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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 2021 Game Previews: Owls vs North Texas

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The Rice basketball men fell at UAB last time out. The women remain sidelined, but the men return to the court next against North Texas.

Rice Basketball

Time: Friday, Jan. 29 at 2:00 p.m. CT and Sunday, Jan. 31 at 3:00 p.m.
Venue: Friday – Tudor Fieldhouse / Sunday – Super Pit
Radio: Stretch Internet Portal
TV: Friday – ESPN+ / Sunday – ESPN+

North Texas 7-5 (3-1), Last 5 (3-2)

  • 59-57 (L) vs Loyola
  • 77-70 (W) at UTSA
  • 69-77 (L) at UTSA
  • 63-33 (W) vs UTEP
  • 74-65 (W) vs UTEP

North Texas statistical leaders

  • Scoring | Jaylon Hamlet – 12.8 per game
  • Rebounds | Zachary Simmons – 6.1 per game
  • Assists | Jaylon Hamlet – 5.1 per game
  • Steals | James Reese – 1.3 per game
  • Blocks | Thomas Bell – 1.3 per game

Rice 10-6 (4-4), Last 5 (2-3)

  • 71-68 (W) at UTEP
  • 69-59 (W) vs Old Dominion
  • 58-61 (L) vs Old Dominion
  • 68-78 (L) at UAB
  • 74-86 (L) at UAB

Rice statistical leaders

  • Scoring | Quincy Olivari – 16.1 per game
  • Rebounds | Max Fiedler – 5.9 per game
  • Assists | Max Fiedler – 4.2 per game
  • Steals | Travis Evee – 1.4 per game
  • Blocks | Max Fiedler – 0.7 per game

Rice keys to victory

Head coach Scott Pera was assembling lineups on the fly last weekend against UAB. The absence of Travis Evee on Friday and others on Saturday saw the Owls use combinations they hardly employed at all in their first 15 games of the season. No matter who is available against North Texas, the Owls must find a way to gel on the defensive side of the court.

Rice has enough shooters to get by, especially if Quincy Olivari or Evee gets into a groove early on. What they didn’t showcase in either of the Owls’ games this past weekend was the ability to defend well when put in situations outside of their comfort zone. As COVID-19 and injuries continue to throw wrenches into the best-laid plans, this team is going to have to find some sort of happy medium in that area.

Rice Women’s Basketball Update

For the second consecutive weekend, Rice women’s basketball will be unable to compete because of COVID-19. The Owls announced a postponement to their series against North Texas earlier in the week as the program remains on pause.

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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.

📸 @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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Rice Basketball 2021 Game Previews: Owls vs UAB

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Rice basketball splitting with Old Dominion last time out. This week they’ll square off with UAB while Rice women’s basketball is sidelined.

Rice Basketball

Time: Jan. 22 at 6:30 p.m. CT and Jan. 23 at 4:00 p.m.
Venue: Bartow Arena
Radio: Stretch Internet Portal
TV: Friday – CUSAtv / Saturday – ESPN+

UAB 10-2 (3-1), Last 5 (3-2)

  • 66-69 (L) vs Chattanooga
  • 72-60 (W) vs Southern Miss
  • 62-58 (W) vs Southern Miss
  • 61-37 (W) vs Charlotte
  • 55-70 (L) vs Charlotte

UAB statistical leaders

  • Scoring | Michael Ertel – 13.2 per game
  • Rebounds | Trey Jemison – 7.5 per game
  • Assists | Tavin Lovan – 2.7 per game
  • Steals | Quan Jackson – 3.3 per game
  • Blocks | Trey Jemison – 2.3 per game

Rice 10-4 (4-2), Last 5 (3-2)

  • 84-69 (W) vs UTSA
  • 89-101 (L) at UTEP
  • 71-68 (W) at UTEP
  • 69-59 (W) vs Old Dominion
  • 58-61 (L) vs Old Dominion

Rice statistical leaders

  • Scoring | Quincy Olivari – 15.7 per game
  • Rebounds | Max Fiedler – 9.5 per game
  • Assists | Max Fiedler – 4.4 per game
  • Steals | Travis Evee – 1.4 per game
  • Blocks | Max Fiedler – 0.8 per game

Rice keys to victory

UAB will be far and away the best defensive team Rice basketball will have faced yet this season. The Blazers lead Conference USA in scoring defense, allowing 56.4 points per game on a league-best 37.7 percent shooting percentage allowed. Their defense beyond the arc is particularly fierce, allowing 26.8 percent of three point shots compared to the Owls’ 36.8 percent hit rate. Something’s got to give.

