Rice University
-516, 26 CUSA
FIU
-912, 35 CUSA
Rice Knocks Off FIU, 73-64
1/25/2018 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 25, 2018
By: Tim Andrzejewski (tim.andrzejewski@rice.edu)
Junior Connor Cashaw recorded his fourth double-double of the season, scoring 12 points and grabbing a career-high 14 rebounds. The Lincolnshire, Ill., native also tied a career-high with seven assists.
Freshman Malik Osborne led Rice with 16 points and grabbed five rebounds. Senior Bishop Mency and sophomore Ako Adams scored 12 points apiece and sophomore Austin Meyer added nine points, eight boards and three blocks.
"I'm really proud of the guys," said Rice head coach Scott Pera. "Tonight, we made some winning plays down the stretch. It was a heck of a game, back-and-forth in the second half. (FIU) made plays. We made plays. Ultimately, at the end, we made some winning plays that were the difference. "
Rice (5-16, 2-6 C-USA) trailed 53-49 midway through the second half. A layup by Robert Martin followed by a pair of Cashaw free throws tied the game. FIU (9-12, 3-5) retook the lead on a layup, but a basket by Tim Harrison followed by Osborne's third three-pointer of the game gave Rice a three-point lead.
After the Panthers cut the deficit to one, Martin made a layup followed by a free throw by Cashaw. A minute and a half later, Adams drained a three to give Rice a 64-57 lead with 5:04 to play.
FIU made one-of-two free throws to cut the lead to six. But Mency hit a three-pointer and Adams connected on a pair of free throws as Rice took its largest lead of the game, 69-58, with 50 seconds remaining. Rice hit four free throws the rest of the way to put the game away.
FIU scored the first six points of the game. Cashaw got Rice on the board with a pair of free throws, sending the Owls on an 8-0 run to take an 8-6 lead 4:41 into the game as FIU missed its next eight shots.
Rice then missed its next seven shots, but the Panthers were only able to go ahead by three points. After the Owls tied the game at 11, FIU took a four-point lead. But a jumper and three-pointer by Adams put Rice ahead, 16-15, with 7:38 to play.
FIU regained the lead, but a three-pointer by Mency sent Rice on an 11-2 run as Rice took its largest lead of the half, 27-20 with 3:26 to play in the half. The Panthers scored eight of the next 10 points to pull within two, but Meyer's putback of Mency's three-point attempt just beat the buzzer as Rice headed into halftime with a 32-28 lead.
Pera added, "Like I've said all year long, their preparation and sticktoativeness has been tremendous. They had a really good week of practice. But I told them, `There's never a guarantee.' I knew it was coming. I know we have some wins in us moving forward, whether it's this year or next year, because of the way they work, the way they prepare and the way they care."
Rice connected on 41.4% (24-of-58) from the field and 34.8% (8-of-23) from three. FIU was held to 25-of-69 (36.2%) from the floor and 6-of-22 (27.3%) from beyond the arc. Rice also grabbed a season-high 48 rebounds while holding the Panthers to 38.
Rice closes its homestand this Saturday, January 27, when it hosts Florida Atlantic. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT and the game will be livestreamed at ESPN3.
