Big Second Half Leads Rice to 85-80 Victory over West Division Leader UAB

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3:30 p.m.

HOUSTON — Rice connected on 60.9% in the second half to turn a 10-point second half deficit into an 85-80 victory over Conference USA West Division leader UAB, Saturday afternoon at Tudor Fieldhouse.

The Story
The game started slowly with Rice leading just 5-4 through the first five minutes. UAB then went on an 11-4 run over the next two minutes to take its largest lead of the half, 13-7. But Travis Evee scored six points in an 8-0 Rice run to give the Owls a 15-13 lead. UAB then went on a 12-5 run, but two free throws by Evee and a Quincy Olivari three-pointer tied the game at 25. After trading baskets, Olivari made one-of-two free throws. After UAB converted a three-point play, the teams traded buckets the rest of the way, with a UAB layup with one second left sending the Owls into halftime trailing 39-34.

UAB scored 11 of the first 17 points of the second half to take its largest lead of the game, 50-40, just 4:45 into half. But the Owls came charging back. Mylyjael Poteat made four straight free throws. The teams traded baskets before three straight by Rice pulled them to within 55-53. Tavin Lovan converted a three-point play but Evee found Poteat for a layup. After UAB made one of two free throws to take a four-point lead, Poteat scored five straight, including a three-point play with nine minutes left that gave Rice a 60-59 lead, its first advantage since leading 15-13. UAB scored five straight, but Evee drilled a three-pointer, sending the Owls on a 12-2 run to take a 72-66 lead with 2:30 to play. After four straight free throws cut the lead to two, Carl Pierre made a three to push it to five. The Blazers were able to get within two points, but Rice made 10-of-12 free throws in the final 40 seconds to secure the victory.

The Stats
Rice connected on 50.0% from the field and 38.1% from three. The Owls also connected on 83.3% from the free throw line. UAB connected on 49.3% from the floor but was held to 30.0% from three. Rice won the rebounding battle, 38-to-27, and outscored the Blazers, 17-2, in second chance points.

What Scott Pera Had to Say
"What a second half performance by our guys across the board. They held (UAB) to 40.0% shooting in the second half. We held our own on the glass, outrebounding them by 11. We made huge free throws down the stretch. They never wavered in their belief that they could win the game. That's where it started. We talked about it after the Middle Tennessee game. We had to believe first. If you don't believe, you have no chance. We believed (and) we prepared well. The kids executed and I'm really, really happy for them."

Notes
• Rice improved to 9-5 on the season and 2-1 in Conference USA.
• Rice scored 80 points for the eighth time this season. The Owls are 8-0 when reaching the 80 point mark.
• The Owls connected on 50.0% from the field, the seventh time this season they shot at least 50.0%.
• Rice scored 51 points in the second half, the fourth time this season it scored at least 50 points in a half.
• Sophomore Travis Evee scored a game and season-high 25 points, connecting on 13-of-14 from the free throw line. He also added three assists.
• It was his third 20-point game of the year and the 15^th of his career.
• Graduate student Carl Pierre scored 19 points and pulled down a game-high eight rebounds.
Second-year sophomore Mylyjael Poteat scored a career-high 18 points on 5-of-5 from the floor and 8-of-9 from the free throw line while grabbing seven rebounds.
• Sophomore Quincy Olivari had 10 points, six rebounds, and a season-high tying three assists.
• Junior Chris Mullins added a team-high four assists.

Next Up
Rice will begin a two-game road trip next week, beginning next Thursday, Jan. 13, when it travels to Bowling Green, Ky., to face WKU. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT and it will be televised by CBS Sports Network.

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