Rice University
3-10
Texas State
7-6
Cold Stretch Hands Rice Defeat to Texas State
12/22/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 22, 2017
By: Tim Andrzejewski (tim.andrzejewski@rice.edu)
Junior Connor Cashaw led Rice with 15 points, six rebounds and four assists. Freshman Miles Lester had season-highs of 11 points and five assists. Junior Ako Adams and freshman Malik Osborne added eight points apiece.
After Texas State started off the scoring, Rice scored nine of the next 11 points on three-pointers by Adams, Osborne and Lester. But the Bobcats went on a 7-0 run to take an 11-9 lead 5:20 into the game.
Layups by Tim Harrison and Robert Martin sent Rice on an 8-2 run, but TSU got back-to-back baskets to tie the game at 17. But Lester hit consecutive three-pointers to send the Owls on an 8-0 run and give them their largest lead of the game, 25-17, with six minutes to play in the half.
Texas State scored eight of the next 10 points over the next 1:45 to pull within two. A Martin free throw and layup by Cashaw pushed Rice's lead to five. But the Bobcats went on an 8-1 run to take a 33-31 lead with 24 seconds to play. However, Lester's jumper beat the buzzer and Rice went into halftime tied at 33.
Texas State began the second half hot from the field. After Adams again started the half with a three, the Bobcats made eight of their first 10 shots from the field, pushing out to a 51-43 lead 7:36 into the second stanza.
The teams traded baskets before layups from Najja Hunter and Cashaw pulled Rice within four points with nine minutes to play. However, that's when Rice went cold. After a steal by Hunter, Adams turned the ball over, leading to a basket by TSU. A minute later, Mency made one of two free throws.
Rice turned it over on two straight possessions, followed by a pair of missed three-pointers as Texas State gained a 12-point lead. Martin pulled Rice to within 11 with 2:32 to play, but four straight free throws gave the Bobcats their biggest lead, 66-51, with 1:25 remaining. Rice got no closer than eight points the rest of the way.
Both teams connected on 24-of-51 (47.1%) from the field. Rice was 9-of-24 (37.5%) from three while Texas State was just 5-of-18 (27.8%). However, the Bobcats were 21-of-28 (75.0%) from the free throw line while Rice was just 9-of-15 (60.0%). TSU also forced 17 Rice turnovers, scoring 21 points off them.
"I'd like to give Texas State a lot of credit," said Rice head coach Scott Pera. "I thought in the second half they were the tougher team. They made winning plays that caused us to get out of our game offensively. We turned the ball over more than you can when trying to win a game. All the credit goes to them."
Rice opens the Conference USA portion of its schedule next Thursday, Dec. 28, when it travels to San Antonio to face UTSA. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and the game will be livestreamed at CUSA.tv.
