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2021-2022 Rice Basketball Season Preview

November 7, 2021 By Matthew Bartlett

The 2021-2022 Rice basketball team returns to South Main with high expectations and plenty of confidence. Can the Owls soar even higher?

Perhaps it’s the infectious smile of starting guard Quincy Olivari or the multiple wins in the conference tournament last season under their belts, but the 2021-2022 Rice Basketball team enters the season with a renewed level of confidence, a swagger they didn’t possess at this point last year.

By head coach Scott Pera’s own admission. expectations have been raised. “We’ve put a lot of time and energy and effort into building this program into the words I’ve used: sustainable and winning,” he said in his remarks to the media before the season officially gets underway Tuesday night. “If there are never expectations put on you, that means you’re never any good. And so we’ve talked about embracing expectations, relishing the fact that now people have a respect for us and expect us to be better.”

Better means building off a strong returning core, integrating in a pair of grad transfers and climbing the conference standings. “We want to win and we believe we can win,” Olivari said. “Before it was just (to) not finish last or just make the conference tournament, (now) it’s make the conference tournament and compete for a championship. That’s the whole, overall message.”

Aiming higher than they ever have before, Rice basketball is looking forward to what promises to be an exciting year. And while the offense will get most of the accolades, it’s not the only thing this team has worked to amplify during the offseason.

To a man, Pera and several team leaders identified defense as the top priority. Pera called it “the number one emphasis,” because that phase of the game was “the area we need to improve the most.” If Rice can add an efficient defense to their high-fly scoring attack that was fourth in the conference last year with 73.9 points per game scored, this team could be dangerous.

The Coach – Scott Pera

Pera was given a contract extension this summer, keeping him at Rice through 2024, ane he earned it. Not only did Pera rebuild the roster on the fly, but he also increased the Owls’ winning percentage for the third consecutive season with players like future first-round NBA draft pick Trey Murphy to help him along the way.

As a part of his focus on making the program appealing to recruits and those outside the hedges, he also engineered the #GreenLightU mantra. “We let our guys play,” he said, alluding to the freedom he gives his players to take shots on the court.

Last Season Snapshot

With the roster gutted by transfers, things were up and down for Rice basketball last season. Non-conference play featured a handful of wins over lesser-know programs, but conference action saw Rice win four of their first five including a win over UTEP in El Paso.

The team would teeter-totter between short losing streaks and winning streaks for the remainder of the year before closing out the season with a memorable run in the conference tournament. Rice beat Southern Miss and Marshall in the conference tournament, setting the stage for what many around the program hope will be a deeper run in the season to come.

Key Question

Entering last season, Rice returned a meager 26.4 percent of their scoring from the season prior. This time around, Rice brings back 86.3 percent of it’s scoring. The continuity is not something lost on Pera, who called consistency something “that has become increasingly difficult” it today’s age of college basketball.

With several of the same faces back, the question moves from who will produce to this, in Pera’s own words: “How mentally tough are we? How are we going to deal with adversity?” Whether or not Rice is able to be resilient and respond under pressure will be a major factor in determining how high the ceiling can be for this team.

Rice Basketball Schedule | Key Games/Dates

Nov. 9, 2021 – Season opener vs Pepperdine at Tudor Fieldhouse
Nov. 12, 2021 – Owls visit Houston at the Fertitta Center
Nov. 22-24, 2021 – Gulf Coast Showcase Tournament
Dec. 22, 2021 – Non-conference finale at Texas
Jan. 1, 2021 – Conference USA first road game vs North Texas
Jan. 6, 2021 – Conference USA home opener vs Middle Tennessee
Mar. 8, 2021 – Conference USA Tournament

You can find the complete 2021-2022 Rice basketball schedule here.

Key Returners

Chris Mullins, Guard (Jr.)

Prior to the arrival of two grad transfers, Mullins was the old soul on this roster. He’s the only player on the roster than started at least 20 games for Rice in three consecutive seasons. Mullins is an aggressive defender with the speed to take the ball and finish at the rim. His experience in this system and productivity on both sides of the court will pay dividends for Rice.

