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Rice Basketball 2020: Transfers plunge promising offseason into uncertainty

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Rice basketball finds itself in a challenging position after losing three players to the Transfer Portal in the span of one week.

The sports news cycle hasn’t slowed down. Even though it’s been more than two weeks since sports of any kind were played, the news has continued to rise to the surface. Not all of it has been positive for Rice basketball.

On Friday, senior Josh Parrish announced he was transferring from the program. Sophomore Trey Murphy followed on Saturday. The dam broke Tuesday when fellow sophomore Drew Peterson also put his name into the Transfer Portal. In the span of less than a week, a promising offseason turned into a painfully bleak new reality.

Rice was already set to lose Ako Adams and Robert Martin to graduation this offseason. Now they’ll have to replace their top-five leading scorers. Absent those five, guard Chris Mullins is the only remaining player on the roster who started more than seven games last season. He averaged 7.3 points.

Murphy said “it was just time for a different opportunity”. Multiple sources have confirmed his suitor list will be vast. The talented shooter has been contacted by Arkansas, Arizona, Arizona State, Cincinnati, DePaul, Iowa State, Stanford, Texas, Wichita State, and Xavier. The allure of playing at the Power 5 level is clear.

More: Erica Ogwumike talks end of season, Rice career on The Roost Podcast

Peterson’s decision was not made in a vacuum. He called his choice to enter the transfer portal “in part, reactionary to [Murphy’s decision]. He added that he loved coach Pera, but it was “time for a new chapter” and that it was a “really hard decision.” Interest in services is heating up quickly. In the days since his announcement, he’s been contacted by Virginia Tech, Stanford, Minnesota, Cincinnati and Creighton, among others.

Roughly two weeks ago I spoke with Owls’ head coach Scott Pera. We had a great conversation, leading to a series of articles on the team and the future he’s trying to build at South Main. “It’s a process, it’s a growth, it’s a vision that now is really, really exciting. We enter Year 4 with this group coming back,” Pera said then. A lot has changed since and that core could be back to square one by the fall.

Pera issued this statement following the transfers:

I’m sorry to see the guys leave. I wish them the best. I’m going to continue to try to find the right guys for Rice, this program and this University as long as I am the head coach.

These losses will hamstring a program that had improved in the win column in every season under Pera. There’s hope for the future, anchored in two successive promising recruiting classes, but the near term just got unequivocally harder.

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Rice Basketball: Owls ready for next step in 2020 and beyond

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Rice basketball is headed in the right direction and Scott Pera has been tasked with turning that momentum into meaningful results in 2020 and beyond.

Seven. Thirteen. Fifteen. The gradual improvement of the Rice basketball team under head coach Scott Pera can be measured in a somewhat linear fashion. On the most rudimentary metric, wins, Pera’s squad has shown tangible improvement following his first year at Rice in 2017.

Rice finished 15-17 this past season, one win away from a .500 record. “I’m excited about where we’re going with this,” Pera said with passion, knowingly declaring a truth he believes runs much deeper than the win column could ever dictate. That’s because Pera came to Rice with the long game in mind.

Refusing to cut corners and committed to building things “the right way”, Pera has stuck to his guns this far. He’s endeavored to build a program rooted in players who love the challenge Rice affords, who know how to win and who are committed to working each and every day to get better. It sounds a bit like coach-speak, but there’s rich truth behind those ideals.

“Character counts in this business,” Pera declared, stressing culture and process over instant gratification. He believes that gratification isn’t far off.

“We’re close,” he said detailing the next few hurdles he sees in front of his team. For Pera, he views those next steps as establishing the program as a top-five finisher in the conference, one that always makes the Conference USA Tournament and routinely wins a few games in Frisco. Yes, a championship is the end goal, but Pera is committing to charting the course to get there, and then get back again, and again.

To get there takes building blocks that go beyond the box score. The maturity of the roster as a whole is something Pera routinely evaluates. He’s not afraid to step aside and let the leaders in the locker room lead. The Owls have reached a point in their development that Pera has full confidence they know the kind of self-talk they need to motivate themselves, even midgame.

