Men’s Basketball Closes Homestand against West Leader North Texas

HOUSTON — Rice returns to conference play and closes its four-game homestand this Saturday, February 12, when it hosts C-USA West Division leader North Texas. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT and will be streamed by CUSAtv.

Game 24
What: Rice vs. North Texas
When: Saturday, February 12 at 2 p.m. CT
Where: Houston, Texas
Arena: Tudor Fieldhouse (5,208)
Watch: CUSAtv
Listen: RiceOwls.com
Live Stats: RiceOwls.com
Series Information: North Texas leads 20-8 (North Texas leads 7-6 in Houston)

Scouting Rice
• Rice enters Saturday afternoon's contest with a 14-9 record, including 6-5 in Conference USA. The Owls defeated Jarvis Christian, 98-63, Tuesday night in their non-conference finale.
• Guard Carl Pierre leads the team and is eighth in the conference with 15.3 points per game while pulling down 4.3 rebounds per game. He leads C-USA in three-point field goal percentage (44.2%), is second in three-pointers made per game (3.1), and fifth in field goal percentage (48.8%).
• Guard Travis Evee is second on the team with 14.6 points per game while adding 3.3 rebounds per game and 3.2 assists per game. Evee is third in the league in three-point field goal percentage (40.7%) and fifth in three-pointers made per game (2.7). He's also connecting on 47.6% from the field.
• Sophomore Quincy Olivari is averaging 9.9 points per game and is second on the team with 6.0 rebounds per game.
• Forward Max Fiedler is averaging 9.9 points per game and is third in the conference with 8.0 rebounds per game. He leads the team in field goal percentage, connecting on 59.4% from the field and assists per game (3.3). He's also tied for fourth in the conference with six double-doubles.
• Guard Chris Mullins is scoring 8.7 points per game while placing third on the team with 2.6 assists per game.
• Rice is averaging 77.2 points per game, good for third in Conference USA while allowing 73.1.
• The Owls are connecting on 46.9% from the field, which is second in the league while leading the conference in three-point field goal percentage (38.2%). They are allowing 43.8% from the floor and 33.0% from beyond the arc, good for third in the conference.
• Rice is outrebounding the opposition, 36.8-to-34.2.
• Rice leads the league in assists with 16.7 while placing second in three-pointers per game with 9.7.
• Head coach Scott Pera is in his fifth season leading the Rice men's basketball program. He holds a record of 64-82.

Scouting North Texas
• North Texas enters Saturday afternoon's contest with a 17-4 record. The Mean Green are 10-1 in Conference USA and enter the game on a nine-game winning streak after defeating UTEP on Monday, 66-58.
• Guard Tylor Perry leads the team with 13.6 points while connecting on 45.0% from three. He is also third in Conference USA in free throw percentage, connecting on 89.0%.
• Forward Thomas Bell is second on the team with 12.4 points per game while leading the team with 6.8 rebounds per game (ninth in C-USA) and 2.8 assists.
• Guard Mardrez McBride is scoring 10.5 points per game while placing ninth in the league with 2.3 three-pointers per game.
• Forward Abou Ousmane is averaging 10.0 points and is second on the team with 5.4 rebounds per game.
• North Texas is averaging just 66.4 points per game. However, it leads Conference USA in scoring defense, allowing just 56.1 points.
• The Mean Green are connecting on 44.8% from the field and 37.3% from three, which is second in the league. They are allowing 42.3% from the floor and just 28.7% from beyond the arc to lead the conference.
• UNT is pulling down 33.7 rebounds per game while leading the conference in rebounding defense, allowing just 29.3 boards per game.
• Head coach Grant McCasland is in his fifth season at the helm of the North Texas men's basketball program where he owns a 96-55 record. In eight seasons as a head coach, McCasland is 172-79.

Rice-North Texas Series History
• Rice and North Texas will meet for the second time this season and the 29th time overall.
• North Texas holds a 20-8 record in the series.
• Earlier this year, Rice fell at UNT in both team's conference opener.
• North Texas has won eight of the last nine meetings overall.

Next Up
• Rice heads on the road for a two-game trip, beginning next Thursday, Feb. 17 when it travels to Birmingham, Ala., to face UAB. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and it will be televised by Stadium.

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