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Rice Basketball: Owls’ cooled off in road sweep by Western Kentucky

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Rice basketball entered the weekend with a two-game winning streak, but Western Kentucky cooled the Owls down quickly with a sweep of their own.

It’s been a hectic few weeks for Rice basketball, which wrapped up a tough weekend on the road on Saturday with a second loss to Western Kentucky. It’s now been more than a month since Rice was able to trot out their five starters on the court at the same time. Dealing with injuries and COVID aren’t a unique challenge faced solely by the Owls, but the churn in the rotation hasn’t done them any favors.

Western Kentucky came out of the blocks red hot on Friday night, quickly pulling out to an 18-8 lead in less than five minutes. Rice stayed composed and battled back, but never got the game back within one score, despite relatively productive shooting nights from Travis Evee, Quincy Olivari and Riley Abercrombie.

The second game felt eerily similar to the first. Rice had their moments and made some big shots. They just always seemed to be a possession or two away from breaking through. A 15 point halftime deficit proved too much to overcome, especially when compounded by sub 40 percent shooting in the second half.

Player Spotlight | Ege Havsa

The turnover on the roster amid injuries and COVID-19 limitations has opened the door for role players to step into more prominent positions. Ege Havsa had his number called this weekend and he responded well. On Friday he played 23 minutes, the most action he’s seen in nearly a month. On Saturday he had career-high seven rebounds and a season-best 12 points.

Turnovers have been Havsa sore spot, but in short spurts, he’s proven to be an effective piece for head coach Scott Pera. Having players like him at the ready when they’re needed in the coming weeks will be huge for the Owls.

Stat Corner | Cooled off

This weekend saw the only two-game conference set in which Rice did not have any individual player score 20 points in a game. Travis Evee (19) Quincy Olivari (18) got close on Friday. No one topped 15 points on Saturday.

Rice basketball has more depth this year than they’ve had in recent memory. Even still, the quantity of shooters still isn’t quite where they’d want it to be. It’s a rare night for someone to do what Havsa did on Saturday and score double-digits off the bench. If the Owls’ starting guards aren’t converting at high enough of a clip, Rice hasn’t shown they can consistently find scoring volume elsewhere.

Up Next

The final scheduled home series of the season looms next weekend for Rice basketball. They’ll return to Tudor Fieldhouse to take on Marshall. The Thundering Herd entered the weekend in the middle of the pack in the East.

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Rice Women’s Basketball posts thrilling return with dramatic sweep of WKU

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Rice women’s basketball returned to the court in triumphant fashion, posting two big wins over Western Kentucky.

There were no signs of rust when Rice women’s basketball returned to the court for the first time in four weeks. Injuries and COVID-19 impacts forced a prolonged pause for the Owls, but their resiliency was put on full display in their two-game sweep of Western Kentucky.

Both teams started fast on Friday, trading shot after shot in an exciting first half. Both teams shot better than 40 percent from the field. Western Kentucky’s Raneem Elgedaway and Rice’s Nancy Mulkey combined for 34 of the 69 (49 percent) of all points before the break.

Rice took over in the second half, ratcheting up the defense. They held Western Kentucky to 20 points in the final two quarters combined, sealing yet another conference win.

The second game was another highly contested battle. Rice led for most of the game before Western Kentucky pulled ahead with a thrilling fourth quarter run. When push came to shove, Rice wouldn’t be denied. A six-point deficit with 3:41 to play was erased thanks to three huge triples from Katelyn Crosthwait. Rice would ice the game with their defense and earn the sweep.

Player Spotlight | Lauren Schwartz

Rice took the lead in the third quarter of Friday’s game but Western Kentucky did not go quietly. The Hilltoppers came close to a few fourth quarter runs, but Schwartz slammed the door with one of her most clutch shooting performances of the season.

Schwartz scored the Owls’ final eight points, connecting on two three-pointers to ward off any notions of a Hilltopper comeback. She only finished with five points on Saturday, but her five rebounds and three blocks helped paved the way for another Rice win.

Stat Corner | Locking down the third quarter

There may not be a better third quarter coach in college basketball than Rice women’s basketball head coach Tina Langley. No matter the situation or the stakes, her teams are always ready when the second half whistle blows. On Friday, Rice turned a one-point halftime deficit into an eight-point fourth-quarter lead. One more big shot to start the fourth turned a close game into a double-digit difference.

Western Kentucky outscored Rice by one point in the third quarter on Saturday, but the Owls never lost their rhythm. They outrebounded WKU and shot a better percentage from the field.

Winning the third quarter doesn’t win basketball games. Still, when a team that plays the level of fundamentally sound, physical defense that Rice does enterers the fourth quarter with a lead, they’re hard to stop.

It’s probably no coincidence their only loss of the season, a four-point defeat on the road against a ranked Texas A&M squad, was one of the rare outings when Rice was outscored in the third period. Western Kentucky came close on Saturday but still couldn’t outdo Rice down the stretch.

Up Next

The final scheduled road series of the season looms next weekend for Rice basketball. They’ll hit the road one more time to take on Marshall in Huntington, WV. The Thundering Herd entered the weekend in the middle of the pack in the East. Like the Owls, the Herd have had multiple series postponed over the course of the past month.

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Rice Basketball: Owls right ship, sweep Southern Miss

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Rice basketball put together back-to-back strong performances this weekend, propelling the Owls to a home sweep of Southern Miss.

Losers of five straight, Rice basketball needed to get back in their groove this weekend against a Southern Miss team that has hung around the bottom of the conference standings. If the Owls didn’t bounce back, they’d find themselves in the cellar with the Golden Eagles. Fortunately, that worst-case-scenario did not materialize. In fact, the Owls might have had the best possible weekend they could have asked for.