More: Erica Ogwumike talks end of season, Rice career on The Roost Podcast

That resolve was put on display frequently. Erratic defensive performances put the Owls in double-digit holes throughout the season but Rice lost just four conference games by 10 or more points. They won five by double-digit margins. In nonconference play, they overcame a 22-point deficit to beat UC Santa Barbara on the road.

On the bad shooting days, Rice struggled to keep pace with their better opponents. Nevertheless, it was rare for the Owls to enter the final quarter of play without a fighting chance to win. The worse results came on the road with Rice losing only one game at home (vs Sam Houston State) by more than eight points. More often than not Rice was competitive and that energy has staying power.

The Owls were inconsistent, but they never lacked effort. At times, they were undisciplined but they never quit. Those are makings of a team with the right mental makeup to take another developmental step.

There’s no doubt seniors Ako Adams and Robert Martin made a tremendous impact. But the poise and influence of sophomores like Drew Peterson, Trey Murphy and Chris Mullins project a mentality Pera believes he can build on. Peterson emerged as a bonafide leader this season, one of several faces to turn to in times of struggle.

“It’s a process, it’s a growth, it’s a vision that now is really, really exciting. We enter Year 4 with this group coming back,” Pera said. “I’m looking forward to seeing these guys make the next step.”

By his own standard, Pera’s team should be a contender in Conference USA next season. Whether or not they reach that mantel will be determined by their effort and focus from now until November. Pera will put in the work. If he can get his team to maintain his level of focus, the future of Rice basketball could be as bright as he believes it to be. Only time will tell.

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Rice Basketball: Owls’ season ends with C-USA Tournament loss to FIU

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The 2019-2020 Rice basketball season came to an end on Wednesday. The Owls fell to FIU in the first round of the Conference USA Tournament in Frisco.

Rice basketball had a much better spring than they did winter. The Owls had won six of their last nine games entering the Conference USA Tournament. One those wins was over the same FIU team that took the court opposite them in Frisco. All things considered, things were looking up.

In the prior matchup with FIU, Rice won behind a dazzling shooting performance. The Owls started hot but cooled off quickly. Rice made a trio of three-pointers in the first four minutes, jumping out to a 14-7 lead. FIU battled back. Things would eventually be tied 24-all and 28-all in the first half then 46-all and 48-all in the second half. Then things started to slide.

Around the 10-minute mark of the second half, FIU went on a 10-0 run, forcing Rice to play from behind. The Owls cut the deficit to seven before a pivotal sequence.

With just under seven minutes to play, FIU appeared to commit a half court violation. There was no foul called on the play and Scott Pera was furious. He was handed a technical foul with Rice trailing 63-56. FIU made both foul shots and scored on the ensuing possession to take an 11-point lead, their largest of the game.

Rice started the game 4-of-6 from three, finished 4-of-14 for a final clip of 40 percent from deep. They shot 53.4 percent from the field as a team. Shooting well was a must. Rice did that, but was unable handle the FIU offensive attack. FIU defeated Rice 85-76. That was the most they’ve scored in a victory since Jan. 16, a 93-68 win over UAB.

Rice basketball ends the season 15-17, a modest improvement from a 13-19 campaign the season prior and significantly improved from a 7-24 finish in Scott Pera’s first season beginning in 2017.

Final Stats

Player of the Game

Drew Peterson picked the perfect time to have one of the best games of his career. Unfortunately for No. 23, the massive effort could not hold off FIU’s torrid offensive attack. Peterson scored a career-best 24 points on 7-of-13 shooting with five rebounds and three assists. He was the conduit for the Rice offense, rarely leaving the court. His development should be marked as a bright spot in an up-and-down season. On Wednesday, he gave Rice everything he had.

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Rice Basketball clinches C-USA Tourney bid with win over Southern Miss

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Rice basketball punched its ticket to Frisco, securing a spot in the Conference USA Basketball Tournament with their win over Southern Miss.

