Saturday, March 4
Miami, FL
1:00 P.M. CT
Rice University
-227,137 CUSA
96
at
84
FIU
-1217,713 CUSA
1
2
3
4
F
Rice
23
22
12
39
96
FIU
15
15
28
26
84
Strong Fourth Sends Rice Past FIU in Regular Season Finale
3/4/2023 4:08:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MIAMI – The Rice women's basketball team wrapped up the regular season with a win as the Owls defeated Florida International 96-84 Saturday afternoon. The win marks the fifth straight for Rice as the team improves to 22-7 (13-7 C-USA), while also clinching the third seed in next week's C-USA Tournament in Frisco, Texas.
Katelyn Crosthwait led the way for Rice, scoring 22 points in back-to-back games, while adding three rebounds and assists, and two steals. Dominique Ennis added another 16 points, four assists and two steals while Jazzy Owens-Barnett finished with 15 points, five assists, two rebounds and a steal. Malia Fisher rounded out the double-digit scorers with 14 points, four assists, three rebounds and a block.
As a team Rice shot 30-of-56 (54%) from the floor and 10-of-24 (42%) from three-point range. The Owls added a 26-of-34 display from the free throw line.
Postgame Reaction - Head Coach Lindsay Edmonds
"We've been talking about this week [about] gaining momentum going into the conference tournament. We came in on the road and got two great wins. I'm really proud of our group for executing the game plan, being aggressive and making sure we did what we needed to do to come in and get a win. We had a balanced attack today with four in double figures. I thought Jazzy and Dom were great for us and Katelyn was unbelievable all week long, and Malia stepped up when we needed her in the second half. I'm just really proud of this group. They did whatever it took to get these two wins to get us momentum going into the conference tournament and I'm just really proud of them."
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
Owens-Barnett and Ennis opened the game with back-to-back layups before FIU netted a basket. After the Panthers cut the lead to one at 9-8, Ennis drilled a three pointer with Crosthwait later countering a FIU score with another three to put Rice up 15-10. With the Owls leading 18-15, Crosthwait hit another three and capped the quarter off with a last-second layup to put the Owls up 23-15 at the end of the first.
Second Quarter
Following a layup by FIU, Owens-Barnett and Ashlee Austin scored the next three baskets to give Rice a 12-point lead. After trading baskets, Fisher hit another Rice three to put the Owls up 32-19. Leading 37-25, Crosthwait hit her third three of the game, with Haylee Swayze later hitting another triple for Rice to put the Owls up 43-27. Rice led 45-30 at the break.
Third Quarter
Ennis and Austin got Rice going in the third as the two sides traded baskets early in the third quarter. After Owens-Barnett's layup put the Owls up 51-39, the Panthers went on a 15-0 run to take a 54-51 lead. Trailing 55-56, Crosthwait hit a three pointer to put Rice back on top. FIU led at the end of the third 58-57.
Fourth Quarter
Ennis' layup gave the lead back to Rice to open the fourth. Fisher soon followed with a layup with Crosthwait stealing the following inbounds pass and scoring a layup to give Rice a 63-58 lead and forcing a FIU timeout. Ennis followed by drilling a three pointer to give Rice a 66-58 lead, opening the fourth quarter on a 9-0 run. With Rice leading 67-57, Fisher converted an and-one opportunity to give Rice a 70-57 lead. The two continued to trade baskets, with Crosthwait's three with just over two minutes left giving the Owls an 83-69 lead. Rice converted baskets and free throws down the stretch to take a 96-84 victory.
UP NEXT
The Owls will be back in action next week at the C-USA Tournament, where the Owls will be a three seed and will receive an automatic first-round bye. The Owls will play Thursday, March 10 in the quarterfinals.
Katelyn Crosthwait led the way for Rice, scoring 22 points in back-to-back games, while adding three rebounds and assists, and two steals. Dominique Ennis added another 16 points, four assists and two steals while Jazzy Owens-Barnett finished with 15 points, five assists, two rebounds and a steal. Malia Fisher rounded out the double-digit scorers with 14 points, four assists, three rebounds and a block.
As a team Rice shot 30-of-56 (54%) from the floor and 10-of-24 (42%) from three-point range. The Owls added a 26-of-34 display from the free throw line.
"We've been talking about this week [about] gaining momentum going into the conference tournament. We came in on the road and got two great wins. I'm really proud of our group for executing the game plan, being aggressive and making sure we did what we needed to do to come in and get a win. We had a balanced attack today with four in double figures. I thought Jazzy and Dom were great for us and Katelyn was unbelievable all week long, and Malia stepped up when we needed her in the second half. I'm just really proud of this group. They did whatever it took to get these two wins to get us momentum going into the conference tournament and I'm just really proud of them."
First Quarter
Owens-Barnett and Ennis opened the game with back-to-back layups before FIU netted a basket. After the Panthers cut the lead to one at 9-8, Ennis drilled a three pointer with Crosthwait later countering a FIU score with another three to put Rice up 15-10. With the Owls leading 18-15, Crosthwait hit another three and capped the quarter off with a last-second layup to put the Owls up 23-15 at the end of the first.
Second Quarter
Following a layup by FIU, Owens-Barnett and Ashlee Austin scored the next three baskets to give Rice a 12-point lead. After trading baskets, Fisher hit another Rice three to put the Owls up 32-19. Leading 37-25, Crosthwait hit her third three of the game, with Haylee Swayze later hitting another triple for Rice to put the Owls up 43-27. Rice led 45-30 at the break.
Third Quarter
Ennis and Austin got Rice going in the third as the two sides traded baskets early in the third quarter. After Owens-Barnett's layup put the Owls up 51-39, the Panthers went on a 15-0 run to take a 54-51 lead. Trailing 55-56, Crosthwait hit a three pointer to put Rice back on top. FIU led at the end of the third 58-57.
Fourth Quarter
Ennis' layup gave the lead back to Rice to open the fourth. Fisher soon followed with a layup with Crosthwait stealing the following inbounds pass and scoring a layup to give Rice a 63-58 lead and forcing a FIU timeout. Ennis followed by drilling a three pointer to give Rice a 66-58 lead, opening the fourth quarter on a 9-0 run. With Rice leading 67-57, Fisher converted an and-one opportunity to give Rice a 70-57 lead. The two continued to trade baskets, with Crosthwait's three with just over two minutes left giving the Owls an 83-69 lead. Rice converted baskets and free throws down the stretch to take a 96-84 victory.
The Owls will be back in action next week at the C-USA Tournament, where the Owls will be a three seed and will receive an automatic first-round bye. The Owls will play Thursday, March 10 in the quarterfinals.
Team Stats
Rice
FIU
FG%
.536
.419
3FG%
.417
.389
FT%
.765
.862
RB
28
40
TO
12
17
STL
5
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
22
FGM
8
3FGM
5
FTM
1
Pts
16
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
6
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
14
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
7
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
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