Rice University
10-11, 2-5
SMU
13-8, 4-3
Owls Fall to SMU, 75-68
1/29/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 29, 2011
HOUSTON -SMU's Robert Nyakundi scored a career-high 29 points to lead a Mustang team which shot 56 percent from the field en route to a 75-68 win over Rice Saturday at Tudor Fieldhouse.
SMU extended its current win streak to three games, improving to 13-8 and 4-3 in Conference USA play. Rice also entered the game with a two-game win streak, but fell to 10-11 and 2-5 with the loss.
The Mustangs' leading scorer and rebounder, Papa Dia, picked up his second personal foul with 13:38 to play and Arsalan Kazemi's ensuing two free throws gave Rice its biggest lead at 15-6. But with Dia on the bench, SMU actually whittled the Owls' advantage down to three and when Dia reentered the game with just over seven minutes to play, he scored on a layup to cut the Rice margin to 22-21.
Trailing 27-25 with 4:30 to play, back-to-back baskets by Dia and a pair of three-pointers sparked a 10-2 Mustang run to end the half. SMU led 35-29 at the break.
Nyakundi was 4-for-5 from three-point range in the second half in helping the Mustangs stretch out as big as a 13-point lead, 57-44 with 9:27 to play.
Connor Frizzelle would answer at the other end of the floor with a three-pointer and the Owls rallied to close the gap to four, 57-53.
Soon after Frizzelle's triple, Tamir Jackson made the second of two free throw attempt and went right to work applying defensive pressure in the backcourt. He would steal the ball from SMU point guard Jeremiah Samarrippas and score a layin. And then steal the ball again from Samarrippas. This time Jackson was fouled while scoring and converted the three-point play to cut the advantage to four points.
Jackson would score 12 points, have five assists and five steals.
But the Owls would not get any closer.
Nyakundi was 11-for-17 from the field and made 7-of-11 three-pointers. He also led the Mustangs with six rebounds and had five assists. Dia scored 19 points, registering an 8-for-12 shooting game.
Kazemi led Rice with 21 points and 16 rebounds for his 14th double-double of the season. He moved to third on the Rice season chart for double-doubles and now has 23 for his career.
Frizzelle finished with 17 points for his third straight double-figure scoring game.
Rice returns to action Wednesday when the Owls travel to Tulane. Rice is back at home next Saturday, playing host to UTEP.
