Rice Plays at Texas Saturday
11/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 26, 2010
For the second time in as many games, Rice University's basketball team will look to stop Tristan Thompson when the Owls take on Texas Saturday in Austin.
Earlier this week, North Texas' Tristan Thompson scored 26 points to help lead the Mean Green to a 68-65 win against Rice. UNT's Thompson scored 11 straight points early in the second half and was a catalyst to the Mean Green retaking a lead in the game. His free throw with 1:37 to play gave North Texas the lead for good.
Now, the Owls face a Texas team whose roster also includes a player named Tristan Thompson. The Longhorns' Thompson ranks second on the Texas team in scoring with a 12.6 points per game saverage. He leads the Longhorns with 13 blocks through five games and is also averaging 6.2 rebounds.
Saturday's game between Rice and Texas is slated for a 3 p.m. tip-off. The game will be broadcast within the Lone Star State on Fox Sports Net Southwest and will be broadcast locally in Houston by 1560 the Game.
Texas' Thompson is just one of many threats for the 4-1 Longhorns.
Sophomore forward Jordan Hamilton is averaging 24.6 points and 7.6 rebounds to lead the Longhorns. Hamilton has converted on 13-of-28 three-point attempts and is shooting 52.5 percent from the field. Senior forward Gary Johnson is averaging 12.4 points and 7.8 rebounds a game.
The Longhorns own a +20.0 scoring margin, a +7.4 rebound margin and are shooting 47.8 percent from the field.
Heading to Austin, Rice is 3-2 on the year. The Owls' two losses, which both came on the road, were in games decided by a total of four points.
In both losses, Rice carried a lead into the final two minutes of each contest. Earlier this week, North Texas outscored the Owls 11-4 in the final two minutes. Just over a week ago, a Santa Clara three-pointer with 17.8 seconds to play gave the Broncos their only lead in a 66-65 victory over the Owls.
Rice led for over 67 of 80 combined minutes of play in its two road games.
Rice forward Arsalan Kazemi has begun his sophomore season with four double-doubles in five games. For the year, Kazemi is averaging 14.4 points per game and leads Conference USA with a 12.0 rebounding average.
Since being held to five points in the Owls' season opener, sophomore guard Tamir Jackson has scored in double figures in four straight games. He ranks second on the squad in scoring, averaging 13.2 points per game. He is also the team's co-leader with 11 assists.
Rice had a scare last Sunday when junior guard Connor Frizzelle had to be assisted to the locker room after taking a hard fall and hitting his head on the court during the opening minute of the Owls' game against Saint Gregory's. The following day, Frizzelle was cleared to play by Rice medical personnel. He scored nine point and led the Owls with four assists in 27 minutes of play earlier this week against North Texas.
Through five games, Frizzelle is averaging 9.8 points per game.
Following Saturday's game at Texas, Rice begins a three-game home stand next Wednesday against Arizona.
