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WBB: Owls drop NCAA slugfest vs Marquette in OT

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Rice women’s basketball went toe-to-toe with the Big East regular season champion Marquette but came up just short in their first NCAA Tournament game since 2005.

At 1:oo p.m. on Friday afternoon the pregame festivities came to a close and the lights turned on, shining brighter on Rice women’s basketball than they had all year. A scattered crowd of blues, maroons and trace amounts of gold filled Reed Arena in College Station, a host site for the first and second round of the Women’s NCAA Tournament. The ball was tipped, the pageantry was put aside, and Rice went back to what they know best — basketball.

Rice controlled the first tip and, despite being the lower-seeded team, looked every bit the equal of Marquette from the start. Eric Ogwumike opened the scoring with a corner three to give the Owls the lead which they maintained throughout the first 10 minutes of play. Marquette, who averaged 82.9 points per game this season, was held to eight points in the first quarter.

The Golden Eagles leveled the score in the second quarter before taking a one-point advantage into half. Trailing 20-19 at the break, Rice didn’t seem like much on an underdog.  Nancy Mulkey was patroling the paint. The Owls had a host of shooters who’d gotten off to slow starts and Rice looked like they belonged. They just needed to finish.

Down, but not out

For the third game in a row, Rice trailed at halftime. And for the third game in a row, coach Tina Langley’s team made adjustments and executed. Rice started the third quarter on a 6-0 run as both teams heated up from the field. Ogwumike, Mulkey and Sydne Wiggins made some big shots to hold the lead, setting the team up for an all-important fourth quarter.

Rice would extend the lead to as many as nine before Marquette clawed back. Each team had their chance to win the game in regulation. Mulkey blocked Marquette’s last shot in the fourth quarter. That set up an inbound play with less than a second to play. Shani Rainey would get a shot off at the buzzer but it bounced off the rim.

Maquette would take an early lead in overtime and the Rice offense stalled. Eight total points were scored after regulation. Rice made one basket. At the final buzzer, Rice had been outscored for the first time in 2019, 58-54.

An incredible season comes to an end 

Survive and advance is the steady drumbeat of the NCAA Tournament. 64 teams entered. By the end of the day on Saturday, only 32 will be going home. After falling in the first round, the Owls’ season, too, has come to an end. Reaching the big dance is an accomplishment in itself — one that the previous 13 Rice women’s basketball teams had failed to achieve.

The “what if”s and “if only” questions will linger, but those won’t change the tremendous successes this group has accomplished. And they’re not done just yet. The core players on this team are underclassmen. Ogwumike and Mulkey, who combined for 40 points and 17 rebounds with both be back, ready to make another run at a championship in 2020.

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NCAA Women’s Tournament: Rice vs Marquette matchup preview

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Rice women’s basketball is headed to the NCAA Tournament and will take on 5-seed Marquette in College Station, Texas in the first round. Here’s everything you need to know.

Rice

After dropping their first two games of the season, Rice has won 28 of their last 29. Their long hiccup came in December against North Carolina on the road, a team which earned a 9-seed in the NCAA Tournament field. Rice’s two other losses came to 6-seed UCLA and 4-seed Texas A&M. Rice has won 21 consecutive games, a program record.

Head coach Tina Langley has reached the postseason for the third straight year, but 2019 marks her first trip to the NCAA Tournament following trips to the WBI and the WNIT.

This is the third trip to the NCAA Tournament for Rice, who last advanced to the Big Dance in 2005 after winning the WAC. The Owls lost to Georgia in the first round. Their only other appearance came in 2000 where Rice upset 4-seed UC Santa Barbara, the Owls lone NCAA Tournament victory in program history.

Rice ranks 13th in the nation in effective field goal percentage (53.5 percent) and shoots an impressive 35.9 percent from three as a team. The defense has been even better. Rice ranks sixth in opponents points per game (52.8) and allows .84 points per scoring attempt, the seventh-best mark in the nation. Scoring doesn’t come easy against the Owls.

Projected starting lineup and rotation

  • Sydne Wiggins (So) — 6.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists
  • Jasmine Smith (Fr) — 6.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists
  • Nicole Iademarco (Sr) — 9.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists
  • Erica Ogwumike (Jr) — 16.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists
  • Nancy Mulkey (So) — 13.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.9 blocks

One of the tallest women’s basketball players in the nation, Nancy Mulkey is the rock of the Rice team. Named the CUSA Tournament MVP, she compliments the scoring and rebounding ability of CUSA Player of the Year Erica Ogwumike extremely well.

After Ogwumike and Mulkey, a host of different players could see action on any given game depending on the game script and the opponent. Reigning CUSA Sixth Player of the Year Lauren Grigsby averages a hefty 21 minutes per game contributing 7.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game off the bench. Grigsby is a three point threat, knocking down 44 percent of her long range attempts. Chrisman will serve to give Mulkey rest, particularly on the front end and back end of quarters.

