Rice University
4-5
Harvard
4-5
Rice Edges Harvard, 67-63
12/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 17, 2008
Final Stats
Harvard vs. Rice Game Book in PDF Format 
HOUSTON - Rodney Foster sank a three-pointer with 40 seconds to play to give Rice the lead for good then knocked down four free throws in the final seconds as the Owls defeated Harvard 67-63 in Tudor Fieldhouse Saturday.
Foster scored 18 points to lead Rice, which improved to 4-5 on the year. Harvard is also 4-5 following the loss.
Harvard made 14-of-21 three-pointers with Peter Boehm going 7-for-8 from behind the three-point arc on his way to a career, 23-point night. The win wrapped up a three-game home stand for Rice which saw its opponents combine to shoot 56 percent from behind the three-point arc (40-of-71).
Rice trailed 29-28 at halftime and exchanged the lead with Harvard in the early minutes of the second period before the Crimson buried a trio of three-pointers during a 11-2 run and later nailed three more from outside during a four-possession period of time that gave them a 56-45 lead with 8:09 to play.
From that point, the Rice defense would stiffen. The Owls would limit the dribble penetration which had led to open three-pointers and Harvard did not get off another three-point attempt until a last second shot on the Crimson's final possession. Harvard's perimeter shooting also suffered a hit when Boehm fouled out with 4:01 to play.
Trailing by 11, Foster keyed a Rice rally with a three-pointer at the 7:49 mark which put in motion a 14-1 Owl run. Foster would drain another three-pointer the Owls' next time down the floor.
Connor Frizzelle capped the rally with a pair of free throws with 2:44 to play, giving Rice a 59-57 lead, the Owls' first advantage since the 18:10 mark of the second half.
An offensive rebound and layup by Harvard's Evan Harris tied the game at 59-59 and after Rice misfired on two straight possessions, the Crimson took a 61-59 lead with 58 seconds to play on a pair of Jeremy Lin free throws.
At the other end of the court, Foster would put the Owls up for good with a trey and after a missed shot by Lin, Lucas Kuipers made the first of two free throw attempts to give Rice a 63-61 lead with 24 seconds to play.
Lin would miss a shot Harvard's next time down the floor and Foster made it a two possession game with a pair of free throws with 12 seconds left. Lin would drive inside for a dunk with seven seconds remaining but after a timeout, Foster iced the game with two more shots at the line.
Lin, Harvard's leading scorer this season, finished with 17 points and five assists.
Kuipers registered his first career double-double at Rice, scoring 14 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. Frizzelle finished with 11 points.
Rice returns to action Saturday afternoon when they travel to Duquesne. Tip-off is at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The Owls are back at home next Monday when they play host to nationally-ranked Oklahoma.
Harvard is back in action Sunday at Maine.
