Men’s Hoops Heads Across Town to Face No. 3 Houston

HOUSTON — Rice will travel across town this Wednesday, Dec. 6, to face No. 3 Houston. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and will be streamed by ESPN+.

Game 9
What: Rice (3-5) vs. No. 3/2 Houston (8-0)
When: Wednesday, December 6 at 7 p.m. CT
Where: Houston, Texas
Stadium: Fertitta Center (7,035)
Stream: ESPN+
Listen: RiceOwls.com
Live Stats: RiceOwls.com
Series Information: Houston leads 65-18 (33-7 at Houston)

Scouting Rice
• Rice enters Wednesday's game with a 3-5 record after defeating crosstown foe Houston Christian, 65-56, last Saturday.
• The Owls are led by fifth-year senior guard Travis Evee, who is scoring 17.0 points per game, good for fourth in the American Athletic Conference. He's adding 3.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.5 steals.
• Sophomore guard Mekhi Mason is second on the team with 13.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists.
• Fifth-year senior forward Max Fiedler is averaging 9.1 points, while leading the team with 9.4 rebounds and 5.6 assists, which are both second in the AAC. He's also connecting on 67.3% from the floor, which is fourth in the conference. Fiedler is also second in the American in offensive rebounds with 3.8 per game.
• Graduate student guard Anthony Selden is scoring 8.7 points per game. He's pulling down 2.5 rebounds and is connecting on 47.2% from the field.
• The Owls are scoring 77.0 points pe game while allowing 79.5.
• Rice is connecting on 43.8% from the field and 31.1% from three. Its opponents are connecting on 46.9% from the field and 36.8% from beyond the arc.
• The Owls are being outrebounded by their opponents, 37.3-to-36.8.
• Rice also leads the American in assist/turnover ratio (1.4) and is second in assists per game (15.3).
• Head coach Scott Pera is in his seventh season leading the Rice men's basketball program.

Scouting Houston
• Houston enters Wednesday's nightcap with an 8-0 record after defeating Xavier last Friday, 66-60.
• The Cougars are ranked third in the latest Associate Press poll and second in the Coaches poll.
• UH is led by senior guard L.J. Cryer with 17.8 points, good for fourth in the Big 12 Conference. He also leads the league in three-point field goals per game (3.4) and is fifth in three-point field goal percentage (.386).
• Redshirt sophomore guard Emanuel Sharp is second on the squad with 11.5 points.
• Senior guard Jamal Shead is scoring 9.6 points per game and is third on the team with 4.3 rebounds. He is also third in the Big 12 with 2.9 steals per game and fourth with 6.0 assists per game.
• Redshirt senior forward J'Wan Roberts is scoring 9.1 points per game and leads the team and is sixth in the league with 8.3 rebounds.
• Houston is scoring 75.0 points per game but is allowing 50.4, which leads the nation.
• The Cougars are connecting on 43.3% from the field 34.2% from three. They are holding their opponents to just 34.9% from the field, good for second in the country, and 27.6% from three.
• UH is outrebounding the opposition, 41.1-to-32.6.
• Houston is also second in the nation in turnover margin (+8.2) and ninth in steals per game (10.6).
• Head coach Kelvin Sampson is in his 10th season leading the Houston men's basketball program, where he holds a 240-74 record. In 35 seasons as a head coach, he is 740-344.

Rice-Houston Series History
• This will be the 84th meeting between Rice and Houston with the Cougars holding a 65-18 advantage.
• The Owls are looking for their first victory over UH since 2013.
• It will also be just the 12th meeting as non-conference opponents. Houston leads 6-4 in non-conference games.
• Houston has won the last seven meetings and eight of the last nine.
• It is also the 10th time that Rice will face a ranked Houston team. Rice is looking for its first victory over a ranked Houston, having lost the previous nine meetings.
• In games held at Houston, the Cougars holds a 33-7 lead.

Next Up
• Rice returns to the hardwood next Wednesday, Dec. 13, when it hosts Incarnate Word in the annual School House Mania game. Tip-off is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. CT and the game will be streamed by ESPN+.

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