Quincy Olivari, Guard (So.)

Olivari broke out in a big way last season, making the jump from a role player to one of the most lethal distance shooters in Conference USA. A preseason all-conference honoree, Olivari will be looking to build on his 16.3 points per game and 40.6 percentage from three he compiled last season. He’s quickly become one of the most vocal members of this team.

Max Fiedler, Forward (So.)

Fiedler also elevated his play significantly last season, doubling his playing time (12 minutes per game to 28 minutes), rebounds (4.1 per game to 8.8) and almost quintupling his scoring (2.7 points per game to 11.2). He’s more than just a big body in the middle. Fiedler has good feet and a keen eye. He’ll be a key facilitator, setting up the Owls’ outside shooters as defenses sag to stop him at the rim.

Travis Evee, Guard (So.)

Evee was cleared to play for Rice right before last season began, taking advantage of a waiver from the NCAA and becoming Olvari’s partner in crime from three-point land. Evee was named the C-USA Newcomer of the year, leading the team in steals (1.2 per game) while finishing second in scoring (13.7 per game). Another year of experience playing within this system with these teammates will only add to his impact on the court.

Cameron Sheffield, Forward (Fr.)

Sheffield is one of the most versatile players on the Rice roster, and although he might not be one of the five starters on any given day, he’ll certainly be one of the first off the bench. Pera identified him as one of the guys most likely to make a jump this year, saying “he’s a guy that just keeps getting better.” One of four Owls to play in all 28 games last year, Sheffield will be the ideal sixth man for this squad in 2021-2022.

Mylyjael Poteat,  Forward (Fr.)

Poteat might not be a household name yet, but he was the other player Pera identified as an up-and-coming producer. Poteat got his feet wet last year as a freshman, playing in 13 games, playing more than 15 minutes just once, a 17-minute outing against Southern Miss. He’s learned a lot this offseason and is someone Pera described as “a guy that has a huge ceiling.”

Riley Abercrombie, Forward (So.)

Riley Abercrombie is the only other returning player that played a meaningful role for this team on a game-to-game basis. He averaged 7.5 points per game, drawing 15 starts over the course of the season. He projects to be a reserve this year, but one that can shoot the three ball well (34 percent last season) and can rebound.


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Key Additions

Carl Pierre, Guard (Gr.) – Pierre trasfered from UMass where he was second all-time in career three-point field goals made. A high school teammate of Olivari, Pierre will join him in the starting five this season. He looked comfortable with the ball in his hands during the Owls’ exhibition against St. Edwards and figures to be a mainstay on the court this year.

Terrance McBride, Guard (Gr.) – McBride joins Rice after transferring from Cornell. Along with Pierre, McBride’s experience will be a boost to this team. Quincy Olivari cited McBride as someone that’s already made a difference with his leadership. Pera indicated he expects McBride to get upwards of 20 or so minutes off the bench on a regular basis.

More Names to Know

Jake Lieppert saw playing time off the bench last season, averaging 10.7 minutes per game in the 15 contests in which he checked into the lineup. Ben Moffat and Reed Myers are the only other returners that saw the court. They’ll each be rotation candidates this coming season, but minutes are going to be hard to come by.

Noah Hutchins was with the team last year, but injuries kept him off the court. Pera hopes to have him available at some point soon, possible as early as next week. Damion McDowell, Jaden Geron and Jackson Peakes are the newest freshmen signees from the most recent class. With so much depth and experience in place above them, they’ll have to fight for time in the rotation, but McDowell and Geron in particular stand out guys who could contribute down the road.

