Wednesday, March 9
Frisco, TX
5:30 p.m.
Rice University
-1615,711 CUSA
73
vs
61
Charlotte
-1714,108 CUSA
1
2
F
Rice
32
41
73
Charlotte
25
36
61
Rice Advances to C-USA Quarterfinals with Win over Charlotte
3/9/2022 9:21:00 PM | Men's Basketball
FRISCO, Texas — Rice used a strong defensive performance, holding East fourth-seed Charlotte to just 34.8% from the field, and got key baskets when it needed it to earn a 73-61 victory in the second round of the Heritage Landscape Supply Group Conference USA Tournament, held Wednesday night at the Ford Center at the Star.
The Story
Charlotte jumped out to an early 7-0 lead, but Max Fiedler scored six straight for the Owls. Charlotte scored five straight before Carl Pierre converted a three-point play. After a layup pushed the 49ers' lead to five, Rice went on a 10-0 run, capped off by three-pointers from Pierre and Riley Abercrombie, forcing a Charlotte timeout as the Owls led 20-14 with 6:28 to play. The teams went back-and-forth over the next two minutes before back-to-back baskets by Mylyjael Poteat gave Rice its largest lead of the half, 30-20, with 2:21 to go in the half. After trading baskets, Robert Braswell hit a three as the Owls went into halftime leading 32-25.
The second half began with the teams trading punches through the first five minutes. Charlotte got two straight baskets to cut Rice's lead to five. But the Owls responded, going on a 9-2 run behind a pair of baskets from Fiedler and Pierre to take a 49-37 lead with nine minutes to play. After Jahmir Young made a jumper, Poteat hit one-of-two free throws. Young then made a three-pointer to cut Rice's lead to eight. However, Abercrombie drilled a three-pointer from the right corner that sent the Owls on a 13-3 run to take their largest lead of the game, 63-45, with 2:30 to play. Charlotte wouldn't go away, hitting three straight threes that cut the lead to nine. But Rice made 9-of-10 free throws in the final 1:48 to clinch the victory.
The Stats
Rice connected on 50.9% (27-of-53) from the field but just 22.2% from three (4-of-18). Charlotte was held to just 34.8% (24-of-69) from the floor and 25.0% (7-of-28) from three. Rice was outrebounded 43-to-35.
What Scott Pera Had to Say
"I just want to applaud our kids for an incredible defensive effort today. When we started preparing earlier in the week, it was just a completely mature, locked in group. I've told them all year how much I've enjoyed coaching them. I'm just very proud of them and happy they got a win."
Notes
• Rice improved to 16-15 on the season.
• Rice is now 9-6 against Charlotte and has won seven of the last nine meetings.
• Rice improves to 9-15 in the Conference USA Tournament and 21-41 all-time in conference tournaments.
• Rice has won games in the tournament in back-to-back years for the first time since 2004 and 2005.
• Rice connected on 50.9% from the floor, the 12th time this year it made at least 50.0% from the field.
• Graduate student Carl Pierre scored a game-high 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
• Graduate student Terrance McBride scored a season-high 12 points and had four assists.
• Sophomore Max Fiedler scored 12 points, had eight rebounds, and added a game-high six assists.
• Senior Chris Mullins scored 13 points and pulled down six rebounds.
• With three assists, Mullins became the 10th player in school history to reach 1,000 career points, 300 career rebounds, and 250 career assists.
• Redshirt sophomore Riley Abercrombie scored nine points on three, three-pointers.
• Second-year freshman Mylyjael Poteat scored nine points and grabbed five rebounds.
Next Up
Rice will face West Division top-seed North Texas in the quarterfinals of the Heritage Landscape Supply Group Conference USA Tournament tomorrow, Mar. 10. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. and the game will be televised by Stadium.
The Story
Charlotte jumped out to an early 7-0 lead, but Max Fiedler scored six straight for the Owls. Charlotte scored five straight before Carl Pierre converted a three-point play. After a layup pushed the 49ers' lead to five, Rice went on a 10-0 run, capped off by three-pointers from Pierre and Riley Abercrombie, forcing a Charlotte timeout as the Owls led 20-14 with 6:28 to play. The teams went back-and-forth over the next two minutes before back-to-back baskets by Mylyjael Poteat gave Rice its largest lead of the half, 30-20, with 2:21 to go in the half. After trading baskets, Robert Braswell hit a three as the Owls went into halftime leading 32-25.
The second half began with the teams trading punches through the first five minutes. Charlotte got two straight baskets to cut Rice's lead to five. But the Owls responded, going on a 9-2 run behind a pair of baskets from Fiedler and Pierre to take a 49-37 lead with nine minutes to play. After Jahmir Young made a jumper, Poteat hit one-of-two free throws. Young then made a three-pointer to cut Rice's lead to eight. However, Abercrombie drilled a three-pointer from the right corner that sent the Owls on a 13-3 run to take their largest lead of the game, 63-45, with 2:30 to play. Charlotte wouldn't go away, hitting three straight threes that cut the lead to nine. But Rice made 9-of-10 free throws in the final 1:48 to clinch the victory.
The Stats
Rice connected on 50.9% (27-of-53) from the field but just 22.2% from three (4-of-18). Charlotte was held to just 34.8% (24-of-69) from the floor and 25.0% (7-of-28) from three. Rice was outrebounded 43-to-35.
What Scott Pera Had to Say
"I just want to applaud our kids for an incredible defensive effort today. When we started preparing earlier in the week, it was just a completely mature, locked in group. I've told them all year how much I've enjoyed coaching them. I'm just very proud of them and happy they got a win."
Notes
• Rice improved to 16-15 on the season.
• Rice is now 9-6 against Charlotte and has won seven of the last nine meetings.
• Rice improves to 9-15 in the Conference USA Tournament and 21-41 all-time in conference tournaments.
• Rice has won games in the tournament in back-to-back years for the first time since 2004 and 2005.
• Rice connected on 50.9% from the floor, the 12th time this year it made at least 50.0% from the field.
• Graduate student Carl Pierre scored a game-high 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
• Graduate student Terrance McBride scored a season-high 12 points and had four assists.
• Sophomore Max Fiedler scored 12 points, had eight rebounds, and added a game-high six assists.
• Senior Chris Mullins scored 13 points and pulled down six rebounds.
• With three assists, Mullins became the 10th player in school history to reach 1,000 career points, 300 career rebounds, and 250 career assists.
• Redshirt sophomore Riley Abercrombie scored nine points on three, three-pointers.
• Second-year freshman Mylyjael Poteat scored nine points and grabbed five rebounds.
Next Up
Rice will face West Division top-seed North Texas in the quarterfinals of the Heritage Landscape Supply Group Conference USA Tournament tomorrow, Mar. 10. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. and the game will be televised by Stadium.
Team Stats
Rice
CLT
FG%
.509
.348
3FG%
.222
.250
FT%
.625
.750
RB
35
43
TO
10
13
STL
6
5
Game Leaders
Pts
16
FGM
7
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
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