Tuesday, December 15
Houston, TX
2 p.m.
Rice University
-51,00 CUSA
90
vs
79
Houston Baptist
1-5,0-0Southlan
1
2
F
Houston Baptist
34
45
79
Rice
43
47
90
Photo by: Maria Lysaker
Rice Uses Second Half Surge to Defeat Houston Baptist, 90-79
12/15/2020 5:41:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HOUSTON — Quincy Olivari kept his hot streak going, scoring a career-high 35 points as Rice defeated Houston Baptist for the second time this year, 90-79, Tuesday afternoon from Tudor Fieldhouse.
The Story
Houston Baptist opened the scoring with a three. Rice then scored seven of the next nine points as Chris Mullins scored five, including a three-pointer that gave Rice its first lead of the game. After HBU tied the game at seven, Max Fiedler made a layup and Payton Moore made one-of-two free throws. However, the Huskies hit back-to-back three-pointers to take a 13-10 lead, six minutes into the game. Quincy Olivari then scored seven points in a 9-1 Rice run as the Owls lead 19-14. After the teams traded baskets, The Owls scored six of the next eight points. An HBU jumper cut the lead to five, but an 8-2 run, capped off by a Cavit Ege Havsa three-pointer, gave Rice its largest lead of the half, 35-24, with 4:25 to play. However, eight straight Husky points over the next 1:23 cut the Rice lead to 35-32. The Owls, though, came right back, scoring eight of the final 10 points, including a Havsa layup at the buzzer as Rice went into halftime with a 43-34 lead.
After Houston Baptist opened the second half with a jumper, Rice scored six of the next 12 points. HBU then hit a three-pointer to cut Rice's lead to 49-42. Riley Abercrombie then hit a three-pointer. That's when Olivari got hot. He converted a three-point play, then hit three straight three-pointers on his way to scoring Rice's next 14 points to extend Rice's lead to 68-48 with 11:24 to play. However, the Huskies wouldn't go away, going on a 10-0 run over the next two minutes to pull within 10 points. After trading baskets, Max Fiedler scored four straight points as Rice went on a 12-4 run to take an 82-64 lead with 3:59 to play. HBU would get no closer than 11 points the rest of the way.
The Stats
Rice connected on 39.5% from the field, including 35.3% from three. It also connected on 78.3% from the free throw line. Houston Baptist connected on 47.0% from the floor and 39.3% from three. Rice outrebounded the Huskies, 50-to-34 and had nine steals.
Notes
• Rice improved to 5-1 on the year.
• The teams met for the second time this year and the 14th time overall.
• The Owls are 11-3 against HBU and have won the last four meetings.
• 10 of the 13 games have been at Tudor Fieldhouse, where Rice holds a 9-1 record.
• Rice is 43-34 all-time against the Southland Conference.
• Rice scored 90 points for the second time this year and 80 points for the fourth time.
• Rice grabbed 50 rebounds for the second time this year.
• Rice tied a season-high with nine steals.
• Quincy Olivari led Rice with a career-high 35 points on 6-of-9 from three. He also tied a career-high with six rebounds.
• Olivari is the first player to score 35 points since Robert Martin had 35 against North Texas on Dec. 29, 2018.
• Olivari has scored 20 points in three straight games for the first time in his career. He is the first Owl with three straight 20-point games since Chris Mullins in 2018-19.
• After starting the year 0-of-5 from three against Incarnate Word, Olivari is 23-of-36 from three over the last five games.
• Riley Abercrombie set career-highs with 11 points and nine rebounds.
• Max Fiedler scored eight points and grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds.
• The 16 rebounds are the most since Quentin Millora-Brown had 16 at FIU on Feb. 14, 2019.
• Chris Mullins added 14 points.
Next Up
Rice plays its final non-conference road game this Saturday, Dec. 19 when it travels to Huntsville to face Sam Houston State. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. The game will be livestreamed by the Bearkat Sports Network.
The Story
Houston Baptist opened the scoring with a three. Rice then scored seven of the next nine points as Chris Mullins scored five, including a three-pointer that gave Rice its first lead of the game. After HBU tied the game at seven, Max Fiedler made a layup and Payton Moore made one-of-two free throws. However, the Huskies hit back-to-back three-pointers to take a 13-10 lead, six minutes into the game. Quincy Olivari then scored seven points in a 9-1 Rice run as the Owls lead 19-14. After the teams traded baskets, The Owls scored six of the next eight points. An HBU jumper cut the lead to five, but an 8-2 run, capped off by a Cavit Ege Havsa three-pointer, gave Rice its largest lead of the half, 35-24, with 4:25 to play. However, eight straight Husky points over the next 1:23 cut the Rice lead to 35-32. The Owls, though, came right back, scoring eight of the final 10 points, including a Havsa layup at the buzzer as Rice went into halftime with a 43-34 lead.
After Houston Baptist opened the second half with a jumper, Rice scored six of the next 12 points. HBU then hit a three-pointer to cut Rice's lead to 49-42. Riley Abercrombie then hit a three-pointer. That's when Olivari got hot. He converted a three-point play, then hit three straight three-pointers on his way to scoring Rice's next 14 points to extend Rice's lead to 68-48 with 11:24 to play. However, the Huskies wouldn't go away, going on a 10-0 run over the next two minutes to pull within 10 points. After trading baskets, Max Fiedler scored four straight points as Rice went on a 12-4 run to take an 82-64 lead with 3:59 to play. HBU would get no closer than 11 points the rest of the way.
The Stats
Rice connected on 39.5% from the field, including 35.3% from three. It also connected on 78.3% from the free throw line. Houston Baptist connected on 47.0% from the floor and 39.3% from three. Rice outrebounded the Huskies, 50-to-34 and had nine steals.
Notes
• Rice improved to 5-1 on the year.
• The teams met for the second time this year and the 14th time overall.
• The Owls are 11-3 against HBU and have won the last four meetings.
• 10 of the 13 games have been at Tudor Fieldhouse, where Rice holds a 9-1 record.
• Rice is 43-34 all-time against the Southland Conference.
• Rice scored 90 points for the second time this year and 80 points for the fourth time.
• Rice grabbed 50 rebounds for the second time this year.
• Rice tied a season-high with nine steals.
• Quincy Olivari led Rice with a career-high 35 points on 6-of-9 from three. He also tied a career-high with six rebounds.
• Olivari is the first player to score 35 points since Robert Martin had 35 against North Texas on Dec. 29, 2018.
• Olivari has scored 20 points in three straight games for the first time in his career. He is the first Owl with three straight 20-point games since Chris Mullins in 2018-19.
• After starting the year 0-of-5 from three against Incarnate Word, Olivari is 23-of-36 from three over the last five games.
• Riley Abercrombie set career-highs with 11 points and nine rebounds.
• Max Fiedler scored eight points and grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds.
• The 16 rebounds are the most since Quentin Millora-Brown had 16 at FIU on Feb. 14, 2019.
• Chris Mullins added 14 points.
Next Up
Rice plays its final non-conference road game this Saturday, Dec. 19 when it travels to Huntsville to face Sam Houston State. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. The game will be livestreamed by the Bearkat Sports Network.
Team Stats
HBU
RICE
FG%
.470
.395
3FG%
.393
.353
FT%
.667
.783
RB
34
50
TO
13
10
STL
4
9
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
35
FGM
12
3FGM
6
FTM
5
Pts
14
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
F
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
/ Men's Basketball
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