Rice basketball did not play their best game in their first trip of the season to Reed Green Coliseum. A narrow halftime deficit turned into a blowout after the Golden Eagles caught fire in the second half, outscoring Rice 47-38 the rest of the way for a 81-68 win.

There were no signs of a repeat performance from either team on Wednesday. Neither team shot the ball particularly well, but Rice made the shots that mattered. Rice hit 13 three-pointers compared to six by Southern Miss. The Owls’ suddenly stingy defense forced 18 turnovers, paving the way for extra opportunities and an early double-digit lead.

Leading 32-22 at halftime, Rice did not make it through the second half with ease. Southern Miss hit four consecutive three point shots to erase the double-digit advantage and take a three-point lead. Rice battled back, answering the streaky Southern Miss shooting with steady defense, holding on for the win.

Final Stats

Player of the Game – Drew Peterson

Peterson had 16 points and led the Owls in rebounds (eight) and assists (four). He made four of his nine shots from distance, leading his by example through all the highs and lows of this back and forth contest. He became the first player in Rice history with 300 points, 200 rebounds and 100 assists in a season.  Peterson’s growth during the season has been remarkable. Wednesday was another testament to that development.

Up Next

By virtue of their win over Southern Miss, Rice basketball has clinched a spot in the Conference USA Basketball Tournament. No matter what happens in their final regular season game, the Owls will play at least one game in Frisco. Before that, the Owls close out bonus play on Saturday at home against UTEP. That game will tip off at 1:00 p.m. and air on CUSATV.

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Rice Basketball: Glue-guy Drew Peterson has become one of Owls’ leaders

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Rice basketball has gone through a transformation on and off the court this season. Drew Peterson has been one of the men leading the charge.

The 2019-2020 Rice Basketball season has bounced from high to low and back again. In the midst of those oscillating waves of success and failure, Drew Peterson has been at the center of a team learning to compete at a consistent level. A role player for head coach Scott Pera as a true freshman last year, Peterson has settled into a leadership role with this year’s squad.

In an interview in the early weeks of conference play, Peterson spoke of the changes he’s seen in his own game — changes that have continued throughout the season. “I feel more comfortable out there,” Peterson said. “I’m really trying to slow the game down. I think that’s the biggest thing between this [year] and last year. I was so fast-paced last year and I was chaotic. And now I can really see the whole floor and sit and read situations. I feel really comfortable out there.”

That comfort has translated to more time on the court. Peterson eclipsed 30 minutes once last season. He’s been on the court for at least 30 minutes in 16 of the Owls’ 27 games this season, playing 38+ minutes three times in conference play.

Pera says Peterson’s newfound confidence has turned him into a creator for the Owls’ offense. Pera called Peterson “a unique player because he’s got that size [and] vision and as he continues to be more aggressive he can make plays for us.”

For Peterson, those plays haven’t necessarily meant more scoring for himself. His 10.1 points per game average rank fourth on the team. Instead, he’s freed up others to make easier shots. Peterson has six or more assists in four of his last five outings. His 91 assists this season are Top 10 in Conference USA. His teammates have noticed the difference.

Owls’ leading scorer Trey Murphy credits Peterson for a portion of his success. “He’s been rebounding, getting assists for guys, creating his own shot, and I commend him for it. He gives me a lot of open layups when I cut.”

That’s been the most noticeable difference in Peterson’s game. He’s still rough around the edges. His improvisation has led to occasional turnover struggles that have put the Owls in tough positions. But more often than not, Peterson sets his team up for success rather than failure. The consistency should only improve as he grows into his role as a leader for Rice basketball.

Peterson’s hand will be needed now more than ever. Rice basketball was assigned to the lowest pod for the final four games of the season. Rice is in elimination mode. If they don’t edge two of UTEP, Middle Tennessee and Southern Miss down the stretch, their season is over. Peterson has come a long way. It’s time for him to elevate his game one more time.

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