Rice University
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UTEP
UTEP Defeats Rice 69 to 57
2/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 12, 2009
Jareica Hughes scored a game-high 23 points and dished 8 assists to lead a second-half UTEP comeback over Rice to win 69-57 in a Conference USA tussle at Tudor Fieldhouse. The Miners (14-10, 7-4) outscored Rice 46 to 31 in the second-half after being down 26-23 at the break.
The Owls (5-19, 0-11) were led in scoring by Maudess Fulton's season-high 21 points and 9 rebounds.
UTEP utilized a series of small second-half runs to pull away from the Owls. After two free throws by Rice's D'Frantz Smart that gave the Owls a five-point cushion (28-23) at 19:30, the Miners went on runs of 6-0 and 13-6 to forge a 42 to 36 lead that it would not relinquish.
A Fulton three-pointer brought the Owls to within five at 49-44 at the 8:10 mark, but UTEP countered with a 10-0 run as Rice would not score again until a Morgan Mayse jumper at 3:40. The Miners reached their largest lead at 19 (68 to 49) with 1:17 to play before the Owls closed out on a 8-1 run of their own.
Also in double-digits for UTEP was Brittnay Jones with 17 points. The Miners collected 14 steals and shot 42.4 percent from the field.
Tara Watts scored 12 points for Rice, while Megan Elliott grabbed 9 rebounds. The Owls shot 38.5 percent from the field, out-rebounded UTEP 40 to 36, but committed 25 turnovers that led to 18 UTEP points.
Rice now hosts Tulane on Saturday at 2 p.m. This game is a designated PinkZone game as the Women's Basketball Coaching Association is committed to raising breast cancer awareness and funding. Everyone who wears pink to Saturday's game receives half-price admission. Pink t-shirts will also be on sale and all proceeds benefit the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund.
