Rice University
2-2
North Texas
3-1
Owls Lose Squeaker To North Texas, 71-69
11/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 18, 2006
HOUSTON (AP) - Calvin Watson scored 26 points, including five of North Texas' last six, for a 71-69 victory over Rice on Saturday. Rice's All-America candidate, Morris Almond, scored a game and season-high 38 points which is two shy of his career-high 40 set last season vs. SMU (March 4, 2006). He also had a game-high 12 rebounds to record his first double-double of the season. The 38 points is the third-highest output in Almond's Rice career.
Rice was down 15-11 early in the first-half, but went on a 18-0 run for a 29-15 lead. In that stretch Almond nailed two three-pointers and two other field goals. North Texas then rallied in the final 5:52 of the half by going on a 18-4 run to close out the period.
The Owls came into the contest with a season-high 15 turnovers for a game, but committed 14 alone in the first-half and finished with 19 miscues.
Almond scored the Owls' first seven points in the second-half to give Rice a 40-35 lead. But, North Texas (3-1) used a 17-4 run over a six-minute span to grab a 52-44 lead. Quincy Williams and Watson combined for 15 points on the run, and Michael Sturns capped the run with a jumper with 11:27 left in the game.
The Mean Green had their biggest lead at 65-52 with 6:01 remaining following a Williams lay-up, but Rice went on an 11-0 run over the next 5:10 to close within two at 65-63 with 51 seconds left. Morris Almond scored seven in the run, and Paulius Packevicius capped the run with a lay-up.
P>With 51 seconds left, Watson hit a jumper and three free throws in the final 30 seconds. Sturns made one-of-two free throws with six seconds left to extend the Mean Green lead to 71-67 and seal the win.
Sturns finished with 21 points, and Williams added 11 for North Texas.
Rice now hosts Oregon on Monday night (Nov. 20) at 7 pm in Autry Court.
