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Rice Basketball: 2020-2021 Mid-conference play State of the Program

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After a hot start, Rice basketball hit a rough patch in the early portion of Conference USA play. Can the Owls rebound and finish strong?

Rice basketball head coach Scott Pera couldn’t have asked for much better than his team’s 9-3 start to the 2020-2021 season. The Owls surged through non-conference play, albeit against a relatively light slate, and started out C-USA action 3-1 with a road win at UTEP.

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Since that win over UTEP, they’ve gone 1-4, beating Old Dominion at home before losing a rematch with the Monarchs then dropping both games at UAB and two more to North Texas. The underlying concerns for the losing streak can be traced back to a few key reasons, some within the Owls control, and some beyond.

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Rice Basketball: Shorthanded Owls drop pair vs UAB

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Rice basketball had to reach deep into the bench for a two-game set against UAB but walked away with their first winless weekend of the season.

Rice basketball started the season remarkably well, 10-5 after their first 15 games. Tied for the most wins in the West entering the weekend, the Owls had a chance to seize outright control of first place in the West with a strong showing against division-leading UAB this weekend. Rice trade blows with the UAB in both games, but it was the Blazers who threw the last punch in both contests.

It was an up-and-down weekend for the Owls from start to finish. Both teams seesawed back in forth in both games. Rice made the first shot in the opener before UAB went on an 11-0 run. The Owls immediately responded with a 17-6 run of their own.

Trailing by nine at the break, the rallies continued. Rice went on a 12-0 run. Minutes later, UAB punched back with their own 12-0. That rally proved to be the decider, giving the Blazers enough breathing room to earn the game one win.

The second game was more of the same. Rice fell behind 18-7 early on. Less than five minutes later, they led 21-20. Then it was a 31-30 Rice advantage the collapsed into a 50-39 UAB lead at the halftime buzzer only for Rice to explode out of halftime on a 13-3 run. Once more, UAB had an answer, pulling away once again and holding on for the duration.

Quincy Olivari led the team in scoring in both games, dropping 17 points on Friday and another 21 points on Saturday. No other players tallied double-digit points in both games, but Max Fiedler corralled 19 total rebounds over the course of the weekend.

Player Spotlight | Mylyjael Poteat

A freshman from North Carolina, the 6-foot-9, 260-pound Poteat had played in three of the Owls’ first 15 games before the series against UAB where he appeared in both contests. He played in 15 minutes on Friday and 14 minutes on Saturday, both higher than his 10 total minutes played across his first three collegiate games.

Poteat scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds. He had two blocks and saw a fair amount of success on the inside, giving Rice a physical presence at the rim. He was ready when his number was called, and the Owls needed every minute he provided.

Stat Corner | Three players tripled their average minutes Saturday

Travis Evee wasn’t available this weekend, forcing the Owls to turn to their bench for more minutes than they typically would. Chris Mullins was nicked up on Friday and did not play in Saturday’s game. Ege Havsa did not play Saturday either. That left Rice with a lot of minutes to fill on Saturday.

  • Jake Lieppert entered the weekend averaging 8.0 minutes per game (eight games). He played 30 minutes on Saturday
  • Cameron Sheffield’s playing time went from 8.9 minutes to 35 minutes
  • Mylyjael Poteat’s playing time went from 3.3 minutes to 14 minutes

Payton Moore was two minutes shy of double his per game average, playing 21 minutes compared to his typical 11.5 minutes.

To rely on so many reserves and still put up a puncher’s chance is an encouraging sign. Had Rice had its full complement of players, they probably would have split this series — and they almost managed to get there anyway.

Up Next

The Owls’ upcoming series is somewhat of an oddity this season. Rather than a Friday/Saturday back-to-back at the same local, Rice will play North Texas on Thursday in Houston and Saturday in Denton. It’s the only scheduled series to take place in two different venues this season. North Texas did not play this past weekend. Their scheduled series against Old Dominion was postponed.

