an aggressive scorer who looks comfortable with the ball in his hands. He’s not afraid to attack the rim and should fit in well at #GreenLightU.

The most recent commitment came from Andrew Akuchie. The forward from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Florida gives the Owls some length in this class. Although he’s comfortable in the front court, he’s able to score from multiple levels and moves fluidly up and down the court.

Once they sign and become official, those two will be available to help the Owls on the court for the starting of the 2022 season. They’ll follow a 2021 class that includes transfers Carl Pierre and Terrance McBride, as well as freshmen Jaden Geron, Damion McDowell and Jackson Peakes.

Given the turnover and uncertainty that surrounds college basketball today, it’s entirely possible, if not likely, the Owls add at least one more to this class before it’s finalized. For now, it’s a very good start.

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Rice Basketball Recruiting: Forward Andrew Akuchie commits to Owls

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The 2022 Rice basketball recruiting class added one more to their numbers this week, picking up a commitment from versatile forward Andrew Akuchie.

After retooling the roster prior to the 2021 season, the 2022 Rice Basketball recruiting class was likely slated to include a handful of players. The longest-tenured commitment comes from guard Mekhi Mason committed in January. Now, with the summer winding to a close, Rice adds the first forward in the 2022 class: Andrew Akuchie.

Akuchie hails from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Like King and Mason before him, this out-of-state product should fit in well with the Owls’ fast pace offensive style. Akuchie mentioned the Owls’ tempo and willingness to push the ball in transition was something he was particularly excited to be apart of when he gets to campus, mentioning Pera’s willingness to let his players make plays. “Anyone can push the ball in transition,” Akuchie said.

On the court, the fit makes a lot of sense. The 6-foot-8 forward can hold his own inside and has the ability to score from different levels of the court. Aligning him with the quick-trigger guard play already on campus will add an extra dimension to the Owls’ offense.

At the time of his commitment, Akuchie picks Rice over offers from Albany, Lafayette and Canisius. All four programs had offered Akuchie over the summer, Albany first in early May and Rice coming not long after in mid June.  Princeton and Holy Cross were in the running down the stretch, but after some time to get to know the staff and get a better feel for Rice, Akuchie had seen all he needed to see to make his decision.

“The coaching staff [is] supportive,” he said, adding it was evident that the coaches “care a lot about their players.” That familial atmosphere was important for him. And now he’s set to be a Rice Owl.

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Rice Women’s Basketball: Owls hit reset button entering 2021-2022 season

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The Rice women’s basketball team is going to look different this season. With the coaching transition comes an unusually high level of roster turnover.

Things are going to look different at Tudor Fieldhouse this season. The departure of former Rice women’s basketball head coach Tina Langley for Washington sent shockwaves through the Owls’ roster. Rice acted quickly, filling the vacated position with former NC State assistant Lindsay Edmonds, but at that point, the proverbial cats were out of their bags.

In the span of a few months, four of the Owls’ five starters left the program.

Thrust into a suddenly more strenuous position than originally expected, Edmonds summed it up rather succinctly, “it’s been a whirlwind.”

Transfers are common when coaching transitions happen in college athletics. Players, understandably, share a loyalty to the coach that recruited them. Others take the opportunity to look around at their alternatives, possible for the first time. Rice saw the ripple effects of both of those scenarios.

Edmonds did what she could to keep that talent from flocking away from South Main. “The roster turnover is definitely not something that I anticipated or wanted to happen,” she said. “I fought really hard to keep them.” Unfortunately for the Owls, several chose to move on.

On the way out

Nancy Mulkey, who was eligible for the WNBA Draft, pulled her name out at the last minute. Rather than go pro, she opted to follow Langley to Washington. Also joining her former coach at a later date was forward Lauren Schwartz. Unfortunately, there were more.

Sydne Wiggins and Jasmine Smith both decided to transfer to SMU. And just like that, Rice had lost their head coach and four of their five starting players in the span of a few short months. Katelyn Crosthwait is the lone starter who opted to remain at South Main along with Edmonds, now tasked with rebuilding a roster.

On the way in

Rice women’s basketball added one transfer to the mix, Alexis Stover, who transfers to Rice from Wright State. She averaged 2.1 points per game with the Raiders in her senior season and started 45 games across her two seasons there after beginning her career with one season at Ohio. Now one of the most veteran players on the roster, Edmonds is hopeful Stover’s experience will pay dividends for the Owls.

