Rice University
5-6
Lamar
5-7
Owls Remain Winless On Road, Fall To Lamar 77-61
12/23/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 23, 2009
Final Stats
Rice vs. Lamar Game Book 
By MOISEKAPENDA BOWER
BEAUMONT - Following an impressively workmanlike home win over Santa Clara seven days ago, Rice sophomore guard Connor Frizzelle was asked to analyze the Owls' development through nine games and he labeled a home loss to North Texas as the most obvious disappointment.
That assessment is in need of revision.
Victimized by their own suspect ball handling and atypically porous defense, the Owls were crushed by Lamar 77-61 on Wednesday night at the Montagne Center to fall below .500 for the first time on this season.
Lamar (5-7) had recorded victories over noted basketball powerhouses Huston-Tillotson, Texas-Pan American, North Carolina A&T and Louisiana College before extended their series win streak over the Owls (5-6) to three games. The Cardinals are undoubtedly a different team at home - they entered the contest 4-1 at the Montagne Center - but the relative ease with which they scored on the Owls was utterly surprising.
"We can play better defense and we have to play better defense," Rice coach Ben Braun said. "We gave up second shots, we gave up offensive rebounds again, and we didn't secure some loose balls. You add all those things up ... and they get the second chances, they get a reload.
"Defense is all about toughness, and when you're tough you play good defense. If you're not you're going to struggle on defense. It's kind of a gut-check time for us; we've got to play better defense."
Given their intensity in a 65-61 loss at LSU last Saturday, the reasonable expectation was that the Owls were inching closer to recording their first road triumph. But when Lamar reeled off an 11-0 run late in the first half, the Owls fell behind to stay. Trey Stanton broke that rally with a 3-pointer and Arsalan Kazemi added a layup following a pair of missed free throws from A.J. Holland, but the Cardinals closed the half with an 11-3 run that extended their lead to 38-26 at the intermission.
That deficit proved too steep to overcome, especially with Lamar guard Anthony Miles (28 points, 10 rebounds, five assists) consistently torching the Owls with his perimeter shooting late in the shot clock.
After the deficit ballooned to 17 points, Owls freshman guard Tamir Jackson scored seven consecutive points to pull Rice to within 44-37. Miles responded with a 3. Kazemi got free inside and scored on a layup, and Miles replied with a 3. Jackson added a driving layup, but Charlie Harper and Kendrick Harris produced uncontested baskets before Miles tossed in another jumper that rebuilt the lead to 59-43 with 9:41 left.
Rice was holding opponents to 41.4 percent shooting. Lamar shot 26 of 53 (49.1 percent), with its starters accounting for all but two points.
"We had defensive breakdowns and got off our defensive principles like letting guys go baseline," Stanton said. "Sometimes you have lapses and sometimes you're OK, but it's all about consistency. You know you can play defense every game."
When the Owls weren't ushering the Cardinals to the basket they were fumbling the ball away on the offensive end. Several of their 21 turnovers came via forced entry passes when certain sets were covered. Instead of resetting the offense the Owls attempted the pass anyway, appearing stubbornly intent to pound the Cardinals inside. That strategy was wise in theory but the application was flawed for Kazemi, who finished with 13 points and nine rebounds in his first career start, took just six shots despite routinely carving out an advantageous position.
"We were staring the post guy in the face, trying to get the ball to him when he wasn't open," Jackson said. "If we would have made one more swing (pass) we could have got it in from the wing instead of the top."
While Jackson, Kazemi and Stanton combined for 38 points on 15-for-30 shooting their teammates shot just 8 for 31, continuing the inconsistent offense that plagued Rice in close losses to LSU and North Texas. Braun seeks answers to those issues, and he seems apt to alter all methods.
"I'm going to have to make it a little tougher for them in practice," Braun said. "Whatever I've got to do that's what I guess I have to do. I'm going to have to make it tougher because we didn't respond to what I thought was an opportunity."
