Rice University
No. 5 Texas A&M
Preview: Owls Host No. 5 Texas A&M on Sunday
11/16/2019 2:21:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Tip-off scheduled for 2 p.m.
Game 4 • Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019 • 2 p.m. (CT)
Houston, Texas • Tudor Fieldhouse
Buy Tickets: RiceOwls.co/FillTheFieldhouse
Video Stream: ESPN+
Live Stats: Sidearm
Twitter Updates: @RiceWBB | @AggieWBB
Who's ready to #FillTheFieldhouse this Sunday when @RiceWBB takes on #5 Texas A&M at 2PM⁉️
— Rice Athletics (@RiceAthletics) November 13, 2019
Be one of the first 3️⃣0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ fans in attendance and receive a free shirt courtesy of @CocaCola!#GoOwls👐 x #RFND pic.twitter.com/iaoOgqqaaA
"Create that homecourt advantage and Fill The Fieldhouse!" - @Ogwumi13
— Rice Women's Basketball (@RiceWBB) November 16, 2019
🎟 » https://t.co/QGS6ktfE5U pic.twitter.com/q6pyVE9isL
Owls Host No. 5 AggiesGet tickets to both games when we take on #5 @AggieWBB this Sunday and @MeanGreenWBB on February 20th by purchasing the 𝐓𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐬2️⃣𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐤!
— Rice Women's Basketball (@RiceWBB) November 14, 2019
🎟 » https://t.co/dbpgEVNQaQ#GoOwls👐 x #GoTogether pic.twitter.com/JUOvxPpQ2B
You make all the difference.
— Rice Women's Basketball (@RiceWBB) November 15, 2019
🎟 » https://t.co/QGS6ktfE5U#GoOwls👐 x #GoTogether pic.twitter.com/q2gVfDOUwt
For the first time since 2010, the Rice Owls women's basketball team will welcome in the Texas A&M Aggies this Sunday on ESPN+. The Owls and Aggies will be facing each other for a third consecutive season with the two prior meetings in College Station. The last time the Owls hosted a Top-25 team was back on Nov. 21, 2015 against the No. 8 Longhorns in Coach Langley's first season.
Last Time Out
The Owls dropped their first road contest in over a year (Nov. 11, 2018 at No. 23 UCLA) with a 55-43 setback at SMU. In the loss, Rice junior center Nancy Mulkey broke her own single-game record for blocked shots and in the process notched just the second triple double (15 points, 11 rebounds, 11 blocks) in program history. Mulkey joined Valeriya Berezhynska (2008; 14 points/12 rebounds/10 assist) as the only Owls to ever record a triple-double. While setting a Moody Coliseum record for blocks, Mulkey also recorded the third-most blocks ever by a Conference USA player. Mulkey's 17 blocks leads the nation as of Nov. 15.
Shutdown Defense
The Owls have held 22 straight opponents below 70 points and 24 straight opponents below 45 percent shooting. Thru three games Rice is allowing opponents to shoot just 29.1 percent from the field, which ranks 18th in the NCAA. Last season Rice ranked sixth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 52.8 points per game on 35.0 percent shooting (ninth in the nation). During league play the Owls stepped up their defense even more, surrendering a league-low 47.2 points per game on 31.9 percent shooting.
Home Sweet Home
The Owls have started the season 2-0 at home and have made Tudor Fieldhouse one of the toughest places for opposing teams to play. The Owls are currently riding the fifth-longest active home win streak in the country at 17 straight. Rice finished last season 13-0 at Tudor Fieldhouse and have a 28-1 record on their home floor since 2018. Rice was one of just eight undefeated teams at home last season and completed just the second single-season undefeated home record (13-0 in 1997-98) in program history.
Longest Active Home Winnings Streaks
1. UConn - 95
2. Baylor - 42
3. Iowa - 23
4. SFA - 18
5. Rice - 17
