Men’s Basketball Begins Two-Game Texas Trip at UTSA

HOUSTON — Rice begins a two-game road trip this Monday, Jan. 16, when it travels to San Antonio to face UTSA. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and it will be streamed by ESPN+.

Game 18
What: Rice (12-5, 3-3) at UTSA (7-11, 1-6)
When: Monday, January 16 at 7 p.m.
Where: San Antonio, Texas
Stadium: UTSA Convocation Center (2,650)
Stream: ESPN+
Listen: RiceOwls.com
Live Stats: RiceOwls.com
Series Information: UTSA leads 11-8 (7-1 in San Antonio)

Scouting Rice
• Rice enters Monday's game with a 12-5 record and 3-3 in Conference USA. The Owls are coming off an 83-82 victory over UTEP on Saturday.
• Junior guard and Preseason All-Conference USA honoree Quincy Olivari leads the team and is fourth in C-USA with 18.4 points per game. He's also third on the team in rebounds per game (5.1) while placing fifth in the league in three-pointers made per game (2.6), seventh in three-point field goal percentage (.358), and eighth in free throw percentage (.789).
• Junior guard Travis Evee is seventh in the league with 16.5 points per game. He's also fourth in free throw percentage (.838) and three-pointers made per game (2.6), fifth in three-point field goal percentage (.391), and sixth in field goal percentage (426).
• Junior forward Max Fiedler is scoring 10.2 points per game while leading the conference with 8.2 rebounds per game, 5.1assists per game and four double-doubles. He's also connecting on a team-high 76.7% from the field.
• Freshman guard Mekhi Mason is fourth on team with 10.0 points per game, 3.3 rebounds per game and 2.3 assists per game.
• Sophomore guard Cameron Sheffield is scoring 7.7 points per game while placing second on the team and seventh in C-USA with 6.4 rebounds per game.
• Rice is scoring 81.7 points per game, which is second in Conference USA and 20th in the country, while allowing 74.0.
• The Owls are connecting on a league-best 48.8% from the field, including 36.4% from three. Their opponents are hitting 45.5% from the floor and 33.2% from behind the arc.
• Rice is also outrebounding its opponents, 37.5-to-32.9.
• Rice leads the conference in assists per game (17.4), which is also 14th in the country, and is second in three-pointers made per game (9.1).
• Head coach Scott Pera is in his sixth season leading the Rice men's basketball program.

Scouting UTSA
• UTSA enters Monday's game with a 7-11 record and 1-6 in Conference USA. The Roadrunners have lost three straight games and six of seven after falling at Charlotte on Saturday, 72-54.
• Senior guard Japhet Medor leads the Roadrunners in scoring, averaging 12.8 points. He's also eighth in the league in assists with 3.7 per game.
• Senior center Jacob Germany is second on the team with 11.4 points per game. He's third in the league in rebounds with 7.5 per game.
• Redshirt sophomore guard John Buggs III, is averaging 11.1 points. He's third in C-USA in three-point field goal percentage (.411) and sixth in three-pointers per game (2.6).
• Freshman guard DJ Richards is adding 10.3 points and 4.3 rebounds.
• UTSA is scoring just 67.4 points per game while allowing 73.7.
• The Roadrunners are connecting on just 40.3% from the field but 34.9% from three. Their opponents are hitting 44.3% from the floor and 32.4% from behind the arc.
• UTSA is also being outrebounded by its opponents, 37.1-to-34.2.
• Head coach Steve Henson is in his seventh season at the helm of the UTSA men's basketball program where he owns a 78-87 record.

Rice-UTSA Series History
• Rice and UTSA will meet for the 20th time overall.
• UTSA holds an 11-8 record in the series, including a 7-1 mark in San Antonio.
• The Owls are seeking just their second victory in San Antonio. Rice's lone victory came on Mar. 5, 2015, a 76-74 decision.
• This is the first of two meetings between the schools. They will also face off on Feb. 16 in Houston.
• The first six meetings came as non-conference foes. Since 2014, the teams have competed as conference foes when UTSA joined Conference USA. The Roadrunners hold a 7-6 as conference opponents.

Next Up
• Rice closes its road trip this Thursday, January 19, when it travels to Denton to face North Texas. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game will be streamed by ESPN+.

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