Men’s Basketball Begins Florida Trip at League-Leader Florida Atlantic

HOUSTON — Rice heads to Florida for a two-game swing this Thursday, Feb. 9, when it travels to Boca Raton to face league-leader Florida Atlantic. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and it will be streamed by ESPN+.

Game 24
What: Rice (15-8, 6-6) at RV/RV Florida Atlantic (22-2, 12-1)
When: Thursday, February 9 at 6 p.m. CT
Where: Boca Raton, Fla.
Stadium: FAU Arena (2,900)
Stream: ESPN+
Listen: RiceOwls.com
Live Stats: RiceOwls.com
Series Information: Series tied 4-4 (Rice leads 3-1 in Boca Raton)

Scouting Rice
• Rice enters Thursday's game with a 15-8 record and 6-6 in Conference USA. The Owls are coming off a 74-64 defeat against North Texas last Saturday.
• Junior guard and Preseason All-Conference USA honoree Quincy Olivari is second in C-USA with 18.9 points per game. He's also third on the team in rebounds per game (5.4) while placing third in the league in three-point field goal percentage (.376) and three-pointers made per game (2.7), sixth in field goal percentage (.433), and ninth in free throw percentage (.789).
• Junior guard Travis Evee is seventh in the league with 15.2 points per game. He's also fifth in free throw percentage (.841), seventh in three-pointers made per game (2.3) and 10th in steals per game (1.4).
• Junior forward Max Fiedler is scoring 11.3 points per game while leading the league in field goal percentage, connecting on 72.6% from the field, which is third in the nation. He's also leading C-USA with 5.1 assists per game, is second with 8.3 rebounds and six double-doubles, and sixth in blocks per game (1.2).
• Freshman guard Mekhi Mason is fourth on team with 10.0 points per game, 3.3 rebounds per game and 2.0 assists per game.
• Sophomore guard Cameron Sheffield is scoring 7.7points per game while placing second on the team and seventh in C-USA with 6.5 rebounds per game. He's also connecting on 42.4% from three.
• Rice is scoring 78.3 points per game, which is second in Conference USA, while allowing 73.3.
• The Owls are connecting on a league-leading 48.0% from the field, which is also 27th in the nation, including 36.0% from three. Their opponents are hitting 45.3% from the floor and 34.6% from behind the arc.
• Rice is also outrebounding its opponents, 36.1-to-33.3.
• Rice leads the conference in assists per game (16.2), which is also 22nd in the country, and is third in three-pointers made per game (8.7).
• Head coach Scott Pera is in his sixth season leading the Rice men's basketball program.

Scouting Florida Atlantic
• Florida Atlantic enters Thursday's game with a 22-2 record and 12-1 in Conference USA. The Owls, who are receiving votes in both the Associated Press and Coaches polls, have won 21 of their last 22 games after defeating Charlotte last Saturday, 67-52.
• Sophomore guard Johnell Davis leads the team and is eighth in the league in scoring, averaging 13.1 points while leading C-USA in free throw percentage, connecting on 87.5% from the line. He's also second on the team with 5.3 rebounds per game
• Sophomore guard Alijah Martin is second on the team with 12.0 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per game.
• Sophomore center Vladimir Goldin is averaging 10.2 points while placing ninth in the conference with 6.2 rebounds.
• Redshirt freshman guard Nick Boyd is scoring 9.4 points and leads the team in assists with 2.6 per game.
• Florida Atlantic is scoring 77.0 points per game and are allowing 64.0, which are both third in the league.
• The Owls are connecting on 46.5% from the field and 36.6% from three. Their opponents are hitting a league-low 40.2% from the floor and 32.8% from behind the arc.
• FAU is pulling down 38.9 rebounds per game, which is second in the league, while allowing just 32.8.
• Florida Atlantic is also connecting on a conference-best 9.7 three-pointers per game.
• Head coach Dusty May is in his fifth season at the helm of the Florida Atlantic men's basketball program where he owns an 88-58 record.

Rice-Florida Atlantic Series History
• Rice and Florida Atlantic will meet for just the ninth time overall and the first time since the 2019-20 season.
• The series is tied at four Rice holds a 3-1 lead in Boca Raton.
• FAU has won three of the last four meetings.

Next Up
• Rice closes its Florida trip this Saturday, Feb. 11, when it travels to Miami to face FIU. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and will be streamed at ESPN+.

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