Saturday, January 18
Hattiesburg, MS
2 p.m.
Rice University
-910, 15 CUSA
68
at
81
Southern Miss
-514, 15 CUSA
1
2
F
Rice
30
38
68
Southern Miss
34
47
81
Photo by: Bobby McDuffie
Rice Drops 81-68 Decision at Southern Miss
1/18/2020 7:12:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Rice went without a field goal for for more than eight minutes in the second half, turning a four-point deficit into an 81-68 defeat to Southern Miss, Saturday afternoon from Reed Green Coliseum.
How it Happened
Southern Miss scored seven of the first nine points, but two straight three-pointers from Trey Murphy III gave Rice its only lead of the game, 8-7, four minutes into the game. USM converted an and-one but Josh Parrish tied the game with a layup. The Golden Eagles scored eight of the next 11 points, but Rice went on a 7-2 run, capped off by a Quincy Olivari three-pointer that tied the game at 20 with 8:24 to play. Southern Miss went on a 9-2 run to take its largest lead of the half, 29-22 with 4:18 remaining in the half. The teams then traded baskets over the next three minutes before a Chris Mullins free throw and layup by Payton Moore just before the buzzer sent Rice into halftime trailing 34-30.
The second half started with Mullins converting a three-point play. But the Golden Eagles rattled off nine straight points to take a 43-33 lead. Rice came right back with a 10-2 run as an Olivari three-pointer pulled the Owls within 45-43, 5:10 into the half. However, Rice went cold, missing 10 straight shots over the next 8:08 as Southern Miss went on a 15-4 run to take a 60-47 lead. Murphy III then capped an 8-2 run to get Rice within 62-55 with 4:50 to play. But Rice would get no further as the Golden Eagles would extend their lead to as many as 15.
The Stats
Rice was held to just 36.7% from the field and 25.7% from three. Southern Miss connected on 50.0% from the floor and 40.9% from behind the arc. The Owls made just 62.5% from the free throw line while USM connected on 82.4%. The Golden Eagles outrebounded Rice, 41-to-35 and scored 18 points off nine Rice turnovers.
What Scott Pera Had to Say
"Southern Miss did a good job in the first half against our zone. We had so many opportunities to get back in it, but we're always fighting from behind. Every little thing gets magnified. We didn't make enough plays where we could make it competitive. We had opportunities to do so. There were just too many missed opportunities."
Notes
• Rice fell to 9-10 on the year and 1-5 in Conference USA.
• Rice fell to 11-10 all-time against Southern Miss and 3-7 in Hattiesburg.
• Trey Murphy III scored a team-high 20 points and grabbed five rebounds.
• It is his second straight 20-point game. He has four 20-point games this year and five in his career.
• Murphy is the first player with back-to-back 20-point games since Chris Mullins did it three straight games, Dec. 13-18, 2018.
• With four three-pointers, Murphy III moved into 25th-place on the Rice all-time list with 108, passing Mike Wilks (1997-2001).
• Josh Parrish scored 13 points, grabbed six rebounds and tied a career-high with four assists.
• Drew Peterson grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. He has had at least five rebounds in 17 of 19 games.
• With four assists, Ako Adams now has 269 career, passing Elbert Darden (1975-79) and Anthony DeCello (1977-81) for 14th-place on the Rice career list.
• Quincy Olivari added eight points.
Next Up
Rice closes its three-game road trip this Monday, Jan. 20, when it travels to Denton, Texas to face North Texas. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and the game will be livestreamed by the ESPN+.
How it Happened
Southern Miss scored seven of the first nine points, but two straight three-pointers from Trey Murphy III gave Rice its only lead of the game, 8-7, four minutes into the game. USM converted an and-one but Josh Parrish tied the game with a layup. The Golden Eagles scored eight of the next 11 points, but Rice went on a 7-2 run, capped off by a Quincy Olivari three-pointer that tied the game at 20 with 8:24 to play. Southern Miss went on a 9-2 run to take its largest lead of the half, 29-22 with 4:18 remaining in the half. The teams then traded baskets over the next three minutes before a Chris Mullins free throw and layup by Payton Moore just before the buzzer sent Rice into halftime trailing 34-30.
The second half started with Mullins converting a three-point play. But the Golden Eagles rattled off nine straight points to take a 43-33 lead. Rice came right back with a 10-2 run as an Olivari three-pointer pulled the Owls within 45-43, 5:10 into the half. However, Rice went cold, missing 10 straight shots over the next 8:08 as Southern Miss went on a 15-4 run to take a 60-47 lead. Murphy III then capped an 8-2 run to get Rice within 62-55 with 4:50 to play. But Rice would get no further as the Golden Eagles would extend their lead to as many as 15.
The Stats
Rice was held to just 36.7% from the field and 25.7% from three. Southern Miss connected on 50.0% from the floor and 40.9% from behind the arc. The Owls made just 62.5% from the free throw line while USM connected on 82.4%. The Golden Eagles outrebounded Rice, 41-to-35 and scored 18 points off nine Rice turnovers.
What Scott Pera Had to Say
"Southern Miss did a good job in the first half against our zone. We had so many opportunities to get back in it, but we're always fighting from behind. Every little thing gets magnified. We didn't make enough plays where we could make it competitive. We had opportunities to do so. There were just too many missed opportunities."
Notes
• Rice fell to 9-10 on the year and 1-5 in Conference USA.
• Rice fell to 11-10 all-time against Southern Miss and 3-7 in Hattiesburg.
• Trey Murphy III scored a team-high 20 points and grabbed five rebounds.
• It is his second straight 20-point game. He has four 20-point games this year and five in his career.
• Murphy is the first player with back-to-back 20-point games since Chris Mullins did it three straight games, Dec. 13-18, 2018.
• With four three-pointers, Murphy III moved into 25th-place on the Rice all-time list with 108, passing Mike Wilks (1997-2001).
• Josh Parrish scored 13 points, grabbed six rebounds and tied a career-high with four assists.
• Drew Peterson grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. He has had at least five rebounds in 17 of 19 games.
• With four assists, Ako Adams now has 269 career, passing Elbert Darden (1975-79) and Anthony DeCello (1977-81) for 14th-place on the Rice career list.
• Quincy Olivari added eight points.
Next Up
Rice closes its three-game road trip this Monday, Jan. 20, when it travels to Denton, Texas to face North Texas. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and the game will be livestreamed by the ESPN+.
Team Stats
RICE
USM
FG%
.367
.500
3FG%
.257
.409
FT%
.625
.824
RB
35
41
TO
9
9
STL
6
3
Game Leaders
Pts
20
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
6
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
8
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
G/F
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