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Rice Basketball 2020 Game Preview: Men and Women vs Old Dominion

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Both Men’s and Women’s Rice Basketball teams face pivotal matchups against Old Dominion on Thursday. Here’s a preview of both games.

Rice Basketball

Time: Feb. 13 at 7:00 p.m. CT
Venue: Tudor Fieldhouse
Radio: Stretch Internet Portal
TV: ESPN+ (If you don’t have ESPN+ you can access a free trial or subscribe here.)

Old Dominion 10-15 (6-6), Last 5 (3-2)

  • 65-55 (W) vs FAU
  • 68-58 (W) at Southern Miss
  • 76-73 (L) at Louisiana Tech
  • 85-81 OT (L) vs UTSA
  • 72-53 (W) vs UTEP

Rice 12-13 (4-8), Last 5 (3-2)

  • 72-64 (L) vs UTEP
  • 90-88 (L) vs UTSA
  • 84-75 (W) vs North Texas
  • 86-72 (W) at UAB
  • 91-83 (W) at MTSU

Old Dominion statistical leaders

  • Scoring | Xavier Green – 12.5 per game
  • Rebounds | Aaron Carver – 10.2 per game
  • Assists | Malik Curry – 3.7 per game
  • Steals | Jason Wade – 2.6 per game
  • Blocks | Aaron Carver – 0.6 per game

Rice keys to victory

Fresh off their first wins ever in Birmingham and Murfreesboro, Rice basketball just needs to keep the hot streak going. The Owls’ shooting has been tremendous. They’ve shot better than 50 percent from the field in three straight games — all wins. They only hit seven three-pointers against MTSU and still controlled the game.

This team has proven they can beat anyone if they’re shooting well. That’s easier said than done, but it’s a clear differentiator between success and failure.

Rice Women's Basketball

Time: Feb. 13 at 5:30 p.m. CT
Venue: Chartway Arena
TV: ESPN+ (If you don’t have ESPN+ you can access a free trial or subscribe here.)

Old Dominion 20-3 (10-1), Last 5 (5-0)

  • 75-63 (W) at FAU
  • 67-50 (W) vs Southern Miss
  • 77-61 (W) vs Louisiana Tech
  • 62-43 (W) at UTSA
  • 77-69 (W) at UTEP

Rice 16-6 (11-0), Last 5 (5-0)

  • 69-61 (W) at UTEP
  • 74-62 (W) at UTSA
  • 67-52 (W) at North Texas
  • 64-53 (W) vs UAB
  • 77-60 (W) vs MTSU

Old Dominion statistical leaders

  • Scoring | Ajah Wayne – 11.2 per game
  • Rebounds | Amari Young – 8.4 per game
  • Assists | Taylor Edwards – 3.4 per game
  • Steals | Amair Young – 2.5 per game
  • Blocks | Marie Reichert – 1.3 per game

Rice keys to victory

Rice women’s basketball takes a 30-game conference winning streak into this pivotal matchup with Old Dominion. The winner leaves in first place in the conference standings with precious few weeks left to play.

Old Dominion is one of the most balanced teams in the conference. They can score and play terrific defense.  Four different Monarchs average double-digit points per game. To win, Rice needs to stay secure on the defensive end of the court and make Old Dominion make hard shots. Either way, this could be a grind-it-out, grueling finish in Virginia.

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Rice Baseball: Players chart course for Matt Bragga’s squad in Year 2

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There are high hopes for Rice baseball in 2020. Those expectations rest on the Owls’ players who will set the course for coach Matt Bragga’s second season.

The arrival of February has always brought joy to Rice baseball head coach Matt Bragga. No, it’s not Cupid, flowers or cheesy cards that make Bragga excited. February has always meant it’s finally time for baseball.

After an offseason that feels like it stretched on forever, Bragga and his blue and gray-clad ballplayers will take the field at Reckling Park on Valentine’s Day. Trading a nice quiet dinner with his wife for a ballpark full of boisterous fans is nothing new for Bragga. It’s become part of the all-encompassing responsibilities of leading a college baseball team.