📸 @LysakerPhotos
January 15, 2021 : during the game between the ODU Monarchs and the Rice Owls at Tudor Fieldhouse in Houston, Texas. Rice wins 69-59 (Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker | Rice Athletics). Used with permission.
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Rice Basketball 2021: Owls rain down threes in two-game sweep of UTSA

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Rice basketball opened up Conference USA play with back-to-back wins at home against UTSA, their first 2-0 C-USA start since 2007.

It was a wonderful weekend for Rice basketball. The Owls’ cruised to a perfect 2-0 start in conference play, their best start in C-USA action in 14 years. Rice improved to 8-2 on the season with the two wins, their best mark in the opening 10 games under head coach Scott Pera, who picked up his 300th career win on Friday.

The Friday opener was a nailbiter, which ended in exhilarating fashion. Rice trailed 48-42 at halftime and 84-82 in the final five minutes. Both times, the home team rallied. Guard Travis Evee’s eight three-pointers made the difference, propelling the Owls to their first conference win of the season.

They returned to the court for an encore performance on Saturday. This time Rice was in command from start to finish. The Owls lead ballooned to as many as 32 points behind big days from Max Fiedler (8-for-8 field goals for 18 points) and Chris Mullins (20 points, three three-pointers).

“To be up 30 on anybody is really hard in this league,” head coach Scott Pera said in the aftermath. “We just kept churning away.”

That churn and effort were visible from start to finish. Rice has always been a team willing to shoot the three—and they found tremendous success beyond the arc this weekend—but they also proved themselves to be adept when the ball wasn’t in their hands. All in all, it was an impressive weekend for the Owls on the court.

Player Spotlight | Travis Evee

There wasn’t much that didn’t go right for guard Travis Evee this weekend. He shot the ball at a blistering pace, draining 10 of 18 three-pointers and leading the team in scoring on Friday with a career-best 36 points. He was the first Owl to reach that total since Patrick Britton scored 40 against East Carolina in 2008.

Evee’s strong start to conference play is doubly impressive given his status entering the fall. An offseason transfer, Rice had to apply for a waiver to get Evee eligible to play this season. The request was approved on November 18, nine days before the team tipped off in their season opener against Incarnate Word. The impact he’s had on the Owls through 10 games cannot be understated.

Stat Corner | First 2-0 start in conference play since 2006-2007

Rice played their first Conference USA basketball games in the 2005-2006 season. They started 2-0 in league play that season, following it up with a 2-0 start the following season, 2006-2007. They won three straight to start C-USA play, the longest opening winning streak for the Owls since joining Conference USA.

That also marked the last time a Rice team had won two consecutive games to begin its conference slate. The strong start positions the Owls for a small slice of history. Two more wins would make this squad the second team to win three-straight C-USA opening games. The Owls travel to UTEP next weekend.

Up Next

Rice plays their next stint of the league’s newfound doubleheader schedule next Friday/Saturday at UTEP. The Miners are 3-0 at home this season and 5-3 overall. They split their season-opening duet with Southern Miss over the weekend, winning the second of two contests.

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Rice Basketball: Early season men’s and women’s roundup

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Thanksgiving marked the beginning of Rice basketball. Here’s a quick check-in on how both teams are doing so far on the court.

Rice Basketball

The 2020-2021 season has gotten of to a great start for Rice basketball. The men’s team replaced more than half of their roster during the offseason and were limited compared to their typical offseason routine. It was going to take some time to work out the kinks.

“Look, we’re all trying to find our way. We’re trying to see who the gamers are,” head coach Scott Pera said following the Owls’ home opener against Houston Baptist. Rice is now 4-0 for the first time since 2011, something that bodes well for the future.

The start is encouraging, but to some extent, it’s more encouraging to see this team come together as quickly as they have. “It’s important to play good basketball,” Pera said, “So yeah, we’re happy to win.”

Results (4-0)

  • 68-53 (W) Incarnate Word
  • 103-64 (W) Our Lady of the Lake
  • 94-74 (W) Le Tourneau
  • 86-54 (W) Houston Baptist

Statistical leaders

What’s next?

