Both Rice Basketball teams had Thursday off and are ready to get back onto the court. The men and the women return to action on Saturday against North Texas.

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Time: 2:00 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.)

North Texas 14-8 (8-1), Last 5 (5-0)

• 72-52 (W) at Southern Miss
• 51-50 (W) at LA Tech
• 79-59 (W) vs Rice
• 98-78 (W) vs UTSA
• 67-57 (W) vs UTEP

Rice 9-13 (1-8), Last 5 (0-5)

• 72-56 (L) at LA Tech
• 81-68 (L) at Southern Miss
• 79-59 (L) at North Texas
• 72-64 (L) vs UTEP
• 90-88 (L) vs UTSA

North Texas statistical leaders

• Scoring | Umoja Gibson – 14.5 per game
• Rebounds | Thomas Bell – 5.6 per game
• Assists | Javion Hamlet – 4.7 per game
• Steals | Umoja Gibson – 1.3 per game
• Blocks | Deng Geu – 0.9 per game

Rice keys to victory

The Owls got run out of the gym in their previous meeting with the Mean Green, falling by 20 points on the road. The driver for the disparate score was the defensive prowess exhibited by North Texas and the lack thereof from Rice. North Texas shot 54 percent from the field, a notch above their season average of 47.7 percent.

North Texas hasn’t given up gives up the fewest rebounds in the league, but Rice won the battle of the boards last time out. Rice needs to do that again as well as keep the North Texas shooters from putting the game out of reach early.

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Time: 3:00 p.m. CT
Venue: The Super Pit
TV: CUSA TV

North Texas 9-11 (3-5), Last 5 (2-3)

• 84-78 OT (L) at FAU
• 65-57 (L) vs Southern Miss
• 74-69 OT (W) vs LA Tech
• 79-55 (W) at UTSA
• 67-63 (L) at UTEP

Rice 12-6 (8-0), Last 5 (5-0)

• 68-47 (W) at FIU
• 60-47 (W) vs Louisiana Tech
• 75-64 (W) vs Southern Miss
• 69-61 (W) at UTEP
• 74-62 (W) at UTSA

North Texas statistical leaders

• Scoring | Anisha George – 12.9 per game
• Rebounds | Anisha George – 8.9 per game
• Assists | N’Yah Boyd – 2.7 per game
• Steals | Destinee McDowell – 2.6 per game
• Blocks | Anisha George – 1.5 per game

Rice keys to victory

North Texas has a stingy defense. They’re one of three programs in Conference USA that have held their opponents to less than 60 points a game, on average. Unfortunately for the Mean Green, so are the Owls. In what should be a defensive slugfest, it’s going to come down to who can stay patient enough on offense and take the best shots. That’s an area that overwhelming favors the Owls.

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Both Rice Basketball squads are in the midst of streaks. The men hope to break off a losing rut against UTSA while the women aim for yet another C-USA win.

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Time: 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.)

UTSA 9-11 (3-4), Last 5 (3-2)

• 89-73 (W) vs LA Tech
• 80-70 (W) vs Southern Miss
• 80-70 OT (L) at UTEP
• 86-70 (W) vs UTEP
• 98-78 (L) at North Texas

Rice 9-12 (1-7), Last 5 (1-4)

• 92-78 (W) vs FIU
• 72-56 (L) at LA Tech
• 81-68 (L) at Southern Miss
• 79-59 (L) at North Texas
• 72-64 (L) vs UTEP

UTSA statistical leaders

• Scoring | Jhivvan Jackson – 26.4 per game
• Rebounds | Byron Frohnen – 7.1 per game
• Assists | Keaton Wallace – 3.3 per game
• Steals | Keaton Wallace – 1.6 per game
• Blocks | Jacob Germany – 1.0 per game

Rice keys to victory

The key to victory against UTEP was stopping star big man Bryson Williams. The Owls did that and found themselves in position to close out down the stretch. The formula will be similar on Saturday against C-USA leading scorer Jhivvan Jackson.

He’s a completely different kind of player than Williams, but Rice hadn’t really shut down a physical inside presence until they found a way to contain Williams. They also held UTEP at bay from distance. The bottom line remains clear: if Rice can play that level of defense, they’ll have a shot.

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Time: 2:00 p.m. CT
Venue: Convocation Center
Radio: Stretch Internet Portal
TV: ESPN+ (If you don’t have ESPN+ you can access a free trial or subscribe here.)

UTSA 6-11 (2-4), Last 5 (2-3)

• 60-45 (W) vs FIU
• 82-73 (W) at LA Tech
• 82-65 (L) at Southern Miss
• 94-54 (L) at UTEP
• 79-55 (L) vs North Texas

Rice 11-6 (7-0), Last 5 (5-0)

• 78-69 (W) at FAU
• 68-47 (W) at FIU
• 60-47 (W) vs Louisiana Tech
• 75-64 (W) vs Southern Miss
• 69-61 (W) at UTEP

UTSA statistical leaders

• Scoring | Mikayla Woods – 14.8 per game
• Rebounds | Timea Tooth – 6.4 per game
• Assists | Karrington Donald – 2.6 per game
• Steals | Mikayla Woods – 2.2 per game
• Blocks | Timea Tooth – 1.1 per game

Rice keys to victory

The Rice women’s basketball defense has continued to be the anchor of their team. Erica Ogwumike’s return to the court on Thursday was a huge boost as well. UTSA ranks 11th in C-USA in scoring offense and would have trouble getting points on the board even without the like of Nancy Mulkey patrolling the paint. If the defense shows up, Rice should roll.