More: Previewing the Owls’ starting lineup and defense

Leading Rice baseball, like leading every program Bragga has ever been responsible for, starts with letting go. Last week Bragga handed the reigns to his Iron Group, a collection of seniors and select juniors that Bragga trusts to be the catalyst for the team’s efforts this season.

Some coaches call it a leadership council. Others call it a steering group. Bragga has always labeled it an Iron Group, with purpose. Proverbs 27:17, the Bible verse from which the name originates, says “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” Bragga believes he can guide and teach, but the onus rests on his players to make each other better every day. To sharpen each other.

“You want your guys to have ownership,” Bragga said, “It’s their team.”

That group met and set the goals for the upcoming 2020 Rice baseball season. Bragga said letting his players own that moment “makes [the goals] more real” than having them mandated from above.

Asked how big is too big or how small is too small, Bragga said if they put Omaha on the board “I’m in. If that’s what they say the goal is, and I hope they do because I think every college program should [aspire to reach the College World Series.”

More: Previewing the Owls’ pitching staff

On a more micro level, the team will focus on being what Bragga calls “five units strong”. To win any given game against any given opponent, Rice needs to have strong infield play, strong outfield play, strong catching, strong pitching and strong offense. That’s what the message from the top will be and has been from the moment Bragga arrived on campus. Having big goals is a good thing, but this team has been trained not to get caught up in the big picture and sacrifice the day-to-day steps it takes to get there.

“We can beat anybody if we go beat the game of baseball, “Bragga said. “Because there’s enough talent in that room to do that. That task starts Friday against the University of Texas. It’s not going to be easy, but as the old saying goes, that’s why they play the game. The Iron Group has set the course. Now it’s time to play ball.

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Rice Basketball 2020: Tiebreaker scenarios prior to C-USA pod play

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Rice basketball has their eyes set on a Conference USA Championship Tournament berth. Here’s what it would take to secure a spot.

The Conference USA Basketball Tournament pits the top 12 of 14 conference teams in a four-day event. An automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament is the grand prize. Rice basketball is playing their best down the stretch and hoping for a shot in Frisco. The Owls have to get there first before they can entertain any ideas of cutting down nets.

The easy way

Conference USA introduced the pod system last season in hopes of earning the league an at large bid. That hasn’t materialized yet, but it has added a bit more intrigue to the final month of the season. Teams 1 through 5, 6 through 10 and 11 through 14 face off against each other.

The top two brackets have the distinction of guaranteed spots in the conference tournament. The top two teams of the bottom pod get in whereas the bottom two are the only programs left at home. Here’s a snapshot of the current standings and projected finishes.

Rice basketball is mathematically alive for the middle pod, but it’s complicated. Any loss would eliminate them from the middle pod and land them in the bottom pod. Here’s the path t0 the middle.

Currently sitting at 4-8 in conference play, Rice would need to win out, beating Old Dominion and Charlotte. That would put their record at 6-8. From there, Rice would need two of the following four things to happen to make the middle pod:

  1. UAB loses at least once (vs MTSU, at MTSU) dropping their record to 6-8 or worse. (Rice has the head to head victory)
  2. UTEP loses at least once (vs Marshall, vs WKU) dropping their record to 5-9 of worse
  3. UTSA loses twice (vs Marshall, vs WKU) dropping their record to 5-9
  4. Old Dominion loses twice (at Rice, at North Texas) dropping their record to 6-8 (Rice would have the head to head victory)

Marshall or FAU finishing 6-8 wouldn’t help Rice. Both programs own head to head wins over the Owls.

The hard way

If Rice is seeded in the bottom pod they’ll have to finish in the top two of that four team grouping. They’ve already beaten Middle Tennessee, so they’d most likely need to conjure a reprisal of that performance and find another win or two along the way. It’s possible but more challenging than an autobid.

Rooting guide

Rice basketball fans need to root for these outcomes, in order of importance by day.

