Sunday, December 20
College Station, TX
2 P.M.
Rice University
-41,00 CUSA
53
at
57
No. 10 Texas A&M
8-0,0-0SEC
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F
Rice
17
11
8
17
53
Texas A&M
17
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57
Photo by: Maria Lysaker
No. 10 Aggies Edge Owls, 57-53
12/20/2020 5:26:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Smith scores game-high 18 points in defeat
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Rice Owls women's basketball team suffered their first loss of the season Sunday afternoon, dropping a hard-fought 57-53 battle at No. 10 Texas A&M.
Junior guard Jasmine Smith led all players with a game and season-high 18 points for the Owls, making 8-of-12 shots from the field in 38 minutes of action. Senior center Nancy Mulkey also scored in double-figures for the Owls with 13 points to go along with a game-high three blocks.
Rice (4-1) held the Aggies (8-0) to 24 points below their season scoring average for a season-low in both points and field goal percentage (38.6). The Owls tied or outscored the Aggies in every quarter but a 20-8 advantage for A&M in the third period proved to be the difference.
The Aggies were led in scoring by Aaliyah Wilson (16 points) and Alexis Morris (16 points) while Cierra Johnson contributed 10 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
The Owls led for almost the entirety of the opening period and jumped out to an early 13-6 lead in the game's first five minutes. Rice got their scoring started on Mulkey's second three-pointer of the season and Smith later followed with a personal 7-0 run for the seven point cushion. Smith added a layup near the end of the quarter and the Aggies and Owls were tied, 17-17, after 10 minutes. The Owls made 7-of-12 shots from the field in the quarter, including a pair of three-pointers.
Second Quarter
Rice outscored A&M by an 11-7 margin in the quarter, using a stifling defense to limit the Aggies to just two made field goals in the period and four turnovers. Haylee Swayze gave the Owls a lift with five points in the quarter off the bench and Rice led 28-24 at the half.
Third Quarter
The Aggies took advantage of 10 Rice turnovers in the quarter to outscore the Owls 20-8 and created a 44-36 lead to the fourth. Morris scored nine points in the period on 4-of-4 shooting for the Aggies, including a three-pointer as the quarter horn sounded.
Fourth Quarter
Rice refused to go away quietly despite falling behind by as many as 10 points (46-36). Sophomore forward India Bellamy sliced the Aggies lead down 50-47 with 4:36 remaining with five straight points, including a three-pointer from the top of the arc that touched nothing by nylon. Twice the Owls got as close as one point in the final 1:30 after Mulkey went 4-of-4 from the charity stripe but a Wilson jumper pushed the deficit back to 56-53 and the Owls were unable to score in the final minute.
Up Next
Rice will now be out of action until Jan. 1 when they open the Conference USA season with back-to-back games at UTSA.
Junior guard Jasmine Smith led all players with a game and season-high 18 points for the Owls, making 8-of-12 shots from the field in 38 minutes of action. Senior center Nancy Mulkey also scored in double-figures for the Owls with 13 points to go along with a game-high three blocks.
Rice (4-1) held the Aggies (8-0) to 24 points below their season scoring average for a season-low in both points and field goal percentage (38.6). The Owls tied or outscored the Aggies in every quarter but a 20-8 advantage for A&M in the third period proved to be the difference.
The Aggies were led in scoring by Aaliyah Wilson (16 points) and Alexis Morris (16 points) while Cierra Johnson contributed 10 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
The Owls led for almost the entirety of the opening period and jumped out to an early 13-6 lead in the game's first five minutes. Rice got their scoring started on Mulkey's second three-pointer of the season and Smith later followed with a personal 7-0 run for the seven point cushion. Smith added a layup near the end of the quarter and the Aggies and Owls were tied, 17-17, after 10 minutes. The Owls made 7-of-12 shots from the field in the quarter, including a pair of three-pointers.
Second Quarter
Rice outscored A&M by an 11-7 margin in the quarter, using a stifling defense to limit the Aggies to just two made field goals in the period and four turnovers. Haylee Swayze gave the Owls a lift with five points in the quarter off the bench and Rice led 28-24 at the half.
Third Quarter
The Aggies took advantage of 10 Rice turnovers in the quarter to outscore the Owls 20-8 and created a 44-36 lead to the fourth. Morris scored nine points in the period on 4-of-4 shooting for the Aggies, including a three-pointer as the quarter horn sounded.
Fourth Quarter
Rice refused to go away quietly despite falling behind by as many as 10 points (46-36). Sophomore forward India Bellamy sliced the Aggies lead down 50-47 with 4:36 remaining with five straight points, including a three-pointer from the top of the arc that touched nothing by nylon. Twice the Owls got as close as one point in the final 1:30 after Mulkey went 4-of-4 from the charity stripe but a Wilson jumper pushed the deficit back to 56-53 and the Owls were unable to score in the final minute.
Rice will now be out of action until Jan. 1 when they open the Conference USA season with back-to-back games at UTSA.
-RiceOwls.com-
Team Stats
Rice
TA&M
FG%
.426
.386
3FG%
.455
.273
FT%
.889
.714
RB
29
33
TO
19
13
STL
5
9
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
18
FGM
8
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
5
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
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