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“I don’t remember one bigger than this”: Rice basketball upsets UAB

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Rice basketball upset conference favorite UAB at home on Saturday, earning the marquee win of head coach Scott Pera’s tenure to date.

Ranked No. 38 in the NET rankings and No. 48 in KenPom, UAB entered Tudor Fieldhouse on Saturday as the overwhelming favorites in Conference USA. They left with a loss at the hands of a now surging Rice basketball squad that has won two in a row at home.

When asked where the win ranked among the top moments of his tenure, Rice basketball head coach Scott Pera formed his hand into a thumbs up and raised it higher and higher until it left the screen of the Zoom call and continued to climb. “The Marshall win last year was tremendous. We’ve had some other big ones here too,” he said with a grin,” but I don’t remember one bigger than this.”

Wins like that don’t come easy. UAB led Rice by five points at halftime. The Blazers were shooting a staggering 60 percent from the field at that point and had seemed very much like the same team that had knocked Rice out of the conference tournament last March.

Pera and his team persevered. The fifth-year headman gave a nod to his assistant coaches that helped develop the game plan and reinforced to his team it would work.

“They never wavered in their belief that they can win the game. And that’s where it started,” he said. “If you don’t believe, you have no chance. And we believed.”

More: Rice Basketball grinds out win over Middle Tennessee

The Owls’ belief was tested early in the second half. UAB opened up a 10 point lead, but just when it seemed like the Blazers might pull away, the Owls’ shots started to fall. Travis Evee scored 17 of his 25 points in the second half. Carl Pierre contributed 13 of his 19 points after the break. Likewise, Mylyjael Poteat scored 14 of his 18 in the final 20 minutes.

Rice basketball also doubled down on their early control of the glass. They whipped the Blazers on the boards, outrebounding their foes 38-27. The 10 point lead by the visitors slowly dwindled. Pierre connected on a triple with 4:33 to put Rice in front for good before Evee iced the game with eight free throws in the final minute.

Player Spotlight | Mylyjael Poteat

Poteat battled injuries last season but was able to play a modest role down the stretch. He’s continued to grow this year, flashing here and there, but never truly becoming a consistent fixture on the floor, at least not until Saturday.

“Tonight, he was the difference. There’s no question about it. He was tremendous,” coach Pera said following the win. He praised Poteat’s renewed work ethic and credited his willingness to put in the extra work that paid off for Rice in this game. Poteat’s 18 points were a career-high. He also added seven rebounds.

Stat Corner | Win inside

The usual three-point-happy Owls were more balanced against the Blazers, repeating echoing traces of an inside-first mentality that helped propel them to a win over MTSU two days prior. UAB outscored Rice in the pain 42-34, but the 34 point total is night and day different from the 18 points in the paint they scored against Middle Tennessee or the 16 they mustered against North Texas.

Rice basketball made eight threes against UAB, tying the second-lowest total they’d had in a winning performance this year. Two games aren’t quite enough for a trend, but it’s a notable growth moment for a team that has lived and died by the three for so long.

Rice out physical-ed UAB in this game. They won on the boards. They found success in the paint. And most importantly. they played sound defense in key moments and hit their free throws. In every way, this looked like a complete basketball team on Saturday.

Final Box | Rice 85 – UAB 80

Up Next | Full Schedule

Rice basketball will get a few extra days to enjoy this win. Their next tip doesn’t come until Thursday night when they kick off road trip against Western Kentucky before heading to Marshall on Saturday.

Photo credit Maria Lysaker
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Rice Basketball: 2021-2022 Pre-Conference Play State of the Program

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Rice basketball has bounced between highs and lows this season. Here’s where the Owls stand with the bulk of Conference USA play ahead.

Rice basketball spent most of the winter off the court, and it wasn’t by choice. COVID-19 swept through both the men’s and women’s programs. The men were able to get back in action on Saturday against North Texas, beginning their conference slate as scheduled. Rice lost that game, falling to 7-5.

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There were a few close games scattered in between of a wild back-and-forth start to the 2021-2022 Rice Basketball season. How does what we’ve seen so far and how does it compare with the expectations for this program entering this stretch? Let’s dig in.

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Photo credit Maria Lysaker
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2021-2022 Rice Basketball Season Preview

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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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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.

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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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