Saturday, February 26
Hattiesburg, MS
12:00 P.M. CT
Rice University
-1112,69 CUSA
51
at
46
Southern Miss
-1610,87 CUSA
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F
Rice
7
15
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51
Southern Miss.
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46
Photo by: Sarah Klopfer
Owls Rally to Defeat Southern Miss on Road
2/26/2022 5:05:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Finish seven-day road trip with a 2-1 mark
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Just 38 hours after suffering a heartbreaking double overtime loss at Louisiana Tech, the Rice Women's basketball team dug deep to rally from a seven-point fourth quarter deficit and defeat Conference USA West Division-leading Southern Miss 51-46 on the road.
The Owls (11-12, 6-9) capped off a seven-day road trip that ventured 1,758 miles to record one of their more memorable wins of the season to date, outscoring Southern Miss (16-10, 8-7) by a margin of 17-5 over the final 6:20 of the game.
Rice avenged a 78-55 loss to the same Southern Miss team back on Jan. 29 at Tudor Fieldhouse with their second win of the season when trailing with less than five minutes remaining in regulation.
Sophomore forward Ashlee Austin continued her late tear by recording her first career double-double with a game-high 18 points and a career-high 10 rebounds in 39 minutes of action. Junior guard Haylee Swayze also scored in double-figures with 12 points off the bench, including a clutch three-pointer late in the fourth quarter.
Sophomore guard Destiny Jackson stuffed the box score with nine points, seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals in 38 minutes of action and converted a game-winning three-point play with 18 seconds remaining with a driving layup while drawing a foul.
Freshmen Malia Fisher (6 points/7 rebounds) and Trinity Gooden (6 points/3 rebounds) also made key contributions for the Owls.
Rice won despite shooting just 28 percent from the field for the game thanks to a stingy defense of their own, limiting the Lady Eagles to just 23 points in each half and scoring 12 points off 19 Southern Miss turnovers.
Postgame Reaction - Head Coach Lindsay Edmonds
"This team is tough. I am so proud of them. We've been on the road for seven days in four different hotels and we lost a tough one on Thursday night that came down to crunch time in double overtime. These ladies found a way to come back today and fight for 40 minutes and get a road win against one of the best teams in the conference. I'm so happy for these young ladies and blessed to be here with them. We had great performances all-around. I thought Haylee Swayze was big time and DJ (Destiny Jackson) had the big layup, and Ashlee Austin getting her first double-double. Just a great team effort."
HOW IT HAPPENED
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
Southern Miss outscored the Owls 15-7 in the period as Rice struggled offensively, making just 2-of-14 shots from floor. Five different Lady Eagles scored points in the quarter and Southern Miss converted six second chance points.
Second Quarter
Rice flipped the script from the opening period by winning the quarter 15-8, holding the Lady Eagles to just two made field goals and forcing seven turnovers. Swayze gave the Owls a spark to start the period, scoring the team's first seven points with a made three-pointer mixed in. Jackson added four points, including a steal that led to her own fast break layup late in the quarter.
Third Quarter
Southern Miss won the period, 12-10, as Austin kept the Owls connected with seven points in the quarter, knocking down a three-pointer and a pair of free throws. The Lady Eagles shot 56 percent for the quarter but committed six turnovers to keep the Owls close.
Fourth Quarter
The Lady Eagles used a 7-0 run to open up a 41-34 advantage with 6:37 remaining but it was at this point onward that the Owls began their comeback. An Austin jumper followed by a three-point play by Fisher brought the Owls to within 41-39 with 4:51 left. Swayze then tied the game by capitalizing on a pair of attempts at the free throw line.
Southern Miss went back in front on a three-pointer with 3:52 left, however, Swayze had an answer with a game-tying three-pointer of her own from the right corner with 1:56 to go to knot the score at 44-44. Fisher briefly gave the Owls a 46-44 edge on a second chance layup with 1:12 left, only for Southern Miss to answer back with a game-tying score with 43 seconds to go.
That set Jackson up to deliver the game-winning field goal, converting a sweeping layup with her off-hand while also drawing a foul and completing the three-point play with the made free throw to put Rice up 49-46 with 18 seconds left. The Owls then got the necessary stop on the other end with a missed three-pointer from the Lady Eagles and Jackson put the game on ice with a pair of free throws.
