Saturday, February 1
Houston, TX
2 p.m.
Rice University
-1013,28 CUSA
84
vs
75
North Texas
-149,82 CUSA
1
2
F
North Texas
34
41
75
Rice
44
40
84
Photo by: Maria Lysaker
Rice Knocks Off First-Place North Texas, 84-75
2/1/2020 6:02:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HOUSTON — Rice made seven of its final eight shots, closing the game on a 17-6 run as it came back from a seven-point deficit to defeat first-place North Texas, 84-75 and snap UNT's eight-game winning streak.
How it Happened
Both teams came out firing, trading baskets throughout the first half as Rice made nine of its first 10 shots to jump out to a 23-15 lead through the first seven minutes. After a UNT three-pointer, Josh Parrish made consecutive layups to push Rice's lead to nine points. Umoja Gibson made a pair of free throws and a Javion Hamlet three-pointer cut the lead to four. But an 8-3 run gave Rice a 35-26 lead with 7:05 to play. However, the Owls were held scoreless over the next two and a half minutes as UNT went on a 7-0 run to pull within 35-33 with four minutes left. But the Owls closed the half on a 9-1 run, capped off by three-pointers from Olivari and Ako Adams, to head into halftime with a 44-34 lead.
North Texas started the second half the way it started the first, scoring 14 of the first 19 points to pull within one. After a Chris Mullins layup, the Mean Green scored eight straight points to take a 56-51 lead. The teams then traded baskets over the next three and a half minutes, with a Gibson three-pointer giving North Texas its largest lead of the game, 65-58, with 8:52 to play. That's when Rice started its comeback. After two straight baskets by Parrish, Adams hit a three to tie the game at 65. Hamlet hit two free throws, but Drew Peterson followed with a layup. Gibson gave UNT another lead, but two three-pointers by Robert Martin and one from Peterson gave Rice a 9-0 run and a 76-69 lead with 3:13 to play. DJ Draper's sixth three-pointer pulled North Texas within four points, but Parrish answered with back-to-back baskets. Another three cut the deficit to five with 56 seconds remaining, but that's as close as the Mean Green would get as Trey Murphy III closed out the victory with a dunk and two free throws.
What Scott Pera Had to Say
"We really closed out (the game) well. We handled it really well. You always look better when you make shots and we made big shots. Everybody contributed. It's the same thing I always say; when we have five guys in double-figures, we're a tough team to guard. We really shared (the ball) today. This is a win that everybody is going to enjoy."
The Stats
Rice connected on season-highs of 61.5% from the field and 53.6% from three. North Texas connected on 51.0% from the floor and 48.5% from behind the arc. Rice outrebounded the Mean Green, 26-to-22 and outscored them in the paint, 34-to-18.
Notes
• Rice improved to 10-13 on the year and 2-8 in Conference USA.
• Rice improved to 8-17 all-time against North Texas and 6-6 in Houston.
• Rice connected on 15 three-pointers, tying the fifth-most in school history.
• Rice shot a season-high 61.5% from the floor. It was its highest field goal percentage since shooting 63.3% at Omaha on Nov. 19, 2016.
• Rice also connected on a season-high 53.6% from three. It is its highest three-point field goal percentage since shooting 58.8% at North Texas on Feb. 3, 2018.
• Rice had a season-high 26 assists. It was its most assists since having 26 against Northwestern State on Nov. 17, 2018.
• Trey Murphy III scored 15 points and grabbed a game-high seven rebounds.
• Josh Parrish scored 15 points, had five assists and grabbed four rebounds.
• Drew Peterson scored 13 points and had seven assists.
• Robert Martin scored 13 points.
• Ako Adams scored 12 points and tied a career-high with nine assists.
• With his nine assists, Adams has 284 career, tying Marvin Moore (1989-93) for 13th-place in Rice history.
Next Up
Rice goes back on the road next Thursday, Feb. 6, when it travels to Birmingham, Ala., to face UAB. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and the game will be livestreamed by the ESPN+.
