Saturday, February 5
Houston, TX
2 p.m.
Rice University
-139,65 CUSA
70
vs
72
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UTEP
-148,73 CUSA
1
2
F
UTEP
28
44
72
Rice
30
40
70
Comeback Comes Up Short as Rice Falls to UTEP
2/5/2022 5:19:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HOUSTON — Rice cut an 11-point deficit with 1:47 to play to two points, but it was not enough as it fell, 72-70, to UTEP, Saturday afternoon from Tudor Fieldhouse.
The Story
After UTEP opened the game with a three, Rice grabbed the lead on layups by Travis Evee and Max Fiedler. However, the Owls made just one of its next eight shots as UTEP went on a 17-2 lead to take a 20-6 lead with 12:33 to play in the half. But Rice came right back. A Quincy Olivari three-pointer sent it on a 14-2 lead over the next eight minutes to cut the deficit to 22-20. After a Miner basket, Carl Pierre drilled a three to make it a one-point game. The teams traded baskets, but with less than two minutes remaining, Mylyjael Poteat made two free throws and Olivari hit his second three-pointer to send the Owls into halftime with a 30-28 lead.
The teams traded baskets through the first minute and a half of the second half. With Rice holding a three-point lead, Jamal Bieniemy hit a three followed by a pair of free throws. But a 7-0 Rice run gave it a 42-37 lead five minutes into the half. After UTEP tied the game, they went back-and-forth over the next minute. Carl Pierre made a pair of free throws to give Rice a 49-46 lead with 10 minutes to play, but the Miners took the lead on back-to-back Bieniemy threes. Again, they went back-and-forth over the next three minutes. But Chris Mullins hit his only triple of the game to tie it at 56 with 5:39 to play. However, UTEP went on a 15-4 run to take a 71-60 lead with 1:47 to play. But the Owls were not done. Pierre and Evee made three-pointers in an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to three with 7.4 seconds to play. The Owls then fouled Bieniemy with three seconds remaining. But he made one-of-two free throws to make it a two possession game and essentially sealing it for UTEP.
The Stats
Rice connected on 44.8% (26-of-58) from the field, 40.9% from three (9-of-22), and 90.0% (9-of-10) from the free throw line. UTEP shot 44.3% (27-of-61) from the floor and 52.4% (11-of-21) from three. Rice also outrebounded the Miners, 35-to-33.
What Scott Pera Had to Say
"That was a good, hard-fought game. Congratulations to UTEP. They deserved to win. (Jamal) Bieniemy had an incredible game. He made all the shots when they needed them. It took us a while to get ourselves going, but once we did, it turned into a really good game. But our kids battled. I give them a lot of credit."
Notes
• Rice fell to 13-9 on the season and 6-5 in Conference USA.
• Graduate student Carl Pierre scored a team-high 18 points and had six rebounds.
• Sophomore Travis Evee scored 16 points and had a game-high five assists.
• Sophomore Max Fiedler scored a game-high 12 points while recording a game-high eight rebounds.
• With his eight boards, Fiedler became the 27th player in school history to record 500 career rebounds.
• Sophomore Quincy Olivari scored nine points and grabbed eight rebounds.
• Second-year freshman Mylyjael Poteat added eight rebounds.
Next Up
Rice steps out of conference for the final time when it hosts Jarvis Christian next Tuesday, Feb. 8. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and it will be streamed by CUSAtv.
The Story
After UTEP opened the game with a three, Rice grabbed the lead on layups by Travis Evee and Max Fiedler. However, the Owls made just one of its next eight shots as UTEP went on a 17-2 lead to take a 20-6 lead with 12:33 to play in the half. But Rice came right back. A Quincy Olivari three-pointer sent it on a 14-2 lead over the next eight minutes to cut the deficit to 22-20. After a Miner basket, Carl Pierre drilled a three to make it a one-point game. The teams traded baskets, but with less than two minutes remaining, Mylyjael Poteat made two free throws and Olivari hit his second three-pointer to send the Owls into halftime with a 30-28 lead.
The teams traded baskets through the first minute and a half of the second half. With Rice holding a three-point lead, Jamal Bieniemy hit a three followed by a pair of free throws. But a 7-0 Rice run gave it a 42-37 lead five minutes into the half. After UTEP tied the game, they went back-and-forth over the next minute. Carl Pierre made a pair of free throws to give Rice a 49-46 lead with 10 minutes to play, but the Miners took the lead on back-to-back Bieniemy threes. Again, they went back-and-forth over the next three minutes. But Chris Mullins hit his only triple of the game to tie it at 56 with 5:39 to play. However, UTEP went on a 15-4 run to take a 71-60 lead with 1:47 to play. But the Owls were not done. Pierre and Evee made three-pointers in an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to three with 7.4 seconds to play. The Owls then fouled Bieniemy with three seconds remaining. But he made one-of-two free throws to make it a two possession game and essentially sealing it for UTEP.
The Stats
Rice connected on 44.8% (26-of-58) from the field, 40.9% from three (9-of-22), and 90.0% (9-of-10) from the free throw line. UTEP shot 44.3% (27-of-61) from the floor and 52.4% (11-of-21) from three. Rice also outrebounded the Miners, 35-to-33.
What Scott Pera Had to Say
"That was a good, hard-fought game. Congratulations to UTEP. They deserved to win. (Jamal) Bieniemy had an incredible game. He made all the shots when they needed them. It took us a while to get ourselves going, but once we did, it turned into a really good game. But our kids battled. I give them a lot of credit."
Notes
• Rice fell to 13-9 on the season and 6-5 in Conference USA.
• Graduate student Carl Pierre scored a team-high 18 points and had six rebounds.
• Sophomore Travis Evee scored 16 points and had a game-high five assists.
• Sophomore Max Fiedler scored a game-high 12 points while recording a game-high eight rebounds.
• With his eight boards, Fiedler became the 27th player in school history to record 500 career rebounds.
• Sophomore Quincy Olivari scored nine points and grabbed eight rebounds.
• Second-year freshman Mylyjael Poteat added eight rebounds.
Next Up
Rice steps out of conference for the final time when it hosts Jarvis Christian next Tuesday, Feb. 8. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and it will be streamed by CUSAtv.
Team Stats
UTEP
Rice
FG%
.443
.448
3FG%
.524
.409
FT%
.778
.900
RB
33
35
TO
11
13
STL
8
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
18
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
3
Pts
12
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
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