Thursday, December 29
Bowling Green, KY
6 p.m.
Rice University
81
at
78
WKU
Photo by: Steve Roberts/WKU Athletics
Evee Scores 1,000th Point as Rice Comes Back to Defeat WKU, 81-78
12/29/2022 9:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Travis Evee scored a game-high 24 points, including his 1,000th point at Rice, as it came back from a 13-point deficit to defeat WKU, 81-78, Thursday night from E.A. Diddle Arena.
The Story
Rice got out to a slow start, missing its first eight shots as WKU jumped out to a 14-3 lead. Alem Huseinovic finally hit Rice's first field goal, making a three 7:24 into the game. After the Hilltoppers hit two free throws, Cameron Sheffield made two of his own and Travis Evee drilled a three to get the Owls within 16-11 with 10:48 to play in the half. But WKU went on a 13-5 run to take its largest lead of the half, 29-16, with 6:16 remaining. Rice cut the deficit to eight before WKU scored two straight baskets. But, Quincy Olivari made two free throws as Rice went into halftime trailing 36-26.
However, the Owls came out firing in the second half, making seven of their first eight shots with Evee, Sheffield, Olivari and Mekhi Mason all hitting threes. Sheffield made a three and Max Fiedler made a layup as Rice took its first lead of the game, 49-46, with 13:56 to play. WKU scored six of the next eight, but the Owls answered with a 13-5 run to take a 64-57 lead. The Hilltoppers scored nine straight to retake the lead, but Evee, Olivari and Sheffield hit back-to-back-to-back three-pointers as Rice took a 73-66 advantage with 5:17 remaining. WKU responded with a 9-2 run to tie the game at 75 with 1:39 to play. Fiedler got a putback off an Olivari miss, but a Jairus Hamilton three pointer gave the Hilltoppers a one-point lead with 56 seconds left. Evee made two free throws, then got a steal, was fouled, and made two more as Rice took an 81-78 lead with nine seconds to play. The teams traded turnovers before Rice fouled Jordan Rawls with 4.1 seconds. Rawls missed the front end of a one-and-one, and Sheffield corralled the rebound, securing the victory.
What Head Coach Scott Pera Had to Say
"The first half, we shot 21.0%. You're not going to beat anyone shooting 21.0%. But I told our guys I was proud of them because we kept it within 10 (points). This group is different. They're mature. They're tougher, so it kept us in the game. Then we got hot, and when we get hot, we can score. To win in this environment, it's a really big win for our program."
The Stats
Rice connected on 39.7% (25-of-63) from the field and 41.2% (14-of-34) from three. It also made 94.4% (17-of-18) from the free throw line. WKU was held to 44.4% (28-of-63) from the floor and 35.0% (7-of-20) from three. Rice was outrebounded, 39-to-36.
Notes
• This was the 11th meeting between Rice and WKU.
• The Owls are 3-8 in the series and 2-5 in Bowling Green.
• Rice has scored at least 80 points in six straight games and nine games this year.
• It is the first time scoring 80 in six straight games since the 2016-17 season.
• Rice scored 55 points in the second half, tying the second-most points in a half in a Conference USA game in school history.
• Rice connected on a season-high 94.4% from the free throw line. It is its best shooting from the line since going 11-of-11 at Louisiana Tech on Feb. 27, 2021.
• The Owls connected on 14 three-pointers, the seventh time this year it made at least 10.
• G Travis Evee led all players with 24 points. He also set a season-high with six rebounds and added a game-high five assists.
• F Max Fiedler recorded his second straight double-double and third of the season, scoring 15 points and tying a season-high with 10 rebounds.
• Fiedler also had three assists.
• G Cameron Sheffield scored a season-high 15 points and set a career-high with four three-pointers.
• G Quincy Olivari scored 14 points and had four rebounds.
• G Mekhi Mason scored 10 points and had a game-high five assists.
Next Up
Rice closes its road trip this Saturday, December 31, when it travels to El Paso to face UTEP. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. and the game will be streamed by CUSAtv.
The Story
Rice got out to a slow start, missing its first eight shots as WKU jumped out to a 14-3 lead. Alem Huseinovic finally hit Rice's first field goal, making a three 7:24 into the game. After the Hilltoppers hit two free throws, Cameron Sheffield made two of his own and Travis Evee drilled a three to get the Owls within 16-11 with 10:48 to play in the half. But WKU went on a 13-5 run to take its largest lead of the half, 29-16, with 6:16 remaining. Rice cut the deficit to eight before WKU scored two straight baskets. But, Quincy Olivari made two free throws as Rice went into halftime trailing 36-26.
However, the Owls came out firing in the second half, making seven of their first eight shots with Evee, Sheffield, Olivari and Mekhi Mason all hitting threes. Sheffield made a three and Max Fiedler made a layup as Rice took its first lead of the game, 49-46, with 13:56 to play. WKU scored six of the next eight, but the Owls answered with a 13-5 run to take a 64-57 lead. The Hilltoppers scored nine straight to retake the lead, but Evee, Olivari and Sheffield hit back-to-back-to-back three-pointers as Rice took a 73-66 advantage with 5:17 remaining. WKU responded with a 9-2 run to tie the game at 75 with 1:39 to play. Fiedler got a putback off an Olivari miss, but a Jairus Hamilton three pointer gave the Hilltoppers a one-point lead with 56 seconds left. Evee made two free throws, then got a steal, was fouled, and made two more as Rice took an 81-78 lead with nine seconds to play. The teams traded turnovers before Rice fouled Jordan Rawls with 4.1 seconds. Rawls missed the front end of a one-and-one, and Sheffield corralled the rebound, securing the victory.
What Head Coach Scott Pera Had to Say
"The first half, we shot 21.0%. You're not going to beat anyone shooting 21.0%. But I told our guys I was proud of them because we kept it within 10 (points). This group is different. They're mature. They're tougher, so it kept us in the game. Then we got hot, and when we get hot, we can score. To win in this environment, it's a really big win for our program."
The Stats
Rice connected on 39.7% (25-of-63) from the field and 41.2% (14-of-34) from three. It also made 94.4% (17-of-18) from the free throw line. WKU was held to 44.4% (28-of-63) from the floor and 35.0% (7-of-20) from three. Rice was outrebounded, 39-to-36.
Notes
• This was the 11th meeting between Rice and WKU.
• The Owls are 3-8 in the series and 2-5 in Bowling Green.
• Rice has scored at least 80 points in six straight games and nine games this year.
• It is the first time scoring 80 in six straight games since the 2016-17 season.
• Rice scored 55 points in the second half, tying the second-most points in a half in a Conference USA game in school history.
• Rice connected on a season-high 94.4% from the free throw line. It is its best shooting from the line since going 11-of-11 at Louisiana Tech on Feb. 27, 2021.
• The Owls connected on 14 three-pointers, the seventh time this year it made at least 10.
• G Travis Evee led all players with 24 points. He also set a season-high with six rebounds and added a game-high five assists.
• F Max Fiedler recorded his second straight double-double and third of the season, scoring 15 points and tying a season-high with 10 rebounds.
• Fiedler also had three assists.
• G Cameron Sheffield scored a season-high 15 points and set a career-high with four three-pointers.
• G Quincy Olivari scored 14 points and had four rebounds.
• G Mekhi Mason scored 10 points and had a game-high five assists.
Next Up
Rice closes its road trip this Saturday, December 31, when it travels to El Paso to face UTEP. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. and the game will be streamed by CUSAtv.
Players Mentioned
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