Rice controlled both games from the opening tip, starting with a runaway win on Friday afternoon. Southern Miss would take their largest lead of the game (two points) in the first three minutes, but it was all Owls from that point on. Olivari finished with 29 points and tied Max Fielder with a team-high seven boards. Freshman Mylyjael Poteat had a career-best 12 points on a career-high 17 minutes.

Saturday’s win required a bit more resiliency. Rice opened up a hefty 12-1 lead to start the game as Southern Miss struggled on offense, opening 0-for-7 from the field. The Golden Eagles cut the Owls’ edge to one near the end of the first half, but never took the lead.

Travis Evee finished the first half with a three, the first of a barrage of deep balls that buoyed Rice over the visitors. Rice hit five consecutive threes out of the break, staking themselves to a double-digit lead. Southern Miss would rally, but the Owls’ held the line, made their free throws and secured the win.

This was the second weekend sweep for Rice in conference play. They previously took both games from UTSA on January 1 and January 2, also at home.

Player Spotlight | Cameron Sheffield

The 6-foot-6 guard from Alpharetta, Georgia was one of a large influx of new players added to the roster in the past year.  The freshmen quickly settled into his role as a key reserve off the bench, averaging 10.3 minutes per game in non-conference play.

Sheffield saw a bit more action as the season progressed. It was only recently, though, that he became a regular in the rotation. He’s stepped up to fill minutes vacated by guard Chris Mullins who has been sidelined for the better part of two weeks.

He made his first start in Game 2 against UAB and has started four of the Owls’ last five contests. In that time, he’s tripled his playing time and scoring output while taking care of the basketball. Head coach Scott Pera was quick to point out he had zero turnovers in 54 minutes this weekend, speaking highly of the freshman guard, “that kid is going to be a really great player for us.”

Sheffield had a career-high nine points on a career-high three three-pointers on Saturday.

Stat Corner | Two for three

February 05, 2021 : During the game between the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles and the Rice Owls at Tudor Fieldhouse in Houston, Texas. Rice falls to UNT 79-74. (Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker | Rice Athletics). Used with permission.

Rice basketball has an easily discernable identity. They’re going to shoot threes in volume and push you up and down the court. How closely that adhere to that ideal is a strong proxy for how the results of individual games will turn out.

A quick look at the box scores bears that out, and one only needs to look at the Owls’ top two shooters: Quincy Olivari and Travis Evee. Rice is 9-2 when that duo makes six or more three pointers and 3-6 when they don’t. Rice is 7-1 when they combine for 15 or more three point attempts (regardless of how many they make) and 5-7 when they’re held under that shot count.

It might just be that simple. If Olivari and Evee get volume, the Owls are probably going to win.

Up Next

Conference play is starting to wind down. The Owls will hit the road next weekend for what should be a tough test against Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers have paced the East for the majority of the season. They will enter the weekend atop the East standings at 6-2 after an off weekend. Their scheduled series against Florida Atlantic was postponed.

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Rice Basketball: North Texas defense stifles Owls in home-away series

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Rice basketball dropped both games of the home-and-away series against North Texas, succumbing to the tenacious Mean Green defense.

Rice basketball seems to always find a way to play things close against North Texas. The Owls’ kicked off a strong start to the backend of Conference USA action with an upset win over the Mean Green last season. Each of the 2021 meetings delivered its fair share of thrill.

The Owls looked composed and ready from the start, even without Chris Mullins or Ege Havsa available for the series. The reinsertion of Travis Evee to the lineup and the steadying presence of Max Fiedler enabled Rice to take a 37-36 lead into halftime of the first game.

Both teams would trade baskets, setting up a critical stretch in the final minutes. Quincy Olivari made three free throws to make it a one-point game in favor of North Texas. Then the Mean Green buckled down and made key shots down the stretch while Rice came up just short. Rice tried to extend the game with fouls, but Javion Hamlet was almost automatic from the stripe, helping boost him to a career-best 30-point performance.

Fiedler paced Rice out of the gates in the second game with a 4-for-4 start from the field, but the North Texas defense was suffocating. Rice attempted just six three point attempts in the first half, making one, as they fell behind 34-23. Rice would shoot 3-for-17 from three and fall 79-53.

Player Spotlight | Travis Evee

Evee wasn’t available when Rice played at UAB in the previous series and his absence was felt. The Rice shooting attack is best when the Owls have options on the outside and don’t have to rely on any one man to shoot lights out on any given night. That said, Evee has shown a propensity to be the guy that gets hot and stays hot.

Evee scored 21 points in the Friday opener and nine in the Sunday finale. He led the team in three point shots made (four) and threes attempted (10). He also added a perfect 6-for-6 line from the charity stripe. He was consistent and effective, despite playing 70 of 80 possible minutes.

Stat Corner | All about the boards

Rice basketball is 7-2 this season when they outrebound their opponents. When the Owls lose the rebounding battle, they’re 3-6. It’s somewhat of a conventional basketball truism, but it rings especially true for the Owls, who typically employ a large volume of shots from deep. The effectiveness of the three point shot is amplified by the additional opportunities on the offensive glass and by turning opponents away on the other side of the court.

Rice had five offensive rebounds on Friday and was outrebounded 31-26 overall. They lost the rebound battle on Sunday as well, 34-27. Not getting those extra opportunities, combined with the unwavering North Texas defense would prove too much to overcome.

Up Next

Next weekend should trend back toward normal when the Owls trade a Friday/Sunday multi-city series for a Friday/Saturday pair of matches. Assuming no interruptions, Rice will play two home games against Southern Miss. The Golden Eagles have lost four consecutive games and are last in the West standings with a 3-7 conference record. Look for a mid-conference update on the Owls for our Patreon subscribers on Monday.

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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.

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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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