Rice basketball get their biggest test of the season next Saturday at the Fertitta center against a ranked Houston team. The Owls traded blows with the Cougars from start to finish last season before Houston got hot down the stretch and won the game.

Beating Houston would put Rice decidedly ahead of their on-the-fly roster shakeup, but even without a win, the Owls can learn a lot about who they are and how far they have to go against Houston next weekend.

Rice Women's Basketball

Rice women’s basketball was only two games into their season when they encountered their first COVID-19 cancelation. The UT-Arlington game was scrapped at the last minute due to a pause with the Mavericks’ program. The Owls deserve credit for their quick response, adding a game with Texas Tech on the fly.

Not only did Rice beat Texas Tech, they won in dominant fashion. Rice hit 12 three-pointers, held Tech to 30.8 percent shooting from the field and never trailed from start to finish. The win marked the first for Rice over a Power 5 program since beating Texas A&M in 2006.

For head coach Tina Langley, getting back on the court is a welcome respite from the hectic offseason. “We’re just so grateful to everybody who’s put in so much work so that we could play,” she said. “It was such a joy to take the port together. And I’m so proud of these young women.”

Results (3-0)

  • 83-54 (W) Houston Baptist
  • 66-54 (W) Little Rock
  • 81-62 (W) Texas Tech

Statistical leaders

  • Scoring | Nancy Mulkey – 13.3 points per game
  • Rebounds | Nancy Mulkey – 10.0 per game
  • Assists | Sydne Wiggins – 4.7 per game
  • Steals | Jasmine Smith – 1.3 per game
  • Blocks | Nancy Mulkey – 2.7 per game

What’s next?

Rice women’s basketball will have two more home games (Dec. 11 against Texas Southern and Dec. 16 against Louisiana) before hitting the road for their most important game of the season. They visit Texas A&M at Reed Arena on Dec. 20.

Their battle with the Aggies came down to the final possession a year ago. Texas A&M lost Chennedy Carter to the WNBA draft while Rice lost Erica Ogwumike. This year’s game is going to look different without either of those guards on the court, but the impact of a Rice win remains just as significant.

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2020-2021 Rice Basketball Season Preview

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The 2020-2021 Rice basketball team is full of new faces. Offseason transfers forced another reboot. Can the Owls adjust quickly and fly on?

For better or worse, Rice basketball was one of the few Conference USA basketball teams that determined their own fate last March before the COVID-19 pandemic swept in and prematurely ended sports midseason. Rice lost in the C-USA Tournament the day before everything was shut down. Since then, it’s been a tough road.

Rice lost Ako Adams and Robert Martin, two valuable pieces, to graduation. Several others transferred. Players like Trey Murphy and Drew Peterson, though to be the future of the program, left amidst the sudden offseason lull. Who steps up and what this next iteration of Rice basketball will look like form the framework of what is sure to be an intriguing season.

The Coach – Scott Pera

Scott Pera has fought through adversity time and time again as the Owls’ head coach. His arrival was met with an exodus of key players. Further transfers continue to challenge his roster and his moral, but he’s adjusted, leaning further into the Transfer Portal himself.

After winning seven games in his first season, he’s improved on that total in each subsequent year, winning 13 games in Year 2 and 15 last season. Eclipsing a .500 record, especially given the circumstances, would be a commendable achievement.

Last Season Snapshot

Following a wake-up call in their season opener, a one-sided loss to Arkansas on the road, Rice strung together a rather impressive non-conference run. The Owls beat UC Santa Barbara, Liberty and East Carolina but couldn’t avoid a few head-scratching losses along the way to Lamar and Sam Houston.

Conference play was less kind. Rice won just one of their first 10 games in C-USA play (home against FIU). They rallied to win six of their final nine to clinch a spot in the conference tournament, where they fell to FIU to end their season.