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Filed Under: Archive, Basketball, Football Tagged With: Ben Moffat, Cameron Sheffield, Carl Pierre, Chris Mullins, Damion McDowell, Jackson Peakes, Jaden Geron, Jake Lieppert, Max Fiedler, Mylyjael Poteat, Quincy Olivari, Reed Myers, Rice basketball, Riley Abercrombie, Scott Pera, Terrance McBride, Travis Evee

Rice Basketball: UAB Blazers outlast Owls in C-USA quarterfinals

March 11, 2021 By Matthew Bartlett

Rice basketball saw their season come to an end with a quarterfinals loss to UAB in the Conference USA Tournament.

Perhaps more so than any other season Rice basketball head coach Scott Pera can remember, this past season was filled with highs and lows. Whether by injury, COVID-19 precautions or both, the Owls were very rarely at full strength.

Chris Mullins was out for a stretch during the middle of the season. Travis Evee missed time. Max Fiedler suffered a broken nose that slowed him for a stretch. Mylyjael Poteat wasn’t available this week and Cam Sheffield had to leave Thursday’s game with an injury.  But they persevered.

It was hard not to think about how far they’d come when they upset Marshall to advance to the quarterfinals of the Conference USA Tournament. Pera remembered.

“We lost 71 percent of our scoring from last year, our top five scores,” he recalled, before making a striking claim, “And we’re better.”

Read More: Rice Football spring practice notebook – Week 1

Pera didn’t mean that as a slight to those who have since moved on. But it’s hard to argue with the results. Wednesday’s upset of Marshall marked the first time was a moment Pera says he’ll cherish for a long time. But it wasn’t the only proof of growth, and that includes a season-ending quarterfinals loss to UAB on Thursday night. The loss stung because Rice had the lead with eight minutes to play. Then it disappeared.

Max Fiedler had a team-high 18 points. Quincy Olivari had 16. Rice shot 50 percent from three and 46 percent from the field. For all the good, Rice couldn’t overcome UAB’s dominant performance on the glass. The Blazers hauled in 16 offensive boards. Rice had one. In Pera’s own words, “That’s not a good stat.”

When push came to shove, UAB had more left in the tank. “Down the stretch their veterans made plays. We kind of fell flat and ran out of gas,” Pera said, noticeably choked up from his postgame conversations with the team.

Coming up short against one of the better teams in the conference won’t be how this team is remembered. There’s plenty of time to reminisce on that front. For now, Pera and his team can exhale and regroup. The loss stings, but the Owls truly believe their time is only just beginning.

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Fiedler, Olivari push Rice Basketball past Marshall in C-USA Tourney upset

March 10, 2021 By Matthew Bartlett

For the first time in 14 years, Rice basketball has won multiple conference tournament games. On Wednesday, the Owls upset Marshall.

Rice basketball head coach Scott Pera cracked a smile and said all the right things following his first Conference USA Tournament win on Tuesday over Southern Miss. In the midst of debriefing the win and discussing its significance as a building block for the program, Pera gave a sneak peek of what the Owls had prepared for their encore.

Tasked with upsetting the heavily favored Marshall Thundering Herd, Pera was fairly bold. “I don’t think the Marshall can guard Max [Fiedler] on the block,” he said, catching himself with a measured, “but we’ll see.”

The emphasis on Fiedler was clear from the start. Rice was overtly focused on feeding their big man inside, so much so that tipped passes became turnovers. But the Owls settled down and Fiedler settled in, finishing with 15 points, nine rebounds and two assists. Pera chuckled post-game. “Every once in a while I get one right,” he mused.

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That right call proved pivotal. Fiedler’s impact was felt the most at the onset of the second half. He made three consecutive shots from close range, turning a deadlocked game into a six-point Rice advantage.

“It’s a big difference for us in the last couple of years,” Pera said cheerily. “It’s different when it’s your 6-foot-10 guy who can pass like that too. Because teams can’t double him. We hope teams double him because we know we’re gonna get a wide-open shot.”

After that early burst, Fiedler’s scoring game way those shooters. Quincy Olivari has 23 points. Travis Evee, who only scored nine, contributed a crucial triple that helped extend what became an 11-2 Owls’ run.

