Men’s Hoops Begins Home C-USA Slate against Middle Tennessee

HOUSTON — Rice begins its Conference USA home schedule this Thursday, Jan. 6, when it hosts Middle Tennessee. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be streamed on CUSAtv.

In accordance with current Rice University COVID-19 policies, attendance at upcoming Rice basketball games will be limited to season ticket members, families of student-athletes and team staff, and holders of previously purchased single-game tickets until further notice.

Game 13
What: Rice vs. Middle Tennessee
When: Thursday, January 6 at 7 p.m.
Where: Houston, Texas
Arena: Tudor Fieldhouse (5,208)
Watch: CUSAtv
Listen: RiceOwls.com
Live Stats: RiceOwls.com
Series Information: Series tied 6-6 (Rice leads 5-2 in Houston)

Scouting Rice
• Rice enters Thursday night's Conference USA home opener with a 7-5 record. The Owls dropped their C-USA opener last Saturday at North Texas.
• Guard Carl Pierre leads the team and is eighth in Conference USA with 14.5 points per game while pulling down 3.6 rebounds per game. He is second in the league in field goal percentage (49.2%), three-point field goal percentage (43.8%), and three-pointers made per game (2.9).
• Guard Travis Evee is second on the team with 14.3 points per game while adding 3.4 rebounds per game and 2.9 assists per game. Evee leads C-USA in three-point field goal percentage (47.4%) and three-pointers made per game (3.1). He's also connecting on 51.4% from the field.
• Forward Max Fiedler is averaging 9.9 points per game and is second in the conference with 8.8 rebounds per game. He leads the team in field goal percentage, connecting on 59.5% from the field and assists per game (3.6). He's also second in the conference with four double-doubles and ninth in blocks (1.3).
• Guard Chris Mullins is scoring 9.8 points per game while placing third on the team with 2.7 assists per game.
• Rice is third in Conference USA in scoring, averaging 77.8 points per game while allowing 74.3.
• The Owls are connecting on 46.6% from the field and 39.9% from three, which leads the league. They are allowing 42.5% from the floor and 31.3% from beyond the arc.
• Rice is outrebounding the opposition, 37.3-to-35.0.
• Rice leads the league in assists with 16.5 and is second in three-pointers per game with 10.7.
• Head coach Scott Pera is in his fifth season leading the Rice men's basketball program. He holds a record of 57-78.

Scouting Middle Tennessee
• Middle Tennessee enters Thursday night's contest with a 9-4 record. The Blue Raiders are playing their first game since Dec. 22 after having last week's conference opening series canceled due to COVID-19.
• Guard Josh Jefferson leads the team with 12.2 points while connecting on 93.8% from the free throw line.
• Guard Eli Lawrence is second on the team with 11.2 points per game while leading the team with 4.5 rebounds per game.
• Guard Donovan Sims is scoring 10.2 points per game and is leading the squad with 2.8 assists per game.
• Middle Tennessee is averaging 77.1 points per game while allowing just 66.9.
• The Blue Raiders are connecting on 45.6% from the field but just 30.3% from three. They are allowing 42.5% from the floor and 32.8% from beyond the arc.
• Middle Tennessee is outrebounding its opponents, 35.3-to-34.3.
• MT is third in the conference with 8.8 steals per game and 4.8 blocks per game.
• Head coach Nick McDevitt is in his fourth season at the helm of the Middle Tennessee men's basketball program where he owns a 33-66 record. In nine seasons as a head coach, McDevitt is 131-132.

Rice-Middle Tennessee Series History
• Rice and Middle Tennessee will meet for the 13th time overall.
• The series is tied at six, but Rice leads 5-2 when played in Houston.
• The Owls have won the last four meetings.
• This will be the first meeting since 2020 as the teams did not meet last year.

Next Up
• Rice closes its homestand this Saturday, Jan. 8, when it hosts UAB. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT and it will be televised by Stadium.

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