Rice University Athletics
Rice Begins Extended Workouts Saturday
10/14/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 14, 2011
2011-12 Rice Basketball Schedule Link
2011-12 Rice Basketball Roster Link
With a summer training program and individual workouts now a memory, the Rice basketball program reaches another target date as the Owls begin full-squad, extended workouts on Saturday.
The team has already worked in individual settings as well as in one-hour team sessions but this weekend marks the first extensive workouts for a team looking to improve on a 14-18 overall record and a 10th-place Conference USA finish a year ago.
The Owls open their season Nov. 12th when they play host to the University of New Orleans. Rice will play its first four games at home, and with road games at the South Padre Island Invitational, HBU, Texas A&M, Texas and TCU on the schedule, will not leave the state of Texas until mid-January.
With its top four scorers from a year ago returning and the addition of another stellar recruiting class, Rice is in position to have a break-out season.
Returning team co-MVPs Arsalan Kazemi and Tamir Jackson are both back for their junior seasons while the Owls' senior class includes returning starters Connor Frizzelle and Lucas Kuipers. Emerson Herndon and Nate Schwarze round out the Owls' senior group.
Earlier this week Kazemi was named to the Conference USA coaches' Preseason All-Conference First Team. He was the only player in C-USA last season to average a double-double, averaging 15.2 points per game along with 11.0 rebounds.
Kazemi finished the year ranked seventh nationally in rebounding, and with 18 double-doubles during the season, tied for 11th nationally according to the final NCAA Division I statistics.
Jackson has led Rice in scoring during conference play each of the past two seasons. A starter in all 63 games as an Owl, he averaged 13.9 points per game for the season last year but raised his scoring number to 14.3 points a contest during league play.
For the first time in Rice history, the Owls could have three players reach the 1,000-point plateau in the same season. Frizzelle enters his senior year having scored 912 career points while Jackson and Kazemi begin their junior seasons with 778 and 797 points, respectively.
Last year Frizzelle averaged 10.7 points per game and set a Rice free throw shooting, single-season record by making 90.1 percent of his shots at the line.
Kuipers averaged 7.6 points and 3.4 rebounds last season as a junior. He has played in 79 career games, starting 56 contests. Last year he started all but one game - Senior Night at Rice.
The 2011-12 home schedule includes opening-round games of the 2011 South Padre Island Invitational along with a mid-December date against Atlantic 10 favorite Temple. The Owls' open Conference USA play at home Jan. 7th against one of the league's preseason favorites, Marshall, and Rice also plays host to defending champion UAB early in conference play. The Owls will close out regular-season play against cross-town rival Houston on March 3rd.
For information on purchasing season tickets, fans may go to the ticket link at RiceOwls.com or call the Rice Ticket Office at (713) 522-6957.