How it Happened
Both teams came out firing, trading baskets throughout the first half as Rice made nine of its first 10 shots to jump out to a 23-15 lead through the first seven minutes. After a UNT three-pointer, Josh Parrish made consecutive layups to push Rice's lead to nine points. Umoja Gibson made a pair of free throws and a Javion Hamlet three-pointer cut the lead to four. But an 8-3 run gave Rice a 35-26 lead with 7:05 to play. However, the Owls were held scoreless over the next two and a half minutes as UNT went on a 7-0 run to pull within 35-33 with four minutes left. But the Owls closed the half on a 9-1 run, capped off by three-pointers from Olivari and Ako Adams, to head into halftime with a 44-34 lead.
North Texas started the second half the way it started the first, scoring 14 of the first 19 points to pull within one. After a Chris Mullins layup, the Mean Green scored eight straight points to take a 56-51 lead. The teams then traded baskets over the next three and a half minutes, with a Gibson three-pointer giving North Texas its largest lead of the game, 65-58, with 8:52 to play. That's when Rice started its comeback. After two straight baskets by Parrish, Adams hit a three to tie the game at 65. Hamlet hit two free throws, but Drew Peterson followed with a layup. Gibson gave UNT another lead, but two three-pointers by Robert Martin and one from Peterson gave Rice a 9-0 run and a 76-69 lead with 3:13 to play. DJ Draper's sixth three-pointer pulled North Texas within four points, but Parrish answered with back-to-back baskets. Another three cut the deficit to five with 56 seconds remaining, but that's as close as the Mean Green would get as Trey Murphy III closed out the victory with a dunk and two free throws.
What Scott Pera Had to Say
"We really closed out (the game) well. We handled it really well. You always look better when you make shots and we made big shots. Everybody contributed. It's the same thing I always say; when we have five guys in double-figures, we're a tough team to guard. We really shared (the ball) today. This is a win that everybody is going to enjoy."
The Stats
Rice connected on season-highs of 61.5% from the field and 53.6% from three. North Texas connected on 51.0% from the floor and 48.5% from behind the arc. Rice outrebounded the Mean Green, 26-to-22 and outscored them in the paint, 34-to-18.
Notes
• Rice improved to 10-13 on the year and 2-8 in Conference USA.
• Rice improved to 8-17 all-time against North Texas and 6-6 in Houston.
• Rice connected on 15 three-pointers, tying the fifth-most in school history.
• Rice shot a season-high 61.5% from the floor. It was its highest field goal percentage since shooting 63.3% at Omaha on Nov. 19, 2016.
• Rice also connected on a season-high 53.6% from three. It is its highest three-point field goal percentage since shooting 58.8% at North Texas on Feb. 3, 2018.
• Rice had a season-high 26 assists. It was its most assists since having 26 against Northwestern State on Nov. 17, 2018.
• Trey Murphy III scored 15 points and grabbed a game-high seven rebounds.
• Josh Parrish scored 15 points, had five assists and grabbed four rebounds.
• Drew Peterson scored 13 points and had seven assists.
• Robert Martin scored 13 points.
• Ako Adams scored 12 points and tied a career-high with nine assists.
• With his nine assists, Adams has 284 career, tying Marvin Moore (1989-93) for 13th-place in Rice history.
Next Up
Rice goes back on the road next Thursday, Feb. 6, when it travels to Birmingham, Ala., to face UAB. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and the game will be livestreamed by the ESPN+.
Team Stats
UNT
RICE
FG%
.510
.615
3FG%
.485
.536
FT%
.700
.625
RB
22
26
TO
15
13
STL
4
9
Game Leaders
Pts
15
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
15
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG/F
/ Men's BasketballWBB: Rice vs. Marshall Postgame Presser
Wednesday, March 09
VB: Rice-Texas Postgame Presser
Saturday, December 04
VB: Rice-San Diego Postgame Presser
Thursday, December 02