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Rice Basketball is nearly a month into conference play. The women are undefeated and the men have one just once. Both teams take on UTEP next.

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Time: 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.)

UTEP 11-8 (2-4), Last 5 (2-3)

• 59-56 (L) at FAU
• 76-64 (W) vs Southern Miss
• 64-61 (L) vs Louisiana Tech
• 80-77 OT (W) vs UTSA
• 86-70 (L) at UTSA

Rice 9-11 (1-6), Last 5 (1-4)

• 81-76 (L) vs FAU
• 92-78 (W) vs FIU
• 72-56 (L) at LA Tech
• 81-68 (L) at Southern Miss
• 79-59 (L) at North Texas

UTEP statistical leaders

• Scoring | Bryson Williams – 19.4 per game
• Rebounds | Bryson Williams – 6.9 per game
• Assists | Jordan Lathon – 2.5 per game
• Steals | Nigel Hawkins – 1.2 per game
• Blocks | Bryson Williams – 0.9 per game

Rice keys to victory

In many ways, UTEP lives and dies at the hand of Bryson Williams. He’s second in the conference in scoring, averaging just below 20 points per game. When his shots are falling, everything seems to work itself out. UTEP is 9-3 when he shoots better than 50 percent from the field and 2-5 when he’s off the mark at least half the time. Rice hasn’t defended well in recent weeks. Focusing in on one player should give them a boost.

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Time: 8:00 p.m. CT
Venue: Don Haskins Center
Radio: Stretch Internet Portal
TV: CUSA TV

UTEP 11-4 (4-1), Last 5 (4-1)

• 64-34 (W) vs FIU
• 96-65 (W) vs FAU
• 89-72 (W) at Southern Miss
• 87-80 (L) at Louisiana Tech
• 94-54 (W) vs UTSA

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

• 73-65 (W) vs WKU
• 78-69 (W) at FAU
• 68-47 (W) at FIU
• 60-47 (W) vs Louisiana Tech
• 75-64 (W) vs Southern Miss

UTEP statistical leaders

• Scoring | Katrina Zec – 13.3 per game
• Rebounds | Ariona Gill – 8.2 per game
• Assists | Katia Gallegos – 5.0 per game
• Steals | Katia Gallegos – 1.6 per game
• Blocks | Ariona Gill – 0.5 per game

Rice keys to victory

This will be by far the toughest test for Rice women’s basketball in conference play this season. The biggest question mark prior to this game is the status of Erica Ogwumike, which remains up in the air. She’s missed the past two games with an injury. If she’s back, her presence on the defensive glass and facilitating the offense will be huge. If she’s not, another big game from Nancy Mulkey or Sydne Wiggins would make a big difference on the road.

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Rice Basketball is five games into conference play with the men 1-4 and the women 5-0. Both teams take on Southern Miss next. Here’s a preview of those games.

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Time: 2:00 p.m. CT
Venue: Reed Green Coliseum
Radio: Stretch Internet Portal
TV: ESPN+ (If you don’t have ESPN+ you can access a free trial or subscribe here.)

Southern Miss 4-14 (0-5), Last 5 (0-5)

• 80-49 (L) vs LA Tech
• 78-50 (L) at LA Tech
• 76-64 (L) at UTEP
• 80-70 (L) at UTSA
• 72-52 (L) vs North Texas

Rice 9-9 (1-4), Last 5 (1-4)

• 89-69 (L) at Marshall
• 66-61 (L) at WKU
• 81-76 (L) vs FAU
• 92-78 (W) vs FIU
• 72-56 (L) at LA Tech

Southern Miss statistical leaders

• Scoring | Gabe Watson – 13.3 per game
• Rebounds | Leonard Harper-Baker – 7.3 per game
• Assists | Jay Malone – 4.0 per game
• Steals | Leonard Harper-Baker – 1.8 per game
• Blocks | Leonard Harper-Baker – 0.3 per game

Rice keys to victory

Southern Miss has plagued by poor offensive possessions all season. It’s not just a shooting issue — Southern Miss is middle of the pack there — it’s the turnovers. The Golden Eagles are 13th in C-USA in turnover margin and have just one game of fewer than 30 turnovers in their last eight contests. Rice will get opportunities. They’ll have to take advantage of them.

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Time: 2:00 p.m. CT
Venue: Tudor Fieldhouse
Radio: Stretch Internet Portal
TV: CUSA TV

Southern Miss 11-4 (3-1), Last 5 (4-1)

•  71-59 (W) vs Faulkner
• 66-60 (W) vs LA Tech
• 89-72 (L) vs UTEP
• 82-65 (W) vs UTSA
• 66-57 (W) at North Texas

Rice 10-6 (5-0), Last 5 (5-0)

• 81-43 (W) vs Marshall
• 73-65 (W) vs WKU
• 78-69 (W) at FAU
• 68-47 (W) at FIU
• 60-47 (W) vs LA Tech

Southern Miss statistical leaders

• Scoring | Shonte Hailes – 16.9 per game
• Rebounds | Respect Leaphart – 5.5 per game
• Assists | Daishai Almond – 3.7 per game
• Steals | Alarie Mayze – 2.3 per game
• Blocks | Amber Landing – 1.8 per game

Rice keys to victory

The defensive end of the court will continue to be the bedrock of this team, especially if Erica Ogwumike sits another game — a distinct possibility. Southern Miss shoots the ball well but hasn’t played a team with the same level of intensity that Rice will bring on defense. North Texas was a good test for them. The Mean Green held the Golden Eagles to 65 points, their lowest total in C-USA play.

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