Saturday, December 14
Houston, TX
7 p.m.
Rice University
-74,00 CUSA
96
vs
84
Houston Baptist
0-8,0-0Southlan
1
2
F
Houston Baptist
41
43
84
Rice
39
57
96
Photo by: Maria Lysaker
Rice Defeats Crosstown Foe Houston Baptist, 96-84
12/14/2019 10:53:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HOUSTON — Rice shot 53.0% from the field and placed five players in double-figures as it defeated crosstown foe Houston Baptist, 96-84, Saturday night at Tudor Fieldhouse.
How it Happened
After Houston Baptist opened the scoring, Rice scored seven of the next nine points. Two straight baskets gave HBU an 8-7 lead, the teams went back-and-forth over the next 10 minutes, exchanging the lead five times. With Rice holding a 26-24 lead, the Huskies went on an 8-0 run to take a 32-26 lead and force a Rice timeout. The Owls scored six of the next eight points to pull within 34-32, but an HBU three-pointer followed by a jumper gave it its largest lead of the half, 39-32, to with 1:48 to play in the half. After trading baskets, Robert Martin scored the final five points to send Rice into halftime trailing 41-39. Trey Murphy III started things for Rice in the second half with a three-point play, to give the Owls the lead. But, Houston Baptist scored six straight points to take a five-point lead. Two minutes later, with HBU holding a 51-46 lead, Martin and Drew Peterson connected on back-to-back three-pointers to send Rice on a 12-2 run to take a 58-53 lead. However, Houston Baptist scored eight of the next 10 points over the next 2:20 to take a 61-60 lead. After a Martin three-pointer followed by an HBU layup, Rice clamped down on its defense, holding the Huskies to just two free throws in an 11-2 run that was bookended by three-pointers from Peterson and Martin. Two straight baskets pulled Houston Baptist to within five points, but a layup by Murphy followed by an Adams three gave Rice a 10-point lead. HBU never got closer than eight points the rest of the way.
The Stats
Rice connected on a season-high 53.0% from the field and 36.7% from three. Houston Baptist connected on 51.5% from the floor 38.5% from three. HBU won the rebounding battle, 39-to-32.
What Scott Pera Had to Say
"I'm really proud of our guys tonight. It was a great team win having five guys in double figures, and Payton (Moore) had nine so we almost had six guys. That's when we're at our best. We shared the ball. We had 21 assists on 35 made baskets. We had a stretch there defensively where we had enough stops in a row to increase the lead. I thought we played well with the lead down the stretch to get the win. I'm very, very pleased with our second half efforts tonight."
Notes
• Rice improved to 7-4 on the year.
• Rice improved to 9-3 all-time against Houston Baptist and 8-1 at Tudor Fieldhouse.
• Against the Southland Conference, Rice is 40-33 all-time.
• The Owls set season-highs for points (96), points in a half (57), field goals made (35), field goal percentage (53.0%), assists (21) and points in the paint (48).
• Rice connected on 11 three-pointers, the sixth time this year it hit at least 10 three-pointers in a game.
• Drew Peterson led Rice with 17 points and set career-highs with 12 rebounds and eight assists.
• With 17 points and 12 rebounds, Peterson recorded his first career double-double.
• Robert Martin scored a team-high 20 points, connecting on 8-of-9 from the field. It is his second 20-point game of the year and the sixth of his career.
• Trey Murphy III had 13 points, six rebounds and three steals.
• Chris Mullins scored 13 points and Ako Adams scored 12 points.
• With four three-pointers, Adams has 174 in his career, passing Brock Gillespie (2001-05) and Cory Pflieger (2005-11) for fifth-place in school history.
Next Up
Rice will play the second of three straight homes games next Thursday, Dec. 19 when it hosts St. Thomas in the seventh annual Kid's Day game. Tip-off is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. and the game will be livestreamed on CUSAtv.
How it Happened
After Houston Baptist opened the scoring, Rice scored seven of the next nine points. Two straight baskets gave HBU an 8-7 lead, the teams went back-and-forth over the next 10 minutes, exchanging the lead five times. With Rice holding a 26-24 lead, the Huskies went on an 8-0 run to take a 32-26 lead and force a Rice timeout. The Owls scored six of the next eight points to pull within 34-32, but an HBU three-pointer followed by a jumper gave it its largest lead of the half, 39-32, to with 1:48 to play in the half. After trading baskets, Robert Martin scored the final five points to send Rice into halftime trailing 41-39. Trey Murphy III started things for Rice in the second half with a three-point play, to give the Owls the lead. But, Houston Baptist scored six straight points to take a five-point lead. Two minutes later, with HBU holding a 51-46 lead, Martin and Drew Peterson connected on back-to-back three-pointers to send Rice on a 12-2 run to take a 58-53 lead. However, Houston Baptist scored eight of the next 10 points over the next 2:20 to take a 61-60 lead. After a Martin three-pointer followed by an HBU layup, Rice clamped down on its defense, holding the Huskies to just two free throws in an 11-2 run that was bookended by three-pointers from Peterson and Martin. Two straight baskets pulled Houston Baptist to within five points, but a layup by Murphy followed by an Adams three gave Rice a 10-point lead. HBU never got closer than eight points the rest of the way.
The Stats
Rice connected on a season-high 53.0% from the field and 36.7% from three. Houston Baptist connected on 51.5% from the floor 38.5% from three. HBU won the rebounding battle, 39-to-32.
What Scott Pera Had to Say
"I'm really proud of our guys tonight. It was a great team win having five guys in double figures, and Payton (Moore) had nine so we almost had six guys. That's when we're at our best. We shared the ball. We had 21 assists on 35 made baskets. We had a stretch there defensively where we had enough stops in a row to increase the lead. I thought we played well with the lead down the stretch to get the win. I'm very, very pleased with our second half efforts tonight."
Notes
• Rice improved to 7-4 on the year.
• Rice improved to 9-3 all-time against Houston Baptist and 8-1 at Tudor Fieldhouse.
• Against the Southland Conference, Rice is 40-33 all-time.
• The Owls set season-highs for points (96), points in a half (57), field goals made (35), field goal percentage (53.0%), assists (21) and points in the paint (48).
• Rice connected on 11 three-pointers, the sixth time this year it hit at least 10 three-pointers in a game.
• Drew Peterson led Rice with 17 points and set career-highs with 12 rebounds and eight assists.
• With 17 points and 12 rebounds, Peterson recorded his first career double-double.
• Robert Martin scored a team-high 20 points, connecting on 8-of-9 from the field. It is his second 20-point game of the year and the sixth of his career.
• Trey Murphy III had 13 points, six rebounds and three steals.
• Chris Mullins scored 13 points and Ako Adams scored 12 points.
• With four three-pointers, Adams has 174 in his career, passing Brock Gillespie (2001-05) and Cory Pflieger (2005-11) for fifth-place in school history.
Next Up
Rice will play the second of three straight homes games next Thursday, Dec. 19 when it hosts St. Thomas in the seventh annual Kid's Day game. Tip-off is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. and the game will be livestreamed on CUSAtv.
Team Stats
HBU
RICE
FG%
.515
.530
3FG%
.385
.367
FT%
.545
.682
RB
39
32
TO
17
11
STL
5
9
Game Leaders
Pts
20
FGM
8
3FGM
3
FTM
1
Pts
17
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
13
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
7
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
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