Marshall hit their own flurry of threes down the stretch, but Rice hit their free throws to survive and advance. On Thursday they’ll play their third game in three days, something they never were asked to do in the regular season. Their depth will be tested, but Pera maintains they’re a ways from being out of gas.

“There is no thought in my mind besides tomorrow at six o’clock,” Pera said. “We will throw the kitchen sink, do whatever we need to do. We’ll play everybody, whatever we need to do. And if we’re fortunate enough to get by, we’ll figure it out from there.”

Pear held his cards a little closer to the vest this time around. How will the Owls attack the Blazers on Thursday? We’ll find out soon enough. One thing’s for certain, Rice won’t go down without a fight. Olivari said it best when recapping the win: “When everybody’s rolling, it’s hard to guard us.”

Rice basketball is scheduled to play UAB at 6:00 p.m. tomorrow on ESPN+.

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Rice Basketball: Owls ice cold in road sweep by Louisiana Tech

February 27, 2021 By Matthew Bartlett

Rice basketball dropped both games to Louisiana Tech this weekend, ending the regular season with a 6-10 record in Conference USA play.

It was a tough two-game stint for Rice basketball, who were swept by Louisiana Tech on the road this weekend. Rice has lost four in a row after sweeping Southern Miss at home to start the month.

On Friday night, the Owls came out cold. Louisiana Tech was red hot. Rice shot 29.0 percent from the field in the first half and 35.3 percent from the field in the second. Louisiana Tech shot 63.6 percent from the field in the first half, doubling the Owls efficiency — and their scoring.

Down 28 points entering the break, the hole proved too big to overcome. Rice shot marginally better down the stretch, but outside of Cameron Sheffield (17 points on 5-of-8 shooting) nobody had a particularly strong outing.

Louisiana Tech fell somewhat back to earth on Saturday, but Rice was unable to string together the consistency necessary to weather the Bulldogs’ runs. Rice led 21-15 in the first half, but watched that lead dissipate before the halftime buzzer. Not even Riley Abercombie’s strong day from deep (15 points on 5-for-8 from three) was enough to reinvigorate the Rice offense.

Player Spotlight | Max Fiedler

Fiedler’s importance to this team was demonstrated both on and off the court this weekend. Rice had no rhythm with him absent on Friday. On Saturday, Fiedler delivered a double-double, his tenth of the season. He overcame foul trouble and the challenges of playing with a facemask to give the Owls a chance.

Stat Corner | Ice cold

Sometimes it’s not your night. That was abundantly clear on Friday when the Owls seemingly couldn’t buy a bucket. 11 Owls attempted a field goal in the game. Just three — Sheffield, Quincy Olivari and Travis Evee — made more than one shot. Missing Max Fiedler, who left the game after getting hit in the face, compounded the shooting woes.

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But Fiedler was on the court Saturday when the Owls shooting hit another rut. Rice had a lead over Louisiana Tech midway through the first half. Then the Bulldogs went on a 25-6 run over the final eight minutes. It didn’t matter which combination of players Rice had on the court, the shots weren’t falling.

Rice cut the deficit to four points in the second half. Louisiana Tech responded with a 16-2 run.

Even when considering the volume of shots Rice attempts from three, the Owls still average roughly a 45 percent clip from the floor this season. The Owls finished below 35 percent in both games over the weekend. That’s not going to cut it in the conference tournament.

Up Next

Unlike the women’s team, which has two more games left against North Texas, the men are scheduled to be off this coming weekend. Barring a last-minute game added to the slate, the Owls’ next action will come in Frisco at the conference tournament in March.

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Rice Basketball: Shorthanded Owls drop pair vs UAB

January 23, 2021 By Matthew Bartlett

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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Filed Under: Archive, Basketball Tagged With: Cameron Sheffield, Chris Mullins, game recap, Jake Lieppert, Max Fiedler, Mylyjael Poteat, Payton Moore, Quincy Olivari, Rice basketball, Travis Evee

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