Rice University
Wayland Baptist
Rice Defeats Wayland Baptist, 79-72, in Exhibition Play
11/4/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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By: Tim Andrzejewski (tim.andrzejewski@rice.edu)
Tim Harrison and A.J. Lapray led the team with 16 points, with Lapray shooting four-of-five from three. Robert Martin had 15 points, six rebounds and five assists. Austin Meyer added a game-high eight rebounds.
"It was a good dress rehearsal," said head coach Scott Pera. "We have a new staff (and) a lot of new players. There are a lot of young guys who haven't played. There were a lot of positives, but there also were a lot of things that we need to work on. It also opens up (the player's) eyes too."
Rice missed its first four shots of the game as the Pioneers jumped out to a 4-0 lead. Tim Harrison got Rice on the board as the Owls went on a 10-0 run to take a 10-4 lead before two baskets by WBU cut the lead to two.
After the teams traded free throws, Robert Martin connected on a three-point play. But, Wayland Baptist scored five straight to tie the game at 14 with 9:20 to play in the half.
The teams then went back-and-forth over the next three minutes. With the game tied at 23, Malik Osborne made one-of-two free throws. After a WBU turnover, Lapray connected on two straight three-pointers.
Miles Lester and Dylan Jones each hit a free throw and Harrison put back Jones' miss to cap off an 11-0 run. Rice finished the half on a 15-5 run to take a 39-28 lead at the break as WBU was held without a field goal for the final 4:07 of the half.
The Owls opened the second half with an 8-0 run on consecutive three-pointers from Harrison and Martin and a jumper from Meyer. After five straight WBU points, Bishop Mency scored on a putback and Lapray made a layup. However, the Pioneers went on a 7-0 run to pull within 51-40, 6:44 into the half. But, Mency hit Dylan Jones for a dunk and Lapray followed with a three-pointer to push the lead to 56-40.
After Trevonta Robinson made three consecutive free throws, Najja Hunter and WBU's Tyrone Davis traded free throws. But, the Owls went on a 9-0 run to take its largest lead of the game, 67-45, with 7:00 remaining.
The game remained that way for most of the second half. WBU was able to pull within seven with 15 seconds left, but could get no closer.
Pera added, "I thought we had a really good stretch during the last 10 minutes of the first half and the first 10 minutes of the second half to put it out of reach. I wanted to make sure that I had everyone's minutes right and get everyone in the game."
Rice connected on 48.3% (28-of-58) from the field and 34.8% (8-of-23). Wayland Baptist was held to just 37.0% (20-of-54) and 31.6% (6-of-19). Rice outrebounded the Pioneers, 39-to-32.
Rice opens the 2017-18 regular season next Friday, November 10, when it hosts Eastern Kentucky as part of the MGM Grand Main Event. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and will be live-streamed at FloSports.com.