UP NEXT
The Owls return home for their final homestand of the regular season, starting next Thursday, Mar. 3 when they host the UTEP Miners at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
The Owls (11-12, 6-9) capped off a seven-day road trip that ventured 1,758 miles to record one of their more memorable wins of the season to date, outscoring Southern Miss (16-10, 8-7) by a margin of 17-5 over the final 6:20 of the game.
Rice avenged a 78-55 loss to the same Southern Miss team back on Jan. 29 at Tudor Fieldhouse with their second win of the season when trailing with less than five minutes remaining in regulation.
Sophomore forward Ashlee Austin continued her late tear by recording her first career double-double with a game-high 18 points and a career-high 10 rebounds in 39 minutes of action. Junior guard Haylee Swayze also scored in double-figures with 12 points off the bench, including a clutch three-pointer late in the fourth quarter.
Sophomore guard Destiny Jackson stuffed the box score with nine points, seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals in 38 minutes of action and converted a game-winning three-point play with 18 seconds remaining with a driving layup while drawing a foul.
Freshmen Malia Fisher (6 points/7 rebounds) and Trinity Gooden (6 points/3 rebounds) also made key contributions for the Owls.
Rice won despite shooting just 28 percent from the field for the game thanks to a stingy defense of their own, limiting the Lady Eagles to just 23 points in each half and scoring 12 points off 19 Southern Miss turnovers.
You best believe this one meant something. #GoOwls👐 x #OWLin pic.twitter.com/CcK3nZcQsr
— Rice Women's Basketball (@RiceWBB) February 26, 2022
🎥 Postgame remarks from @LindsaySEdmonds following one of the more emotional wins of the season. #GoOwls👐 x #OWLin pic.twitter.com/XxWPeVJAZ5
— Rice Women's Basketball (@RiceWBB) February 26, 2022
"This team is tough. I am so proud of them. We've been on the road for seven days in four different hotels and we lost a tough one on Thursday night that came down to crunch time in double overtime. These ladies found a way to come back today and fight for 40 minutes and get a road win against one of the best teams in the conference. I'm so happy for these young ladies and blessed to be here with them. We had great performances all-around. I thought Haylee Swayze was big time and DJ (Destiny Jackson) had the big layup, and Ashlee Austin getting her first double-double. Just a great team effort."
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
Southern Miss outscored the Owls 15-7 in the period as Rice struggled offensively, making just 2-of-14 shots from floor. Five different Lady Eagles scored points in the quarter and Southern Miss converted six second chance points.
Second Quarter
Rice flipped the script from the opening period by winning the quarter 15-8, holding the Lady Eagles to just two made field goals and forcing seven turnovers. Swayze gave the Owls a spark to start the period, scoring the team's first seven points with a made three-pointer mixed in. Jackson added four points, including a steal that led to her own fast break layup late in the quarter.
Third Quarter
Southern Miss won the period, 12-10, as Austin kept the Owls connected with seven points in the quarter, knocking down a three-pointer and a pair of free throws. The Lady Eagles shot 56 percent for the quarter but committed six turnovers to keep the Owls close.
Fourth Quarter
The Lady Eagles used a 7-0 run to open up a 41-34 advantage with 6:37 remaining but it was at this point onward that the Owls began their comeback. An Austin jumper followed by a three-point play by Fisher brought the Owls to within 41-39 with 4:51 left. Swayze then tied the game by capitalizing on a pair of attempts at the free throw line.
Southern Miss went back in front on a three-pointer with 3:52 left, however, Swayze had an answer with a game-tying three-pointer of her own from the right corner with 1:56 to go to knot the score at 44-44. Fisher briefly gave the Owls a 46-44 edge on a second chance layup with 1:12 left, only for Southern Miss to answer back with a game-tying score with 43 seconds to go.
That set Jackson up to deliver the game-winning field goal, converting a sweeping layup with her off-hand while also drawing a foul and completing the three-point play with the made free throw to put Rice up 49-46 with 18 seconds left. The Owls then got the necessary stop on the other end with a missed three-pointer from the Lady Eagles and Jackson put the game on ice with a pair of free throws.
The Owls return home for their final homestand of the regular season, starting next Thursday, Mar. 3 when they host the UTEP Miners at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
-RiceOwls.com-
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Team Stats
Rice
USM
FG%
.279
.367
3FG%
.190
.333
FT%
.722
.412
RB
41
43
TO
13
19
STL
7
8
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
18
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
6
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
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