Marquette

The Golden Eagles under the direction of fifth-year head coach Carolyn Kieger have turned into a contender in the Big East. Marquette has made the NCAA Tournament in each of the past two years, seeing mixed results. In 2017 they earned a 5-seed but were upset by 12-seed Quinnipiac in the first round. Last year they were an 8-seed, beating 9-seed Dayton in the first round before following to 1-seed Louisville.

The end of the regular season wasn’t kind to Marquette in 2019. The Golden Eagles won just five of their last nine games, losing most recently in the Big East Championship Game to DePaul on a free throw with five seconds left in the fourth quarter. The Big East ranks sixth in conference RPI making Marquette 26-7 finish more than respectable. The majority of their losses have been close, including a five-point loss to 1-Seed Mississippi State much earlier in the season.

Marquette makes their hay on the offensive side of the ball. They rank in the top 20 nationally in field goal percentage (15th, 46.6 percent), points per play (10th, .95) and scoring (4th, 82.9 points per game). The defensive side of the glass is a different story. They allow 61.6 points per game but rank 174th in average defensive efficiency.

Projected starting lineup and rotation

  • Danielle King (Sr) — 12.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists
  • Natisha Hiedeman (Sr) — 17.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists
  • Allazia Blockton (Sr) — 14.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists
  • Amani Wilborn (Sr) — 11.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists
  • Selena Lott (So) — 7.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists

For Marquette, it’s the glaring omission of senior post player Erika Davenport that could pose the biggest concern. Davenport was injured in the team’s loss to Butler in February and ruled out for the season. Sophomore Lauren Van Kleunen has seen a bump up in minutes in her stead, but the team has seen a noticeable dip in production. Their scoring average per game has declined from 85.8 points to 74.0 points with Davenport sidelined.

Lott brings something Davenport lacked, a three point presence. She’s connected on 46.2 percent of her shots from beyond the arc, the best mark on the team by far. She’s not alone though, Hiedeman  (40.2 percent), Blockton (39.4 percent) and junior Isabelle Spingola (38.8 percent) are all dangerous from that range. All in all, this is a veteran team that’s gotten better each year.

What they’re saying

Upon doing a google search to find the Rice athletics website, the first link I got was for the WBB roster page, which led me to find that Rice has a 6’9” woman named Nancy Mulkey on the roster. She plays 26 minutes a game and averages 13.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.9 blocks per game. This is the only thing I know about Rice women’s basketball right now, and I am already deathly afraid of them, given Marquette’s problems defending the interior anyway.Brewtown Andy
Not only will the Golden Eagles have to deal with a nationally ranked foe, but Rice’s campus is just under 100 miles from Texas A&M, making the trip easy for Owls fans. Marquette fans will be sparse, especially considering the Marquette men could draw some travel-inclined fans to Hartford, Connecticut, for their games in the men’s tourney on the same weekend.JR Radcliffe
Marquette vs. Rice could be fun. One of the more intriguing first round matchups is in the Chicago Region, where No. 5 Marquette will face No. 12 Rice in the first round in College Station, Texas. This battle will feature the nation’s fourth best offense against the nation’s sixth best defense. Marquette scores 82.9 points per game, but Rice only allows 52.8 points per game. Marquette was 18th in the latest AP Top 25 Poll, while Rice was voted 21st. Mitchell Northam

How to watch

Tip off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. CT on Friday, March 22. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and available on the WatchESPN streaming service.

Odds

Rice is the underdog in Friday’s battle of Top 25 teams. FiveThirtyEight gives Rice a 14 percent chance of winning. 5Dimes listed the Owls as 10.5 underdogs. The AP Poll has these two squads three spots apart, Marquette at No. 18 and Rice at No. 21.

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Rice Women’s Basketball earns 12-Seed in NCAA Tournament

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The Rice Women’ Basketball team has learned their NCAA Tournament fate. The Owls are a 12-Seed and open up against 5-Seed Marquette in the first round.

In the aftermath of Rice’s NCAA Tournament clinching victory over Middle Tennessee, coach Tina Langley quoted Clemson Tiger headman Dabo Swinney. “The next game is the biggest game of the year.”

It’s that mantra which has carried the Owls through the most impressive season in school history. As they make their way to the Big Dance, Rice leaves history behind them as the only team in CUSA history to obtain perfection in both the regular season and the conference tournament.

Join The Roost’s Tournament Challenge

Now they’ll take that mantel onto the NCAA Tournament. Rice was awarded a 12-Seed in the Chicago Region. Their first round game will be on Friday against 5-Seed Marquette. If the Owls win, they’ll face the winner of 4-seed Texas A&M and 13-seed Wright State in the Round of 32 for the right to play in the program’s first Sweet 16.