For Rice, the notable difference between their distance shooting between last season and this year has been drive by shot selection and efficiency. Both will be harder to come by this weekend, but if the Owls can take the right shots with the right players, they’ll be able to force UAB to play catch up, something they haven’t had to do hardly at all this season.

Rice Women’s Basketball update

The women’s basketball games, originally scheduled for this weekend, were postponed because of a positive COVID-19 test and contact tracing at Rice. This marks the first time since the Owls’ began athletic competition that they have been the initiating party for a postponement. They’ll look to return to action next week against North Texas.

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Rice Basketball 2021: Owls split with ODU, fail to complete Saturday rally

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Rice basketball split a physical home series against Old Dominion, failing to complete a Saturday comeback to secure a sweep.

Head coach Scott Pera knows the identity of this Rice Basketball team and has kept his squad marching to that beat all season long. The Owls’ commitment to shooting high-value shots, particularly the three-ball, was on full display in a home series split against a physical Old Dominion squad.

Rice won the opener going away, leading by double-digits for most of the contest. The gap was created, and widened, by a masterful day from deep by Quincy Olivari. The sophomore guard drilled seven threes, five of which came in the first half to spot the Owls to an early lead. Old Dominion got as close as six points down in the second half before a trio of threes from Payton Moore, Chris Mullins and Evee put the game back out of reach.

Saturday was much more nerve-wracking for both sides. Old Domini0n came out hot, leading Rice through most of the first half and deep into the second frame. Then Rice caught fire, erasing a 12 point deficit in four minutes, riding a 15-2. Ege Havsa and Riley Abercrombie each contributed big shots in the rally.

Rice would retake the lead in the final minutes before a back-and-forth battle that went down to the wire. The Owls had their chance, trailing by one with 78 percent free throw shooter Travis Evee at the line but he missed both shots, leaving Rice without enough time for a last-second heave.

Player Spotlight | Quincy Olivari

Olivari’s 23-point Friday outburst came during his fourth outing of the season in which he hit five or more three pointers. His reputation as one of the team’s best marksman has been cemented in recent weeks. Friday was the second time this season he’d hit seven threes, putting him one short of the program record (eight) matched this very season by teammate Travis Evee.

The growth Olivari has displayed from his freshman year has been staggering. He’s doubled almost all of his per game stats, increasing his points from 6.0 to 16.7, rebounds from 1.7 to 4.8. Most importantly, his three point shooting percentage is 47.8 percent, the best on the team. That’s up from 38.0 percent last year.

Pera said Olivar was limited on Saturday, playing fewer minutes than he usually does. Others like Havsa and Abercrombie stepped up and were productive in his stead.

Stat Corner | Defensive turnaround

In their first game against UTEP the weekend prior to the Old Dominion series, Rice basketball surrendered 101 points. That marked the first time Rice had allowed more than 100 points in a conference game since 2018 against North Texas in Pera’s second season. The Owls haven’t been defensive juggernauts in recent years, but they haven’t been quite that porous.

“Those 101 were coach Pera’s fault” the Owls’ head coach reiterated this weekend. He took responsibility for the gameplan decision in that game and said his team has since reverted to their more traditional schemes. They’ve put a much better foot forward in their next three games.

UTEP scored 68 in the back end of that two game set. Old Dominion scored 59 on Friday and 61 on Saturday. Altogether, that’s an average of 62.7 points allowed in their past three games. The newfound resurgence is more on par, if not better, than the 70.5 points per game Rice was allowing prior to the UTEP series. If the Owls can maintain this disciplined approach they’ll be able to steal a few more games down the stretch.

Up Next

Rice goes back on the road next weekend to face UAB. The Blazers entered the weekend as the only undefeated team in C-USA play, sweeping a two-game series against Southern Miss while games against North Texas were postponed. UAB won the first game this weekend against Charlotte and dropped the Saturday finale.

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