Friday, February 5
Houston, TX
2 p.m.
Rice University
-118,56 CUSA
88
vs
62
Southern Miss
-711,38 CUSA
1
2
F
Southern Miss.
27
35
62
Rice
37
51
88
Photo by: Maria Lysaker
Olivari’s 29 Points Leads Rice to 88-62 Victory over Southern Miss
2/5/2021 5:48:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HOUSTON — Quincy Olivari connected on six three-pointers and scored 29 points to lead Rice to an 88-62 victory, Friday afternoon from Tudor Fieldhouse.
The Story
The teams traded leads through the first four minutes. With Southern Miss leading 9-7, Cameron Sheffield's three-pointer gave Rice the lead as it went on a 12-2 run to take a 19-11 lead. A Tae Hardy three-pointer made it a five-point game. The teams then went back and forth over the next 3:09. With the Owls leading 23-18, Max Fiedler made a layup and Olivari connected on three straight three-pointers as Rice went on an 11-0 run to take its largest lead of the half, 34-18, with 5:31 to play. But USM closed the half on a 9-3 run as Rice went into the break with a 37-27 lead.
Southern Miss scored five of the first seven points in the second half to cut its deficit to seven. An Olivari three pushed Rice's lead back to 10. After two USM free throws, Travis Evee converted a three-point play. Two more Southern Miss free throws cut the lead to nine. However, USM missed seven of its next eight shots while Rice hit six of its next seven, capped off by two straight Evee three-pointers as Rice used a 17-2 run to open up a 62-38 lead just over seven minutes into the second half. The Golden Eagles got no closer than 21 points as Rice led by as many as 27.
The Stats
Rice connected on 50.8% from the field, 40.6% from three and 81.8% from the foul line. Southern Miss was held to 36.1% from the floor, 33.3% from three and 63.2% from the charity stripe. Rice outrebounded the Golden Eagles, 46-to-29 and outscored them in the paint, 32-to-14.
What Scott Pera Had to Say
"We got back to being who we are. Sharing the ball, playing with pace and I thought today we really defended. It's a mindset that we're trying to build. Guys are starting to take it a little more personal, and we need them to. I'm proud of our guys defensive effort. I thought it was one of our most complete games of the year."
Notes
• Rice improved to 11-8 on the year and 5-6 in Conference USA.
• The Owls improved to 13-10 against Southern Miss and 8-2 in Houston.
• Rice has won nine of the last 11 meetings with the Golden Eagles.
• The 26-point margin was Rice's largest Conference USA victory since joining the league in 2005 and largest conference victory since an 82-49 victory over San Jose State on Jan. 31, 2004.
• Rice connected on 50.8% from the floor, the sixth time hit 50.0% from the field.
• The Owls made 13 three-pointers, the 13th time this year it made at least 10 threes.
• Quincy Olivari had game-highs of 29 points and seven rebounds.
• It was his seventh 20-point game of the year.
• Olivari connected on six three-pointers, his sixth game of the year with at least five three-pointers.
• Travis Evee scored 14 points.
• Mylyjael Poteat recorded career-highs of 12 points and six rebounds.
• Riley Abercrombie scored 11 points.
• Max Fiedler scored eight points and had a game-high seven rebounds.
• Cavit Ege Havsa tied a season-high with six assists and had five rebounds.
• Payton Moore added six points, five rebounds and four assists.
Next Up
Rice will look to sweep the Golden Eagles when the teams meet again tomorrow at 2 p.m. The game will be livestreamed at CUSAtv.
The Story
The teams traded leads through the first four minutes. With Southern Miss leading 9-7, Cameron Sheffield's three-pointer gave Rice the lead as it went on a 12-2 run to take a 19-11 lead. A Tae Hardy three-pointer made it a five-point game. The teams then went back and forth over the next 3:09. With the Owls leading 23-18, Max Fiedler made a layup and Olivari connected on three straight three-pointers as Rice went on an 11-0 run to take its largest lead of the half, 34-18, with 5:31 to play. But USM closed the half on a 9-3 run as Rice went into the break with a 37-27 lead.
Southern Miss scored five of the first seven points in the second half to cut its deficit to seven. An Olivari three pushed Rice's lead back to 10. After two USM free throws, Travis Evee converted a three-point play. Two more Southern Miss free throws cut the lead to nine. However, USM missed seven of its next eight shots while Rice hit six of its next seven, capped off by two straight Evee three-pointers as Rice used a 17-2 run to open up a 62-38 lead just over seven minutes into the second half. The Golden Eagles got no closer than 21 points as Rice led by as many as 27.
The Stats
Rice connected on 50.8% from the field, 40.6% from three and 81.8% from the foul line. Southern Miss was held to 36.1% from the floor, 33.3% from three and 63.2% from the charity stripe. Rice outrebounded the Golden Eagles, 46-to-29 and outscored them in the paint, 32-to-14.
What Scott Pera Had to Say
"We got back to being who we are. Sharing the ball, playing with pace and I thought today we really defended. It's a mindset that we're trying to build. Guys are starting to take it a little more personal, and we need them to. I'm proud of our guys defensive effort. I thought it was one of our most complete games of the year."
Notes
• Rice improved to 11-8 on the year and 5-6 in Conference USA.
• The Owls improved to 13-10 against Southern Miss and 8-2 in Houston.
• Rice has won nine of the last 11 meetings with the Golden Eagles.
• The 26-point margin was Rice's largest Conference USA victory since joining the league in 2005 and largest conference victory since an 82-49 victory over San Jose State on Jan. 31, 2004.
• Rice connected on 50.8% from the floor, the sixth time hit 50.0% from the field.
• The Owls made 13 three-pointers, the 13th time this year it made at least 10 threes.
• Quincy Olivari had game-highs of 29 points and seven rebounds.
• It was his seventh 20-point game of the year.
• Olivari connected on six three-pointers, his sixth game of the year with at least five three-pointers.
• Travis Evee scored 14 points.
• Mylyjael Poteat recorded career-highs of 12 points and six rebounds.
• Riley Abercrombie scored 11 points.
• Max Fiedler scored eight points and had a game-high seven rebounds.
• Cavit Ege Havsa tied a season-high with six assists and had five rebounds.
• Payton Moore added six points, five rebounds and four assists.
Next Up
Rice will look to sweep the Golden Eagles when the teams meet again tomorrow at 2 p.m. The game will be livestreamed at CUSAtv.
Team Stats
USM
RICE
FG%
.361
.508
3FG%
.333
.406
FT%
.632
.818
RB
29
46
TO
6
9
STL
4
4
Game Leaders
Pts
29
FGM
10
3FGM
6
FTM
3
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
1
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballG
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