Rice University
.png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
UTEP
Women's Hoops Falls to Top-Seeded UTEP
3/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 8, 2008
Photo Gallery 
ORLANDO, Fla. - Jareica Hughes poured in 29 of her career-high 33 points during the second half as top-seeded UTEP rallied to defeat the Rice women's basketball team 80-71 Friday evening in the Conference USA Championship quarterfinals at the UCF Arena.
"Jareica had a fantastic individual performance," head coach Greg Williams said. "I voted for her for MVP and she solidified my vote. Unfortunately for us, she had a phenomenal second half. She stepped up and we couldn't stop her. It's easier said than done trying to defend her."
The Owls (14-18) carried a 34-28 lead into the locker room as Kadie Riverin and Valeriya Berezhynska combined for 24 of Rice's 34 first half points.
No. 18/24 UTEP (25-2) outscored the Owls 52-37 in the second half and extended the nation's longest winning streak to 22 games.
A Riverin three-point play at the 17:50 mark in the second half kept Rice's lead at 37-31. The Ottawa native finished with a team-best 23 points. Berezhynska tallied 16 points and eight rebounds, but struggled from the floor going 3-of-13. Maudess Fulton added 15 points on 4-of-7 shooting.
"I think the thing that I could have done better is not rush my shot and take it up (to the basket) stronger," Berezhynska said. "I was going too fast trying to take on too much instead of letting the game come to me. That was the main reason why I didn't shoot so well."
Hughes scored 15 of UTEP's next 17 points, including a trio of three-point plays to give the Miners a 48-44 edge with 12:48 left. The C-USA Player of the Year then dished out four assists and added a pair of free throws as UTEP extended its lead to 61-47 with 7:18 to go.
Rice made a late charge and fought back to 65-59 as Morgan Mayse buried a three-pointer at the top of the key from Tara Watts with 3:41 on the clock.
UTEP responded on its next two possessions to get the game back to double figures and connected on all eight of its free throws in the final 1:17 to secure the 80-71 win.
Izabela Piekarska and Kasia Krezel chipped in 14 and 12 points respectively for the Miners, who will face Southern Miss Saturday in the semifinals.
Rice loses Riverin, Berezhynska and forward Tiffany Loggins to graduation.
"We're certainly going to miss and our program is going to take a hit losing this senior class," Williams said. "Kadie and Val were 1,000 point scorers for us so counting Lauren Neaves and Krystal Frazier, we'll have lost four 1,000 point players over the last two seasons."
