Rice University
-321, 011 CUSA
UCF
-1311, 64 CUSA
Owls Drop Close Contest to UCF
2/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 16, 2008
Box Score l Final Box in PDF Format 
HOUSTON - UCF's Jermaine Taylor scored 22 points while Dave Noel finished with13 points and seven assists as the Knights defeated Rice 60-53 Saturday at Reliant Arena.
With the win, UCF improved to 13-11 and 6-4 in Conference USA play. Rice is now 3-21 and 0-11.
Rice closed a double-digit UCF lead for much of the game to as few as four points with less than two minutes to play. The Owls scored six straight points, capped by a three-point play by Patrick Britton with 1:56 to play, to cut UCF's lead to four points, 55-51.
Taylor would answer at the other end of the floor, making a pair of free throws to extend the Knights' lead back to six, 57-51 with 1:30 to play. The Owls' next possession would end with a missed jumper by Lawrence Ghoram. A quick foul sent Noel to the line and he made one of two free throws.
With less than a minute remaining, UCF's Kenrick Zondervan came up with a steal and threw an outlet pass to Taylor for a fast-break dunk to give the Knights a 60-51 lead.
Rice freshman Suleiman Braimoh registered career scoring and rebounding highs for his first career double-double thanks to a last-second putback. Braimoh scored 11 points and pulled down 12 rebounds.
Rice was led by senior Patrick Britton who finished with 12 points on 4-for-8 shooting.
The Owls shot just 34 percent for the game and turned the ball 10 times in the first half as UCF ran out to a 31-20 lead. Rice got back in the game by controlling the boards and limiting turnovers in the second half. The Owls had just five, second-half turnovers and outrebounded UCF 24-12.
Rice had 19 offensive rebounds on the day, leading to 17 second-chance points.
The game marked the final contest of the season for Rice at Reliant Arena. The Owls still have two home games left in March, but with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo moving into Reliant Park, the Owls will play their final two games at the Leonard E. Merrell Center in Katy.
Rice begins a three-game road swing at Tulsa Wednesday. The Owls are at Houston on Saturday before playing at UCF on March 1.
