Men’s Basketball Set to Host Owl Invitational

HOUSTON — The Rice Men's Basketball team returns to non-conference play this weekend when it hosts the Owl Invitational, Nov. 18-21. Rice will host Georgia Southern, Western Michigan and Houston Baptist over a four-day span. All games will be streamed by CUSAtv.

Game 4
What: Rice vs. Georgia Southern
When: Friday, November 18 at 6 p.m.
Where: Houston, Texas
Stadium: Tudor Fieldhouse (5,208)
Watch: CUSAtv
Listen: RiceOwls.com
Live Stats: RiceOwls.com
Series Information: First Meeting

Game 5
What: Rice vs. Western Michigan
When: Saturday, November 19 at 5 p.m.
Where: Houston, Texas
Stadium: Tudor Fieldhouse (5,208)
Watch: CUSAtv
Listen: RiceOwls.com
Live Stats: RiceOwls.com
Series Information: First Meeting

Game 6
What: Rice vs. Houston Christian
When: Monday, November 21 at 7 p.m.
Where: Houston, Texas
Stadium: Tudor Fieldhouse (5,208)
Watch: CUSAtv
Listen: RiceOwls.com
Live Stats: RiceOwls.com
Series Information: First Meeting

Scouting Rice
• Rice enters the Owl Invitational with a 1-2 record. The Owls fell to Middle Tennessee on Tuesday in their Conference USA opener.
• Junior guard Travis Evee leads the team and is tied for third in the league with 16.0 points per game. He's also second in three-pointers made (10), third in three-pointers made per game (3.3), and eighth in three-point field goal percentage (.417).
• Junior guard and Preseason All-Conference USA honoree Quincy Olivari is second on the team with 9.3 points per game and leads the team and is tied for 10th in C-USA with 6.3 rebounds per game.
• Junior guard Alem Huseinovic and freshman guard Mekhi Mason are tied for third on the team with 6.3 points per game. Mason is also pulling down 3.0 boards per game.
• Junior forward Max Fiedler is second on the team with 4.7 rebounds per game. He is also leading the squad and is seventh in the conference with 4.0 assists per game.
• Head coach Scott Pera is in his sixth season leading the Rice men's basketball program.

Scouting Georgia Southern
• Georgia Southern enters the Owl Invitational with a 1-2 record. The Eagles picked up their first win of the season last Saturday over Trinity Baptist, 53-32.
• Redshirt senior forward Andrei Savrasov leads Georgia Southern with 12.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.0 steals and a 48.4% field goal percentage.
• Fifth-year guard Jalen Finch is second on the team with 10.4 points and is third with 4.0 rebounds. He also leads the team with 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals while connecting on 47.6% from the floor.
• Fifth-year guard/forward Kaden Archie is third on the team with 7.0 points per game and redshirt senior forward Carlos Curry is second on the team with 6.0 rebounds per game.
• GSU is scoring just 54.3 points per game but allowing just 57.7.
• Georgia Southern is connecting on 35.1% from the floor and 21.9% from three while holding its opponents to 36.6% from the field and 29.5% from behind the arc.
• Opponents are outrebounding the Eagles, 38.0-to-37.7.
• Head coach Brian Burg is in his third season at the helm of the Georgia Southern men's basketball program where he owns a 27-31 record.

Scouting Western Michigan
• Western Michigan enters the Owl Invitational with a 1-2 record. The Broncos are coming off an 81-65 loss at Valparaiso last Sunday.
• Senior guard Lamar Norman, Jr., leads WMU with 16.7 points, and 3.3 assists per game. He's also tied for third in the Mid-American Conference with eight three-pointers.
• Senior guard Tray Maddox, Jr., is second on the team with 10.3 points and is grabbing 3.3 rebounds per game.
• Redshirt junior forward Markese Hastings is third on the team with 8.3 points per game and is fourth in the MAC with 8.3 rebounds per game.
• Junior center Titus Wright is scoring 8.0 points per game and is second on the team with 6.0 rebounds. He's also fourth in the league in field goal percentage, connecting on 64.7%
• The Broncos are scoring 74.7 points per game but allowing just 68.0.
• Western Michigan is connecting on 43.1% from the floor but just 30.1% from three while its opponents are hitting 45.5% from the field and 37.7% from behind the arc.
• WMU is outrebounding its opponents, 42.3-to-33.3.
• Head coach DeWayne Stephens is in his first season at the helm of the Western Michigan men's basketball program where he owns a 1-2 record.

Scouting Houston Christian
• Houston Christian enters the Owl Invitational with a 1-2 record. The Huskies picked up their first win of the season on Monday over Champion Christian, 119-97.
• Senior center Bonke Maring leads HCU with 13.0 points. He's also fifth in the Southland Conference in field goal percentage, connecting on 52.9% from the field and is sixth in rebounding (7.3).
• Junior guard Brycen Long is second on the team with 12.7 points. He's connecting on 51.9% from the field and is second in the league in three-pointers (9) and third in three-point field goal percentage (45.0%).
• Senior guard Maks Klanjscek is third on the team with 11.7 points per game and is connecting on 46.2% from beyond the arc.
• Sophomore forwards Tristan Moore and Deshon Proctor are averaging 10.5 points per game. Proctor also leads HCU in rebounding with 7.5 per game.
• Houston Christian is scoring just 72.0 points per game but allowing just 85.3.
• The Huskies are connecting on 43.7% from the floor and 40.3% from three while their opponents are hitting 48.4% from the field but just 24.7% from behind the arc.
• HCU is being outrebounded by its opponents, 40.0-to-39.3.
• Head coach Ron Cottrell is in his 32nd season at the helm of the Houston Christian men's basketball program where he owns a 509-471 record

Rice-Georgia Southern Series History
• Rice and Georgia Southern will meet for the first time in their history.

Rice-Western Michigan Series History
• Rice and Western Michigan will meet for the first time in their history.

Rice-Houston Christian Series History
• Rice and Houston Christian will meet for the fourth straight year and the 16th time overall.
• The Owls lead the series 12-3 and have won the last five meetings.
• When played at Tudor Fieldhouse, Rice leads 9-1 and has won the last three meetings.
• Last year, Rice defeated the Huskies in Sharp Gym, 88-73.

Next Up
• Following the Owl Invitational, Rice will close its homestand on Wednesday, Nov. 30, against Prairie View A&M. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game will be streamed by CUSAtv.

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