Rice has made two previous Women’s NCAA Tournament appearances. Last appearing in 2005, 11-Seed Rice fell to Georgia in the first round. In their only other appearances, 2000, the 13-Seed Owls knocked off 4-Seed UC Santa Barbara in the first round before losing to 5-Seed North Carolina in the Round of 32.

The Owls know they’ll be the underdogs, but they’re playing with a level of confidence and poise right now which suggests they won’t be intimidated. No matter the draw, this team was always going to ready to battle for a full 40 minutes.

It’s true, their next test will be their toughest yet. But as Swinney says, it’s the biggest game of the year. You can be sure this group will be ready. Look out, March Madness has only just begun.

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Rice Women’s Basketball stays perfect, wins CUSA Title

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Rice women’s basketball stayed perfect, rallying in Frisco to win the Conference USA Tournament and clinch a spot in the NCAA Tournament field.

A 30 game season came down to 40 minutes on a Saturday night in Frisco. Rice needed a win in the Conference USA Basketball Tournament to secure a trip to the NCAA Tournament. They got it, but it took every ounce of grit and competitiveness they had left.

Middle Tennessee made it clear from the opening possession they would not go quietly. The Lady Raiders were the clear aggressor through the first half, making active passes to set up four three-pointers in the first quarter and an early eight-point lead.

With the Rice offense struggling out of the gate, MTSU extended their lead to as many as 10 — the same margin Rice trailed by against Western Kentucky in the semis. It wouldn’t last.

Nancy Mulkey was the most consistent player for the Owls on both sides of the ball in the first half, scoring 13 points as she racked five blocks on the other end of the floor. She would finish with 24 points, eight blocks and five rebounds. Mulkey was named CUSA Tournament MVP for her efforts.

Digging deep when it counted

Nicole Iademarco jumpstarted the offense in the second half, hitting two big threes to spur a 7-0 run for the Owls. As Iademarco keyed in from long range, Mulkey’s confidence continued to grow on the interior. She turned around and took some semi-contested shots from the edge of the paint to help spark the Rice rally.

Syden Wiggins drained a floater in the key to take the lead in the third quarter. Rice relinquished it. Middle Tennessee threatened but was never able to regain a lead they’d held for the majority of the contest despite Conference USA Player of the Year Erica Ogwumike spending a considerable amount of time on the bench with foul trouble.

Ogwumike would return to the game with four fouls at the 4-minute mark of the fourth quarter. She promptly knocked down two free throws and drained a deep three, taking over when the team needed her most to secure the Owls’ first Conference USA Tournament Championship.

Survive and advance

As the confetti falls, the team can exhale and reminisce. Rice women’s basketball won an almost unbelievable amount of games this season. The 28 victories mark a program high — one of the countless records broken this season by a team which has already cemented themselves among the best in school history.

Winners of 21-straight and a perfect 19-0 against Conference USA opponents, Rice has blown past lofty preseason expectations and secured a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005. For one day, they’ll enjoy the moment. On Monday they’ll discover who their next opponent will be. Then it’s back to business as they seek to build upon an already historic run.

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WBB: Owls run away from North Texas in CUSA Tournament opener

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Rice Women’s basketball continued their undefeated conference march, pulling away from North Texas in the second round of the Conference USA Tournament.

A week removed from their final game of the regular season, Rice came out a bit rusty in their CUSA Tournament Second Round game. North Texas hung around for the first half, but the outcome was never really in doubt as the 1-Seed Rice held serve in their first game of the CUSA Tournament.

Any thoughts of an upset by the 9-Seed North Texas were rooted in eight first half turnovers from Rice. Those eight giveaways led to eight points for North Texas and were a large reason the 30-22 halftime advantage wasn’t weighted more heavily in the Owls’ favor.

As the offense slowly clicked into gear the physical presence of Nancy Mulkey on both sides of the court kept the Owls’ opponents from getting into any semblance of a rhythm. She led the Owls with 20 points and six blocks, knocking down all six of her free throws. When she was on the court, North Texas didn’t have an answer.

CUSA Player of the Year Erica Ogwumike commanded the offense efficiently. She had 15 points, highlighted by a few bold cuts to the basket for quick points. Her 10 rebounds netted her another double-double, her eighth in the Owls’ last 10 games.

Rice stretched an eight-point halftime lead to as many as 21, edging North Texas in all four quarters on their way to a 61-43 victory. This was the sixth consecutive game in which Rice held their opponents below 50 points.

It wasn’t the most inspiring game Rice has played to this point, but even with the slow start this team never looked fazed or worried. Defeating any one opponent three times in a single season is a chore. Rice answered the challenge with a quiet confidence. With the win, the Owls are one step closer to a CUSA Tournament Title and a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Up Next (Bracket)

Next Rice will play Western Kentucky who beat Old 74-60 in Wednesday’s early game on Court B. Rice beat Western Kentucky comfortably on the road, winning 68-46.

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