Wednesday, November 24
Houston, TX
1:00 P.M. CT
Rice University
-32,00 CUSA
81
vs
73
Pacific
2-4,0-0WCC
1
2
3
4
F
Pacific
13
22
19
19
73
Rice
20
20
13
28
81
Photo by: Juan DeLeon
Owls Display Grit in 81-73 Victory Over Pacific
11/24/2021 4:16:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Five Owls score in double-figures
HOUSTON – The Rice Owls women's basketball team entered the Thanksgiving break riding high following an 81-73 home victory over the Pacific Tigers Wednesday afternoon to conclude their season-opening five-game homestand with a 3-2 record.
Rice had five players score in double-figures for the first time since the Owls 81-62 victory at Texas Tech last season on Dec. 5, 2020. The Owls trailed by as much as 62-57 with 7:56 remaining in the game but outscored the Tigers 24-11 the rest of the way.
The Owls (3-2) tied a season-high with seven made three-pointers, as well as free throws made (20) and free throws attempted (31). Rice also pulled down a season-high 43 rebounds, including 17 offensive boards.
Rice received contributions up and down the roster, including sophomore forward Ashlee Austin scoring 17 points for a second straight game to lead the team in scoring, converting 6-of-13 shots from the floor and 4-of-6 at the line to go along with nine rebounds in 31 minutes.
Rice freshman Malia Fisher recorded her second double-double of the season with 14 points and a season-high 17 rebounds to go along with four assists and three blocks while playing all 40 minutes. Senior Alexis Stover totaled a season-high with 16 points, knocking down 6-of-10 shots from the field while redshirt freshman Maya Bokunewicz provided the Owls a boost off the bench with a career-high 16 points, which included three made three-pointers. The fifth Owl to score in double-figures was freshman point guard Trinity Gooden, scoring 10 points in 24 minutes.
Postgame Reaction - Head Coach Lindsay Edmonds
"Two weeks ago we lost a similar game against Louisiana. So seeing some growth from my team was really exciting. We had some things that didn't go our way early on and we dealt with some adversity. I felt like we could have hung our heads and felt sorry for ourselves and say woe is me but my team, they just fought. I'm super proud of them. I've said it before, I want to be known as a team that always fights and they fought for 40 minutes. Even when we lost the lead we figured out a way to keep climbing, to get back in the game, take the lead and keep it. I'm just thankful for them as we head into Thanksgiving and thankful for this season and where I think we can go."
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
The Owls used a 7-1 run over the final 1:27 to win the opening quarter, 20-13. All five starters played every second of the period and Austin (9 points) and Stover (8 points) got the Owls off to a fast start offensively by shooting a combined 6-of-9 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.
Second Quarter
The Tigers outscored Rice 22-20 in the quarter but Rice still led 40-34 entering the break. Bokunewicz scored seven points in the quarter and the Owls totaled 14 points in the paint.
Third Quarter
Pacific won the third period, 19-13, to take a narrow 54-53 lead entering the fourth. The Tigers made 6-of-8 free throw attempts in the quarter while the Owls shot just 5-of-12 from the field and 3-of-8 from the charity stripe.
Fourth Quarter
The Owls played one of their more complete quarters of the season, outscoring Pacific 28-19 and their aggressiveness led towards 19 free throw attempts, of which Rice made 14. Bokunewicz (9 points) and Fisher (8 points) helped bring the victory home. Bokunewicz connected on a pair of three-pointers to give the Owls the lead for good and sophomore guard Destiny Jackson helped ice the game by making 5-of-6 free throws in the final minutes.
UP NEXT
Rice will be out of action for the next nine days before returning to action on Dec. 4 when they travel to UT-Arlington for their first road game of the season. The Owls are back at home on Saturday, Dec. 11 when they host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Rice had five players score in double-figures for the first time since the Owls 81-62 victory at Texas Tech last season on Dec. 5, 2020. The Owls trailed by as much as 62-57 with 7:56 remaining in the game but outscored the Tigers 24-11 the rest of the way.
The Owls (3-2) tied a season-high with seven made three-pointers, as well as free throws made (20) and free throws attempted (31). Rice also pulled down a season-high 43 rebounds, including 17 offensive boards.
Rice received contributions up and down the roster, including sophomore forward Ashlee Austin scoring 17 points for a second straight game to lead the team in scoring, converting 6-of-13 shots from the floor and 4-of-6 at the line to go along with nine rebounds in 31 minutes.
Rice freshman Malia Fisher recorded her second double-double of the season with 14 points and a season-high 17 rebounds to go along with four assists and three blocks while playing all 40 minutes. Senior Alexis Stover totaled a season-high with 16 points, knocking down 6-of-10 shots from the field while redshirt freshman Maya Bokunewicz provided the Owls a boost off the bench with a career-high 16 points, which included three made three-pointers. The fifth Owl to score in double-figures was freshman point guard Trinity Gooden, scoring 10 points in 24 minutes.
"Two weeks ago we lost a similar game against Louisiana. So seeing some growth from my team was really exciting. We had some things that didn't go our way early on and we dealt with some adversity. I felt like we could have hung our heads and felt sorry for ourselves and say woe is me but my team, they just fought. I'm super proud of them. I've said it before, I want to be known as a team that always fights and they fought for 40 minutes. Even when we lost the lead we figured out a way to keep climbing, to get back in the game, take the lead and keep it. I'm just thankful for them as we head into Thanksgiving and thankful for this season and where I think we can go."
First Quarter
The Owls used a 7-1 run over the final 1:27 to win the opening quarter, 20-13. All five starters played every second of the period and Austin (9 points) and Stover (8 points) got the Owls off to a fast start offensively by shooting a combined 6-of-9 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.
Second Quarter
The Tigers outscored Rice 22-20 in the quarter but Rice still led 40-34 entering the break. Bokunewicz scored seven points in the quarter and the Owls totaled 14 points in the paint.
Third Quarter
Pacific won the third period, 19-13, to take a narrow 54-53 lead entering the fourth. The Tigers made 6-of-8 free throw attempts in the quarter while the Owls shot just 5-of-12 from the field and 3-of-8 from the charity stripe.
Fourth Quarter
The Owls played one of their more complete quarters of the season, outscoring Pacific 28-19 and their aggressiveness led towards 19 free throw attempts, of which Rice made 14. Bokunewicz (9 points) and Fisher (8 points) helped bring the victory home. Bokunewicz connected on a pair of three-pointers to give the Owls the lead for good and sophomore guard Destiny Jackson helped ice the game by making 5-of-6 free throws in the final minutes.
Rice will be out of action for the next nine days before returning to action on Dec. 4 when they travel to UT-Arlington for their first road game of the season. The Owls are back at home on Saturday, Dec. 11 when they host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
-RiceOwls.com-
Team Stats
UOP
Rice
FG%
.420
.443
3FG%
.278
.389
FT%
.667
.645
RB
38
43
TO
12
14
STL
5
8
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
17
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
3
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
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