Key Question

How quickly can this rebuilt roster gel? Graduation and transfers wiped out the majority of the Owls’ core contributors for a year ago. Pera’s new-look team will ask younger players to carry bigger loads and newly added pieces to be integrated quickly. It’s not an impossible task, but so much change in such a short window of time, compounded by the challenges of COVID-19 are going to make it challenging.

The Schedule

Rice Basketball Marquee Games and Key Dates

Nov. 27, 2020 – Season opener at Thanksgiving Invitational vs Incarnate Word
Dec. 3, 2020 – Home opener vs LeTourneau
Dec. 12, 2020 – Owls visit Houston at the Fertitta Center
Jan. 1, 2020 – Conference USA home opener vs UTSA
Jan. 8, 2020 – Conference USA first road game vs UTEP
Mar. 10, 2020 – Conference USA Tournament

You can find the complete 2020-2021 Rice basketball schedule here.

Key Returners

Chris Mullins, Guard (Jr.)

Mullins is the only returning player who started at least a dozen games for Rice last season. After a strong freshman campaign, the scoring dipped a bit last season as his shooting consistency wained and others came to his aid. Last year he averaged 7.3 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. He’ll be asked to step up further in 2020 and beyond.

Payton Moore, Guard (Jr.)

Moore was a key bench piece last season and was one of only four players to play in all 32 games. He was consistently the Owls’ sixth man, coming in quickly and playing meaningful minutes when the team needed him most. He averages 4.9 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. His experience as the first man off the bench is valuable and could play into how he’s used this coming season.

Quincy Olivari, Guard (So.)

Olivari saw flashes of action early in the season but really started to develop as the year progressed. He played more than 16 minutes in a game for the first time on Jan. 16 against Louisiana Tech, the Owls 16th game. From that point on, he averaged 17.1 minutes played and 6.1 points per game. His star is just beginning to shine.

Max Fiedler, Forward (So.)

It looked like Fiedler would be a staple in the Owls’ rotation early on last season, but his utilization dipped significantly when the team reached conference play. He appeared in just seven games against C-USA opponents, never playing more than 11 minutes. Even with the limited time on the court, he racked up 13 blocks, second-most on the team.

Malik Ondigo, Forward (Jr.)

Update: Head coach Scott Pera said Ondigo is currently not with the team due to personal reasons.

Ondigo signed with the Owls last summer after spending the prior two seasons at Texas Tech. He appeared in 32 games for the Red Raiders before transferring to Rice. After sitting out last season due to transfer rules, his impact should be significant. Having someone with his size (6-foot-10, 215) and power seems to suggest a more consistent interior presence for Rice on both ends of the court.

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Key Additions

Tre Clark, Guard (Gr.) – Furman transfer. Had career-highs in rebounds (101), assists (38) and steals (32) last season. Appeared in 86 games over the past four seasons. Veteran presence for young team.

Cavit Ege Havsa, Guard (Gr.) – Played at Fordham and Utah Valley State and previously for the U20 Turkish National Team. Should provide an experienced shooting presence from the outside.

Travis Evee, Guard (So.) – Potential difference-maker at point guard who transferred from VMI. He was the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year this past season, averaging 12.6 points per game.

Riley Abercrombie, Forward (So.) – Houston native and transfer from Boise State who redshirted before playing last year. Good shooter from distance who should contribute this year.

Jake Lieppert, Guard (So.) – Lights out scorer at Pima Community College where he shot 41.7 percent from three. He was named league Freshman of the Year last season.

More Names to Know

The Owls are excited about their incoming Freshmen Noah Hutchins, Mylyjael Poteat and Cameron Sheffield. We saw a few freshmen earn early playing time a year ago, and with so many new faces, it’s not out of the question that at least one, if not multiple players from his class break through and find roles.

Hutchins and Sheffield are great shooters. Poteat brings plenty of size and range. All three should complement each other well as Rice works to rebuild a young core.

Sophomores Ben Moffatt and Reed Myers each played in less than five games a season ago, averaging less than two minutes. They’ll more than likely be locker room guys and depth pieces again this year as well.

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