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Rice Basketball Recruiting: G Cameron Carroll commits to Owls

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Rice basketball has landed its first commitment of the 2025 recruiting class. South Grand Prairie guard Cameron Carroll has committed to the Owls.

When head coach Rob Lanier took the helm of the Rice basketball program his first task was restocking a barren roster. With the 2024-2025 team more or less intact, the Owls were able to turn their attention toward the future, scouting out the right fits for the 2025 class. They landed their first member of that new flock on Wednesday. South Grand Prairie Guard Cameron Carroll has committed to the Owls.

Carroll’s first offer came early from Mississippi State. That set into motion a flurry of interest, eventually reaching the point where Lanier’s staff made the decision to offer Carroll at SMU. From there, Carroll’s stock steadily rose throughout the summer. When Lanier moved to Rice, the Owls swooped in with an offer, kicking off interest from Sam Houston, SFA, New Mexico State and Oral Roberts, among others.

The interest exists for good reason. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound point guard has a diverse array of skills that piqued the interest of so many programs. For Lanier and company to land someone of this caliber bodes well for the future of this 2025 Rice Basketball recruiting class.

More: Rice Basketball 2024 Roster Tracker

The film backs up all of those encouraging tidbits. Carroll can score from all three levels, shooting the ball well from the outside while still being quick enough and strong enough to slash into the paint and take it to the rim. He’s a scorer with good ball skills. The vision on the court is encouraging, too. Being able to facilitate the offense is just as important as scoring itself. Carroll looks to excel in both spots. This appears to be a great building block for the Owls’ future.

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Rice Basketball Recruiting: G Jacob Dar commits to Owls

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Rice basketball looks to put the finishing touches on its 2024 roster. Emory and Henry transfer guard Jacob Dar has committed to the Owls.

No sooner had the Transfer Portal opened then an influx of new members of the 2024-2025 Rice basketball team began. New head coach Rob Lanier and his staff worked diligently to replenish the roster on the fly, nearly filling it to the brim in a matter of a few short weeks. As the fall approached, few spots remained to fortify that group. The Owls made sure they had room for at least one more, though. Guard Jacob Dar has committed to the Owls.

Dar is a 6-foot-7, 185-pound wing from Emory and Henry College, a Division II school based in Emory, Virginia. The sophomore entered the portal this spring following a season in which he led the Wasps in scoring, averaging 15.4 points per game while shooting 77.6 percent from the floor. Dar is also a career 35.6 percent shooter from three.

It’s hard to keep tabs on exactly how many scholarships remain, but the addition of Dar certainly puts them at or near the limit. His commitment also represents yet another source Lanier and his staff have found to increase the talent level of this team. They’ve grabbed a player from a premier brand (Villanova), picked up several from Lanier’s old stomping grounds (SMU) and add others from accros the country (CCSU, Cal Poly, San Diego, Wyoming, UC Upstate and others). Dar could just be the last piece of the puzzle.

More: Rice Basketball Roster Tracker

It’s challenging to project a D2 prospect to D1, but when you’re looking for traits that translate to the next level, Dar certainly has several of those. He moves really well for an athlete of his size and has a beautiful shot, scoring at all levels. The highlights are enticing and could potentially offer more upside once he’s had an offseason with the Owls’ strength staff and worked further with the team. He could carve out a role quickly and has multiple years of eligibility remaining.

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Rice Basketball Recruiting: G PJ Carter commits to Owls

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The 2024 Rice basketball recruiting class has added another superb shooter to its ranks. Former UTSA huard PJ Carter has committed to the Owls.

After a flurry of activity in late April and early May the 2024 Rice Basketball recruiting class has grown once again, nabbing reinforcements from an AAC foe. With the bulk of the roster established, head coach Rob Lanier and company have the luxury of putting the finishing touches in place as the summer marches on. One of those key pieces became official this week. Former UTSA guard PJ Carter has committed to the Owls.

Carter was one of the premier three-point shooters in the AAC last year, draining 40.3 percent of his shots from deep, the sixth-best mark in the AAC. One of his best performances came in the penultimate game of the regular season when he dropped 23 points against SMU, including 5-of-9 from three. Lanier, the head coach at SMU at the time, got to see first hand how impactful Carter could be.

