Thursday, November 16
Houston, TX
7 p.m.
Rice University
2-2,0-0AAC
75
vs
78
Georgia Tech
3-0,0-0ACC
1
2
3
4
F
Georgia Tech
18
13
23
24
78
Rice
24
21
15
15
75
Owls Drop Heartbreaker to Georgia Tech
11/16/2023 11:07:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HOUSTON – After leading nearly the entire game, the Rice women's basketball team fell in the closing minute in a hard-fought 78-75 defeat to Georgia Tech Thursday night at Tudor Fieldhouse. The loss drops Rice's record to 2-2 to open the season.
Destiny Jackson led the Owls with 13 points, two steals, two rebounds and an assist. Dominique Ennis added 11 points, three steals and two assists, while Malia Fisher finished with 11 points, three rebounds, a block, and an assist.
As a team, Rice shot 29-of-64 (45.3%) from the floor and 8-of-19 (42.1%) from three-point range. The Owls added a 9-of-12 (75.0%) shooting display from the free throw line. The Owls scored 29 points off of 17 Georgia Tech turnovers.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
The Yellow Jackets scored the first points of the game before Jackson's and-one conversion gave the Owls and early lead. Jackson extended the lead with a three-pointer before Shelby Hayes' second-chance layup gave the Owls an 8-2 lead. Up 9-7, Fisher drilled a three, followed by Hayes again to put Rice up seven. Ennis later hit a three-pointer to extend the Rice lead, with the Owls ending the first quarter up 24-18.
Second Quarter
Hailey Adams opened the second quarter as both sides traded scorers in the opening minutes. Leading 30-24, Fisher kickstarted a 9-0 run with Maya Bokunewicz and Jazzy Owens-Barnett contributing to put the Owls up 39-24. Ennis added to the lead with a jumper in the final seconds as Rice took a 45-31 lead into halftime.
Third Quarter
Georgia Tech scored the first basket of the half before Jackson hit another three-pointer to put Rice up 15. Following a Yellow Jacket basket, back-to-back baskets from Ennis and Hayes gave the Owls their largest lead of the night at 52-35. A quick 7-0 Yellow Jacket run cut the lead down to 10, but Emily Klaczek three-pointer snapped the run, with Jackson following behind to extend the lead to 57-42. Georgia Tech ended the quarter on a 12-3 run to cut the deficit down to 60-54.
Fourth Quarter
Fisher opened the fourth with a basket to push the lead to eight. After trading scores, Georgia Tech cut the deficit to two at 67-65 with six minutes to go. Hayes and Ennis connected on back-to-back baskets but the Yellow Jackets responded again, cutting the lead to one with 4:17 left. Leading 71-70, Jackson poked the ball from a Georgia Tech player with Owens-Barnett laying the ball in for a layup to put Rice up three. A three-pointer with 2:02 tied the game, but Fisher's free throws gave Rice a two-point lead with 1:10 to go. With 44 seconds remaining, a second-chance jumper and free throw gave the lead to the Yellow Jackets, as they closed out the game for a 78-75 win.
TEAM NOTES
UP NEXT
The Owls continue to home swing Sunday afternoon against Saint Mary's at 2:00 p.m.
Destiny Jackson led the Owls with 13 points, two steals, two rebounds and an assist. Dominique Ennis added 11 points, three steals and two assists, while Malia Fisher finished with 11 points, three rebounds, a block, and an assist.
As a team, Rice shot 29-of-64 (45.3%) from the floor and 8-of-19 (42.1%) from three-point range. The Owls added a 9-of-12 (75.0%) shooting display from the free throw line. The Owls scored 29 points off of 17 Georgia Tech turnovers.
First Quarter
The Yellow Jackets scored the first points of the game before Jackson's and-one conversion gave the Owls and early lead. Jackson extended the lead with a three-pointer before Shelby Hayes' second-chance layup gave the Owls an 8-2 lead. Up 9-7, Fisher drilled a three, followed by Hayes again to put Rice up seven. Ennis later hit a three-pointer to extend the Rice lead, with the Owls ending the first quarter up 24-18.
Second Quarter
Hailey Adams opened the second quarter as both sides traded scorers in the opening minutes. Leading 30-24, Fisher kickstarted a 9-0 run with Maya Bokunewicz and Jazzy Owens-Barnett contributing to put the Owls up 39-24. Ennis added to the lead with a jumper in the final seconds as Rice took a 45-31 lead into halftime.
Third Quarter
Georgia Tech scored the first basket of the half before Jackson hit another three-pointer to put Rice up 15. Following a Yellow Jacket basket, back-to-back baskets from Ennis and Hayes gave the Owls their largest lead of the night at 52-35. A quick 7-0 Yellow Jacket run cut the lead down to 10, but Emily Klaczek three-pointer snapped the run, with Jackson following behind to extend the lead to 57-42. Georgia Tech ended the quarter on a 12-3 run to cut the deficit down to 60-54.
Fourth Quarter
Fisher opened the fourth with a basket to push the lead to eight. After trading scores, Georgia Tech cut the deficit to two at 67-65 with six minutes to go. Hayes and Ennis connected on back-to-back baskets but the Yellow Jackets responded again, cutting the lead to one with 4:17 left. Leading 71-70, Jackson poked the ball from a Georgia Tech player with Owens-Barnett laying the ball in for a layup to put Rice up three. A three-pointer with 2:02 tied the game, but Fisher's free throws gave Rice a two-point lead with 1:10 to go. With 44 seconds remaining, a second-chance jumper and free throw gave the lead to the Yellow Jackets, as they closed out the game for a 78-75 win.
- With the loss, the Owls are now 0-2 all-time against Georgia Tech.
The Owls continue to home swing Sunday afternoon against Saint Mary's at 2:00 p.m.
Team Stats
GaTech
Rice
FG%
.433
.453
3FG%
.455
.421
FT%
.750
.750
RB
41
34
TO
17
16
STL
10
10
Game Leaders
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
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