Saturday, February 19
Miami, FL
6 p.m.
Rice University
-1412,68 CUSA
78
at
80
FIU
-1512,59 CUSA
1
2
F
Rice
33
45
78
FIU
45
35
80
Photo by: ©Maria Lysaker - Rice Athletics
Rice Rally Comes Up Short at FIU
2/19/2022 9:58:00 PM | Men's Basketball
MIAMI, Fla. — Rice trimmed a 17-point second half deficit down to two points, but it was not enough as the Owls fell at FIU, 80-78, Saturday night from the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.
The Story
Cameron Sheffield opened the scoring with a three-pointer, but the Owls missed their next six shots as FIU went on a 9-0 run. Rice then got back-to-back baskets from Carl Pierre and Terrance McBride. After a pair of buckets by the Panthers, Mylyjael Poteat converted an and-one opportunity. The teams then traded free throws. With FIU holding a 15-12 lead, the Panthers went on a 9-2 run to take a 24-14 advantage with 9:16 to play in the half. The teams went back-and-forth over the next five minutes. FIU pushed its lead to 13, but a three-pointer by Travis Evee brought the Owls within 10. A 7-2 run gave the Panthers a 15-point lead, its largest lead of the half, but another Evee three just before the buzzer sent Rice into halftime trailing 45-33.
FIU scored the first five points of the second half to take its largest lead of the game at 50-33. But the Owls started to come back, going on a 13-3 run behind three, three-pointers from Evee and Pierre to pull within 53-46 just over six minutes into the half. Five straight Panther free throws pushed the lead back to 12. But the Owls scored 10 of the next 11 points to cut the deficit to 59-56 with nine minutes to play. After trading baskets, Chris Mullins drilled a three to bring the Owls within two points. But FIU scored six of the next eight points to extend its lead to six. Over the next three minutes, the teams traded baskets before a Pierre three-pointer brought Rice to within 71-68 with 1:53 to play. The Panthers made three out of four free throws before Mullins made a pair. FIU added another free throw, but Max Fiedler made it a three-point game with a putback. FIU again made one-of-two free throws, and Evee cut the deficit to 77-75 on a three with 11 seconds late. Rice immediately fouled and Clevon Brown made one-of-two free throws. Pierre had a chance to tie the game with six seconds left, but his three-pointer was off the mark and FIU came down with the rebound, sealing the game.
The Stats
Rice connected on 46.2% (30-of-65) from the field and 43.3% from three (13-of-30) but was just 5-of-7 (71.4%) from the free throw line. FIU shot 46.6% (27-of-58) from the floor, 33.3% (8,-of-24) from three and was 18-of-24 (75.0%) from the charity stripe. FIU also won the rebounding battle, 42-to-28.
What Scott Pera Had to Say
"I'm really proud of our guys to keep fighting no matter what. Every run we made, (FIU) had an answer. They hit a few critical shots at the end of the shot clock to keep the lead at a decent number. Even so, we kept fighting back. Carl (Pierre), who is a great shooter, had a shot to tie it, but it didn't go our way. When you're fighting from behind like that, plays are so magnified. It really was a tale of two halves. In the second half, we defended. In the first half, we didn't. But I'm really proud of our kids."
Notes
• Rice dropped to 14-12 on the season and 6-8 in Conference USA.
• Rice connected on 13 three-pointers, the 14th time this year it make at least 10.
• Sophomore Travis Evee scored 20 points on six three-pointers.
• It was his fifth 20-point game of the year.
• With six three-pointers, Evee moved into 15th-place on Rice's all-time list with 145.
• He also has 71 threes on the year, becoming the fifth player in school history with at least 70 three-pointers in multiple seasons.
• Graduate student Carl Pierre scored 15 points and had three rebounds.
• With three, three-pointers, Pierre has 78 on the season, passing Morris Almond (2006-07), Tommy McGhee (1995-96), and Trey Murphy III (2018-19) for 11th-place on Rice's single-season list.
• Senior Chris Mullins scored 14 points and had four rebounds.
• Sophomore Max Fiedler scored six points while adding game-highs of eight rebounds and seven assists.
• With seven assists, Fiedler became the 25th player in school history with 200 career assists.
• With two blocks, Max Fiedler tied Omar Oraby (2010-12) for 11th-place in school history in career blocks with 58.
