Rice University Athletics
Seven Owls Reach Double Digits in Win Over PVAMU
12/16/2023 5:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HOUSTON – A well-balanced attack fueled the Rice women's basketball team to an 85-59 win over Prairie View A&M Saturday afternoon at Tudor Fieldhouse. The win marks the 400th home win in program history. The Owls move to 6-4 with one game remaining in non-conference play.
Jazzy Owens-Barnett led the Owls with 14 points, three rebounds and two assists, while Maya Bokunewicz added 12 points, seven rebounds, three steals and a block. Emily Klaczek finished with 12 points and two rebounds, while Dominique Ennis also netted 12 points and two rebounds. Destiny Jackson had 11 points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal, while Shelby Hayes finished with 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Trinity Gooden rounded out the season-high seven double-digit scorers for Rice with 10 points, five assists and three rebounds.
As a team, Rice shot 28-of-66 (42.2%) from the floor and 9-of-21 (42.9%) from three-point range. The Owls added a 20-of-23 (87.0%) showing from the free throw line. Rice forced 20 PVAMU turnovers, scoring 24 points off those turnovers.
Postgame Reaction - Head Coach Lindsay Edmonds
"It feels good to get a win. It's always good to get a win at home. I thought we played pretty well today. Again, coaches, we're never happy, right, but I thought for three quarters, we really competed and played Rice women's basketball [and then] we had a little bit of slippage in the fourth. What I am really proud of is that we had seven in double figures, so a well-balanced attack. We took care of the basketball even against their pressure and only had 12 turnovers. I thought this was a good game after we had a week off for exams to get us back going and to get us in the win column and get us ready for the next one."
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
Klaczek opened the game with a layup and later drilled the game's first three to put Rice up 5-2 early. After back-to-back scores from Ennis and Hayes put Rice up seven, a quick 6-2 run brought the Lady Panthers within three at 11-8. A pair of Hayes free throws followed by a Bokunewicz three-pointer extended the Owl lead to eight. Gooden and Ennis later connected on threes to give Rice an 11-point lead, but Prairie View got within single digits at 27-19 at the end of the first quarter.
Second Quarter
Back-to-back layups from Jackson gave Rice a 12-point advantage, with Ennis later hitting another three-pointer to put Rice up 37-21. Leading by 14 points, Gooden and Owens-Barnett connected on a pair of baskets to extend the lead. The Owls held a 46-28 lead at the half.
Third Quarter
A Bokunewicz triple opened the third quarter, with Klaczek following with a layup to give Rice a 23-point lead. After the Lady Panthers cut the deficit to 55-36, Bokunewicz and Klaczek connected on back-to-back three-pointers, followed by a Fatou Samb layup, to put Rice up 63-36. Rice led 67-40 at the end of the third.
Fourth Quarter
The Owls opened the final frame with scores from Gooden and Samb to give Rice a 73-41 lead. Bokunewicz's three-pointer extended the lead to a game-high 33 points, with the Lady Panthers responding with an 11-0 run. Owens-Barnett and Hayes netted the last six points of the game as the Owls went on to win 85-59.
TEAM NOTES
UP NEXT
Rice will wrap up non-conference next Wednesday at the University of Houston.
Jazzy Owens-Barnett led the Owls with 14 points, three rebounds and two assists, while Maya Bokunewicz added 12 points, seven rebounds, three steals and a block. Emily Klaczek finished with 12 points and two rebounds, while Dominique Ennis also netted 12 points and two rebounds. Destiny Jackson had 11 points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal, while Shelby Hayes finished with 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Trinity Gooden rounded out the season-high seven double-digit scorers for Rice with 10 points, five assists and three rebounds.
As a team, Rice shot 28-of-66 (42.2%) from the floor and 9-of-21 (42.9%) from three-point range. The Owls added a 20-of-23 (87.0%) showing from the free throw line. Rice forced 20 PVAMU turnovers, scoring 24 points off those turnovers.
"It feels good to get a win. It's always good to get a win at home. I thought we played pretty well today. Again, coaches, we're never happy, right, but I thought for three quarters, we really competed and played Rice women's basketball [and then] we had a little bit of slippage in the fourth. What I am really proud of is that we had seven in double figures, so a well-balanced attack. We took care of the basketball even against their pressure and only had 12 turnovers. I thought this was a good game after we had a week off for exams to get us back going and to get us in the win column and get us ready for the next one."
First Quarter
Klaczek opened the game with a layup and later drilled the game's first three to put Rice up 5-2 early. After back-to-back scores from Ennis and Hayes put Rice up seven, a quick 6-2 run brought the Lady Panthers within three at 11-8. A pair of Hayes free throws followed by a Bokunewicz three-pointer extended the Owl lead to eight. Gooden and Ennis later connected on threes to give Rice an 11-point lead, but Prairie View got within single digits at 27-19 at the end of the first quarter.
Second Quarter
Back-to-back layups from Jackson gave Rice a 12-point advantage, with Ennis later hitting another three-pointer to put Rice up 37-21. Leading by 14 points, Gooden and Owens-Barnett connected on a pair of baskets to extend the lead. The Owls held a 46-28 lead at the half.
Third Quarter
A Bokunewicz triple opened the third quarter, with Klaczek following with a layup to give Rice a 23-point lead. After the Lady Panthers cut the deficit to 55-36, Bokunewicz and Klaczek connected on back-to-back three-pointers, followed by a Fatou Samb layup, to put Rice up 63-36. Rice led 67-40 at the end of the third.
Fourth Quarter
The Owls opened the final frame with scores from Gooden and Samb to give Rice a 73-41 lead. Bokunewicz's three-pointer extended the lead to a game-high 33 points, with the Lady Panthers responding with an 11-0 run. Owens-Barnett and Hayes netted the last six points of the game as the Owls went on to win 85-59.
- The Owls are now 17-3 all-time against Prairie View.
- The win marked the 400th home win in program history.
- Rice had a season-high 85 points.
- Klaczek's 12 points set a season high.
- Bokunewicz set season highs in rebounds with seven and steals with three.
- Owens-Barnett set a season high with 14 points.
- Gooden set season highs in points (10), assists (five) and rebounds (three).
- Samb had a season-high two assists.
Rice will wrap up non-conference next Wednesday at the University of Houston.
Players Mentioned
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