The 10th transfer addition this offseason, Carter rounds out a diverse incoming class that features players from across the country. Incoming Owls hail from the west coast (San Diego, Cal Poly), the Northeast (Villanova, CCSU) and now four from right here in Texas, three SMU Mustangs and Carter from UTSA.

More: Rice Basketball Roster Tracker

Carter will draw immediate attention for his shooting prowess, deservedly so, but he’s more than just a deep threat. He has a fair amount of athleticism and can get to the basket, too. He’s a career 78.2 percent free throw shooter who managed to still shoot 41.5 percent from the floor last season, despite taking so many shots from long range. You can never have enough shooters. Getting a versatile scorer like Carter will pay dividends down the road.

 

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Rice Basketball Recruiting: F Jimmy Oladokun Jr. commits to Owls

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A guard-heavy 2024 Rice basketball recruiting class has picked up a building block with some size. San Diego forward Jimmy Oladokun has committed to the Owls.

Good news continues to arrive on the Rice basketball recruiting front. Head coach Rob Lanier and his staff continue to remake the Owls’ roster from scratch, combining returning players and portal pickups to build a unit ready to hit the court this coming fall. Their newest addition should add some size and power to the roster. Former San Diego forward Jimmy Oladokun has committed to the Owls.

Oladokun hails from Los Angeles, CA and was a three-star recruit coming out of high school before the 2023-2024 season, picking San Diego over New Mexico at the time.

He spent his this past season with the Toreros, appearing in 31 games with 13 starts. He averaged 5.7 points and 3.0 rebounds per contest, playing 15.7 minutes per game. A game one starter, Oladokun went back and forth from the bench during the season,  finishing his time with the Toreros with some of his best games. He scored 20 at Loyola Marymount in February just after putting up 13 points against Saint Mary’s,

The running total of new additions to the Rice basketball roster grows to nine with Oladokun’s addition. He’s just the third guard the staff has added from the portal, though, and his 6-foot-9, 220-pound frame promises to help him become an impactful part of the Owls frontcourt.

More: Rice Basketball Roster Tracker

Oladokun has the potential to be an impact post player for the Owls as he continues to mature and grow his game, but he’ll be coming to South Main with bonafide D1 experience and plenty of athleticism. This a great pickup for the Owls, who are making a bet on a promising young player with ball skills and potential.

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Rice Basketball Recruiting: G Jalen Smith commits to Owls

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Another former SMU Mustang is making the journey south to Houston. Guard Jalen Smith is the newest member of the 2024 Rice Basketball recruiting class.

Head coach Rob Lanier continues to stockpile talent, pulling from the Transfer Portal to revamp his roster in a whirlwind of activity. The changes within collegiate athletics enabling more free flowing movement of players have aided in that cause, allowing him to bring several very familiar faces to South Main including his former player, Jalen Smith, an SMU transfer and the newest member of the 2024 Rice Basketball recruiting class.

Smith joins Emory Lanier and Denver Anglin, two of his former teammates at SMU who have since made the decision to follow their head coach from Dallas to Houston. If his usage at SMU is any indication, he’ll step right in as an important piece of the Owls roster very quickly.

Smith appeared in at least 29 games for SMU in each of the last three seasons, seeing a career-high 33 games of action last season, including four starts. He averaged 5.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 0.8 steals, mostly off the bench, adding an impactful 38 percent shooting on three-pointers. He’s a reliable role player that Lanier trusts. His addition to the roster makes that crystal clear.

In addition to those three former Mustangs, Rice has now added eight new transfers to the roster since Lanier took over. The roster is coming together, with the potential for another piece or two before all is said and done.

More: Rice Basketball Roster Tracker

Beyond the defensive focus, Lanier did made a point during his introductory remarks that his team would find shooters. Smith can definitely knock down some shots from deep, but his overall athleticism makes him more than just a sharpshooting threat. He can fly too, just take a look at this impact play against Tulsa.

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