Next Up
Rice begins its final homestand of the year next Thursday, Feb. 24 when it hosts Louisiana Tech. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and it will be televised by Stadium.
The Story
Cameron Sheffield opened the scoring with a three-pointer, but the Owls missed their next six shots as FIU went on a 9-0 run. Rice then got back-to-back baskets from Carl Pierre and Terrance McBride. After a pair of buckets by the Panthers, Mylyjael Poteat converted an and-one opportunity. The teams then traded free throws. With FIU holding a 15-12 lead, the Panthers went on a 9-2 run to take a 24-14 advantage with 9:16 to play in the half. The teams went back-and-forth over the next five minutes. FIU pushed its lead to 13, but a three-pointer by Travis Evee brought the Owls within 10. A 7-2 run gave the Panthers a 15-point lead, its largest lead of the half, but another Evee three just before the buzzer sent Rice into halftime trailing 45-33.
FIU scored the first five points of the second half to take its largest lead of the game at 50-33. But the Owls started to come back, going on a 13-3 run behind three, three-pointers from Evee and Pierre to pull within 53-46 just over six minutes into the half. Five straight Panther free throws pushed the lead back to 12. But the Owls scored 10 of the next 11 points to cut the deficit to 59-56 with nine minutes to play. After trading baskets, Chris Mullins drilled a three to bring the Owls within two points. But FIU scored six of the next eight points to extend its lead to six. Over the next three minutes, the teams traded baskets before a Pierre three-pointer brought Rice to within 71-68 with 1:53 to play. The Panthers made three out of four free throws before Mullins made a pair. FIU added another free throw, but Max Fiedler made it a three-point game with a putback. FIU again made one-of-two free throws, and Evee cut the deficit to 77-75 on a three with 11 seconds late. Rice immediately fouled and Clevon Brown made one-of-two free throws. Pierre had a chance to tie the game with six seconds left, but his three-pointer was off the mark and FIU came down with the rebound, sealing the game.
The Stats
Rice connected on 46.2% (30-of-65) from the field and 43.3% from three (13-of-30) but was just 5-of-7 (71.4%) from the free throw line. FIU shot 46.6% (27-of-58) from the floor, 33.3% (8,-of-24) from three and was 18-of-24 (75.0%) from the charity stripe. FIU also won the rebounding battle, 42-to-28.
What Scott Pera Had to Say
"I'm really proud of our guys to keep fighting no matter what. Every run we made, (FIU) had an answer. They hit a few critical shots at the end of the shot clock to keep the lead at a decent number. Even so, we kept fighting back. Carl (Pierre), who is a great shooter, had a shot to tie it, but it didn't go our way. When you're fighting from behind like that, plays are so magnified. It really was a tale of two halves. In the second half, we defended. In the first half, we didn't. But I'm really proud of our kids."
Notes
• Rice dropped to 14-12 on the season and 6-8 in Conference USA.
• Rice connected on 13 three-pointers, the 14th time this year it make at least 10.
• Sophomore Travis Evee scored 20 points on six three-pointers.
• It was his fifth 20-point game of the year.
• With six three-pointers, Evee moved into 15th-place on Rice's all-time list with 145.
• He also has 71 threes on the year, becoming the fifth player in school history with at least 70 three-pointers in multiple seasons.
• Graduate student Carl Pierre scored 15 points and had three rebounds.
• With three, three-pointers, Pierre has 78 on the season, passing Morris Almond (2006-07), Tommy McGhee (1995-96), and Trey Murphy III (2018-19) for 11th-place on Rice's single-season list.
• Senior Chris Mullins scored 14 points and had four rebounds.
• Sophomore Max Fiedler scored six points while adding game-highs of eight rebounds and seven assists.
• With seven assists, Fiedler became the 25th player in school history with 200 career assists.
• With two blocks, Max Fiedler tied Omar Oraby (2010-12) for 11th-place in school history in career blocks with 58.
Next Up
Rice begins its final homestand of the year next Thursday, Feb. 24 when it hosts Louisiana Tech. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and it will be televised by Stadium.
Team Stats
Rice
FIU
FG%
.462
.466
3FG%
.433
.333
FT%
.714
.750
RB
28
42
TO
6
9
STL
4
3
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
20
FGM
7
3FGM
6
FTM
0
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
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/ Men's Basketball
G/F
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