Midweek (Thursday games)

  • Rice beats Old Dominion
  • Middle Tennessee beats UAB (Wednesday)
  • WKU beats UTEP
  • Marshall beats UTSA
  • FAU beats Southern Miss

Saturday games

  • Rice beats Charlotte
  • North Texas beats Old Dominion
  • Middle Tennessee beats UAB
  • Marshall beats UTEP
  • WKU beats UTSA

There are a few more complicated scenarios that could allow Rice to sneak in. We’ll have an update on where things stand entering the weekend. The first step is a win Thursday against Old Dominion. If Rice can’t achieve that, the rest of these combinations are void.

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Rice Football: Austin Walter makes XFL debut with Dallas Renegades

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The NFL season has come to an end, but professional football is still being played. Former Rice football running back Austin Walter made his XFL debut on Sunday.

Austin Walter’s professional football journey entered its next chapter on Sunday. After being released by the New York Giants midseason, the free agent running back had been looking for his next opportunity to play professional football. He found that chance with the Dallas Renegades of the newly rebirthed XFL.

Walter made it through training camp and earned a spot on the active roster. His first action came Sunday in the league’s final game of their inaugural weekend. The Renegades, coached by former Oklahoma headman Bob Stoops, took on the Saint Louis Battlehawks led by Jonathan Hayes.

Initially listed as a kick returner on the Dallas depth chart, Walter saw limited action until the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game. He returned the opening kickoff 16 yards on the Renegades’ first possession of the fourth quarter. On that drive, he caught a pass for eight yards and carried the ball once for 13 yards. He ended the day with 37 all-purpose yards, a decent total considering the Renegades had one player register more than 50 yards from scrimmage (Lance Dunbar).

More: Find the latest info on Rice football players in the NFL on our NFL Owls page

Midway through his senior season at Rice, Walter led the nation in all-purpose yards. Special teams will always afford him a role on whatever team he plays for. He has a knack for generating explosive plays, something Dallas could use more of next weekend. The Renegades were one of two XFL teams which failed to find the endzone during opening weekend.

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Rice Women’s Basketball 2020: Owls dispatch MTSU for 30th straight C-USA win

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In a rematch of last season’s Conference USA Championship Game, Rice women’s basketball beat Middle Tennessee with relative ease.

For the 30th time in as many tries, Rice women’s basketball won a conference game. The Owls’ most recent victory, a 77-60 win over Middle Tennessee at Tudor Fieldhouse on Saturday served as the most recent reminder of this team’s dominance.

Rice had dispatched of every C-USA opponent they’d faced this season, but they had yet to play either Old Dominion or Middle Tennessee, the two programs still in striking distance of the Owls’ in the conference standings. Facing their toughest test of the season, Rice verified their supremacy with their trademark level of suffocating defensive intensity.

Middle Tennessee made two of their first 15 shots and nine of their first 32. The Lady Raiders entered with a 40% shooting percentage on the season. Rice held them to 33.8% shooting while knocking down 47.3% of their own shots.

Winning conference games is hard. Rice women’s basketball has made it seem easy. And beating one of the conference’s better teams by nearly 20 points only underscores the expectations the Owls are putting on themselves. Perfection isn’t the goal — the NCAA Tournament is — but the more Rice wins the closer they get to achieving that greater aspiration.

Final Stats

Player of the Game – Erica Ogwumike

The impressiveness of Rice women’s basketball leading scorer Erica Ogwumike continues to be understated. On Saturday she tallied a double-double at halftime. That would have been her 10th consecutive double-double had she not been subbed out with nine rebounds when Rice had a commanding lead over UAB their last time out.

Ogwumike finished with ## points and ## rebounds. Her presence on the court gives Rice a chance to win every possession, something few teams in college basketball can say of any one individual.

Up Next

Rice women’s basketball will hit the road for their next two contests. On Thursday, Feb. 13 they’ll face Old Dominion in arguably their most important C-USA game of the season to this point. That game is scheduled to tip off at 5:30 p.m. Saturday they’ll head to Charlotte for a 3:00 p.m. game. Both are scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN+.

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