Rice Returns to Action Wednesday
12/14/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 14, 2009
Rice Game Notes l Santa Clara Game Notes
After more than a week focusing on final exams, Rice returns to the hardwood Wednesday when the Owls play host to Santa Clara. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. in Tudor Fieldhouse. The game can be heard in Houston on ESPN 97.5 as well as via the worldwide web at RiceOwls.com.
Rice, 4-4, will be playing its first game since dropping a 64-62 decision to North Texas back on Dec. 5.
Rice freshman forward Arsalan Kazemi recorded his second career double-double in the North Texas game, finishing with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Kazemi is averaging a team-leading 7.1 rebounds while playing off the bench to go along with an 8-point scoring averaging. He also has seven blocks in seven games.
Freshman guard Tamir Jackson is averaging 10 points per game to lead the Owls in scoring. He is coming off a 13-point, 8-rebound, 5-assist game in the loss to North Texas. Jackson also leads the Owls with 24 assists and 16 steals through eight games.
Wednesday's game will be the Owls' only home contest in the next two weeks. Rice travels to LSU on Saturday and plays at Lamar on Dec. 23. Following Wednesday's game, Rice is back in action in Tudor Fieldhouse on Dec. 29 when the squad plays host to McNeese State.
Santa Clara, 5-4, begins a two-game road swing to Houston Monday when the Broncos take on Houston Baptist.
Santa Clara's leading scorer, sophomore guard Kevin Foster, is a Houston-area native but is out indefinitely with a foot injury. Foster, who prepped at Morton Ranch High School in Katy, is the younger brother of Rice alum Rodney Foster who concluded his playing career for the Owls last year. The younger Foster was averaging 19.8 points per game when he fractured the fifth metatarsal of his right foot in the final minutes of the Broncos' game against California-Santa Barbara earlier this month.
Sophomore forward Marc Trasolini comes into the Houston road trip averaging 14.6 points and a team-leading 7.3 rebounds. Trasolini is shooting 53.6 percent form the field and has tallied 16 blocks in nine games.
Freshman guard Robert Smith is averaging 11.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists while starting the Broncos' first nine games.