Joining the Owls from the high school ranks are Malia Fisher and Trinity Gooden. Both signed with Rice last winter and were recruited by Langley and her staff. Still, have the potential to play meaningful roles in the years to come.

The new-look roster

The losses were tough, but in time, seems to have reoriented herself to the new reality and her new roster. “The ones that are here and wanted to be here with us are here, and that’s what we’re gonna roll with,” she said rather resolutely.

Rounding out the rest of the roster are juniors Haylee Swayze and Arianna McCurry, sophomores India Bellamy, Ashlee Austin, Destiny Jackson and Crosthwait plus redshirt freshman Maya Bokunewicz. At this time, Edmonds says this is likely the roster they’ll go to battle this season.

The roster, as is, sits at 10 members, a thin collection in a typical season without potential COVID-19 challenges to wrestle with. The 2022 class should be a sizable one. But the Owls have to get there first.

Undeterred, Edmonds is eagerly embracing the task at hand. Her last several months have been spent building relationships, on and off the court, with current members of the team. For her, that’s brought a sense of normalcy back to the process.

“I’m really excited about the ones that are here,” she reiterated. “The numbers aren’t nearly as high as I would like them to be, but I think everyone that is on the roster can do something to help us this season.”

The reality is this team is going to look different, very different. But just like Langley inherited an unrefined product and turned it into an NCAA Tournament caliber team, Edmonds will have her own shot to build this roster. And it’ll happen from the ground up.

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Rice Basketball: Breaking down the Scott Pera extension

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Rice basketball head coach Scott Pera has received a contract extension through 2024, a reward for a quick pivot and encouraging results.

Fresh off his best season as the head coach of Rice basketball, Scott Pera has received a contract extension that will keep him in Houston with the Owls through 2024. Rice Athletic Director Joe Karlgaard released a statement on Thursday, saying “the future of Rice men’s basketball is bright,” adding that “Scott Pera has steadily built a terrific foundation and has effectively steered our approach to the modern recruiting environment.

What is that strategy? Why did it work? What’s next for Rice basketball? Let’s dive in.

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NIL and Rice Athletics: Owls embrace new opportunities

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Name, Imagine and Likeness, or NIL as it’s referenced often in short, has swept across the country. What is it? And how does it impact Rice Athletics?

Effective July 1, NIL legislation in states across the country went into effect with additional guidance from the NCAA serving as a backdrop. As soon as the clock strike midnight, student athletes began to announce new ventures aimed at making a profit using their Name, Imagine and Likeness.

In a nutshell, new NIL policy allows athletes to make money off their own likeness. Much in the same way a Chemistry student could use knowledge from his or her studies to run a tutoring business on the side, now college athletes can monetize themselves in similar ways. Some have launched new businesses. Others have posted branded content on their social media pages. We touched on it briefly in this week’s episode of The Roost Podcast.

How does this impact Rice Athletics?

According to Texas State law, Rice athletes are now free to enter into these types of agreements insofar as they do not overlap with official team activities (practices, class, games, etc.), involve Rice branding or property, or serve as endorsements for drugs, alcohol, gambling or other elicit businesses. And most importantly, no athlete can receive compensation for their performance on the field.

Student athletes must disclose potential agreements to the compliance staff, with opportunities exceeding $5,000 requiring approval from the Athletic Director. So far, we’ve seen several take advantage of their newfound rights.

NIL and Rice Athletes

A whole host of Owls have signed up to offer personalized coaching on Vevole which describes itself as “a video coaching platform that powers personal achievement through accessible coaching.” Individual coaches can select their own rates. Current and former Rice affiliated coaches include:

  • Michael Whitehead, Golf
  • Kel Bordwine, Baseball
  • Justin Collins, Baseball
  • Benjamin Content, Baseball
  • Alex DeLeon, Baseball
  • Carly Graham, Volleyball
  • Anthonio Cruz, Baseball
  • Jimmy Comerota, Baseball
  • Connor Teykl, Baseball
  • Tamir Jackson, Basketball
  • Blair Lewis, Baseball
  • Noah Hutchins, Basketball

Others have announced partnerships with Yoke Gaming, a service that allows fans to “compete face-to-face” with their favorite athletes in online video games. Current Rice football players Khalan Griffin and Plae Wyatt have both posted announcements regarding their involvement on Instagram.

Current Rice basketball guard Quincy Olivari announced a partnership with Go Puff, a delivery service for food and drinks.

The most creative use of the new rules belongs to Rice offensive lineman Nick Wagman.

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