Rice University
-311, 01 CUSA
Marshall
-94, 10 CUSA
Marshall Takes 66-47 Win Against Rice
1/9/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 9, 2008
HOUSTON - Marshall guard Mark Dorris scored 17 points as the Thundering Herd scored a 66-47 win over Rice Wednesday at Reliant Arena.
The game was the Conference USA opener for both schools. Marshall improved to 9-4 overall with the win while Rice dropped to 3-11 with its fourth straight loss.
Rice dressed only eight players who all saw playing time as injuries continue to mount for the Owls. Senior forward Patrick Britton missed the first game of his career after suffering a hyper-extended left knee in last Saturday's game at Oklahoma.
The Owls jumped out to as much as a nine-point, first half lead before Marshall scored the final five points of the half and go to intermission with some momentum, down 33-29.
Pierre Beasley's two free throws at the 2:39 mark and layup with 1:51 to play in the half gave the Owls a 33-24 lead. But a Rice turnover led to a Jean Francois Bro Grebe dunk off a Markel Humphrey pass with a minute to play and Matt Walls' three-pointer with a second left in the period cut the lead to four.
Rice shot 52 percent from the field in the first half but struggled after the breaking, going just 6-of-19 from the field (31 percent) and turning the ball over 13 times in the period.
Marshall was 14-of-28 from the field after the break and used a trapping defense to go on a 10-0 run to jump out to a 44-39 lead with 14:13 to play. During a two minute stretch, Rice turned the ball over three times and at the other end of the floor Dorris connected on a pair of three-pointers.
Later, a 12-0 Marshall run helped put the game out of reach as the Thundering Herd built a 60-43 lead with 5:34 to play.
In addition to Dorris' game-high 17 points and six assists, Markel Humphrey, Darryl Merthie and Walls all finished with 10 points apiece for Marshall. Suleiman Braimoh, Paulius Packevicius and Rodney Foster all scored 10 points apiece for Rice. Braimoh's double-digit night was the first for the true freshman.
Marshall plays host to No. 2 Memphis while Rice travels to UTEP Saturday as the first week of league play continues. The Owls' game in Marshall is set for a 3:00 p.m. Central Standard Time tip-off and will be broadcast by CSTV.
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