Wednesday, March 8
Frisco, TX
8:30 p.m.
Rice University
-1814,812 CUSA
72
vs
71
UTSA
-1022,416 CUSA
1
2
F
UTSA
33
38
71
Rice
42
30
72
Photo by: CUSA
Rice Holds Off UTSA, 72-71, in First Round of C-USA Tournament
3/9/2023 12:41:00 AM | Men's Basketball
FRISCO, Texas — Rice had to play 40 minutes of hard-fought basketball, then had to wait an extra five minutes before defeating UTSA, 72-71, in the first round of the Conference USA Tournament, Wednesday night from the Ford Center at the Star.
The Story
Rice came out on fire, getting three-pointers from Cameron Sheffield and Quincy Olivari as it scored the game's first eight points. UTSA cut the lead to one, going on a 9-2 run. But another Sheffield three sent the Owls on an 11-1 run to take a 21-10 lead at the under-12 timeout. After trading baskets, the Roadrunners scored six of eight points. But Rice went on an 8-2 run to take its largest lead of the half, 33-21, with 7:54 to play in the half. Rice, though, missed its next five shots as UTSA went on an 8-1 run to get within five points. Baskets by Mekhi Mason and Alem Huseinovic pushed Rice's lead back to nine and the teams traded baskets to close the half as Rice entered the break with a 42-33 lead.
Rice started slow in the second half as UTSA opened with a 13-4 run to tie the game at 46. The Owls retook the lead on a Mason three-pointer but Jacob Germany scored on a putback. Mason then converted a three-point play and Andrew Akuchie scored on a layup to take a 54-48 lead. The teams went back-and-forth before the Roadrunners scored six of eight points to pull within one. But, Olivari hit two straight jumpers and Mason found Akuchie for an alley-oop to push Rice's lead to 68-61 with 4:25 to play. But UTSA would not go away. Five straight points cut the lead to two. Olivari scored four of the next five points as Rice took a 72-67 lead with 1:19 to play. After Germany made a layup, Mason turned the ball over. Isaiah Addo-Ankrah made it a one-point game with eight seconds left, and Olivari was immediately fouled on the inbounds. But he missed the front end of a one-and-one and Japhet Medor went the length of the court, scoring over Fiedler and seemingly giving the win to UTSA. However, the officials went to the monitor, and after five minutes of going over the replay, ruled that he did not get the shot off in time as Rice held on for the victory.
What Head Coach Scott Pera Had to Say
"This is March Madness and that was some madness at the end of that game. This is why everybody talks about why this time of year so incredibly amazing, exciting, and riveting. I give a ton of credit to UTSA. They played a great game. (Japhet Medor) made a heck of a play and a tough shot. It just happened to be a quarter-second too late. We were the beneficiaries of that. We're appreciative to get the win and happy to be playing tomorrow night."
The Stats
Rice connected on 49.2% (30-of-61) from the field but just 21.7% (5-of-23) from three. UTSA connected on 42.9% (27-of-63) from the floor and 35.0% (7-of-20) from three. Rice was also outrebounded, 40-to-33.
Notes
• Rice and UTSA met for third time this year and the 22nd time overall.
• This was the first meeting in the Conference USA Tournament.
• Rice is 10-16 all-time in the C-USA Tournament.
• Rice has won at least one game in the conference tournament for three straight years for the first time since the 1994-96 Southwest Conference Tournaments.
• G Quincy Olivari scored a team-high 18 points, his 29th straight double-figure scoring game.
• He also grabbed a game-high eight rebounds.
• Olivari passed Kendall Rhine (1961-64) for 10th-place on Rice's all-time scoring list with 1,450 points.
• Olivari also became the 12th player in school history to score 600 points in a season, tying Robert Johnson (1998-99) for eighth-place with 617.
• G Mekhi Mason scored 12 points, including 10 in the second half.
• F Max Fiedler scored 10 points and had a game-high six assists.
• With six assists, Fiedler passed Tamir Jackson (2009-13) for fifth-place on Rice's all-time list with 391.
• Fiedler now has 163 assists on the year, passing Rashid Smith (2003-04) for third-place on Rice's single-season list.
• G Cameron Sheffield scored 11 points and pulled down seven rebounds.
• With six points, G Travis Evee moved past 1,700 career points.
• F Andrew Akuchie scored eight points and had five rebounds.
Next Up
Rice advances to the quarterfinals of the C-USA Tournament tomorrow, Mar. 9, in Frisco, Texas. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. and will be streamed by ESPN+.
The Story
Rice came out on fire, getting three-pointers from Cameron Sheffield and Quincy Olivari as it scored the game's first eight points. UTSA cut the lead to one, going on a 9-2 run. But another Sheffield three sent the Owls on an 11-1 run to take a 21-10 lead at the under-12 timeout. After trading baskets, the Roadrunners scored six of eight points. But Rice went on an 8-2 run to take its largest lead of the half, 33-21, with 7:54 to play in the half. Rice, though, missed its next five shots as UTSA went on an 8-1 run to get within five points. Baskets by Mekhi Mason and Alem Huseinovic pushed Rice's lead back to nine and the teams traded baskets to close the half as Rice entered the break with a 42-33 lead.
Rice started slow in the second half as UTSA opened with a 13-4 run to tie the game at 46. The Owls retook the lead on a Mason three-pointer but Jacob Germany scored on a putback. Mason then converted a three-point play and Andrew Akuchie scored on a layup to take a 54-48 lead. The teams went back-and-forth before the Roadrunners scored six of eight points to pull within one. But, Olivari hit two straight jumpers and Mason found Akuchie for an alley-oop to push Rice's lead to 68-61 with 4:25 to play. But UTSA would not go away. Five straight points cut the lead to two. Olivari scored four of the next five points as Rice took a 72-67 lead with 1:19 to play. After Germany made a layup, Mason turned the ball over. Isaiah Addo-Ankrah made it a one-point game with eight seconds left, and Olivari was immediately fouled on the inbounds. But he missed the front end of a one-and-one and Japhet Medor went the length of the court, scoring over Fiedler and seemingly giving the win to UTSA. However, the officials went to the monitor, and after five minutes of going over the replay, ruled that he did not get the shot off in time as Rice held on for the victory.
What Head Coach Scott Pera Had to Say
"This is March Madness and that was some madness at the end of that game. This is why everybody talks about why this time of year so incredibly amazing, exciting, and riveting. I give a ton of credit to UTSA. They played a great game. (Japhet Medor) made a heck of a play and a tough shot. It just happened to be a quarter-second too late. We were the beneficiaries of that. We're appreciative to get the win and happy to be playing tomorrow night."
The Stats
Rice connected on 49.2% (30-of-61) from the field but just 21.7% (5-of-23) from three. UTSA connected on 42.9% (27-of-63) from the floor and 35.0% (7-of-20) from three. Rice was also outrebounded, 40-to-33.
Notes
• Rice and UTSA met for third time this year and the 22nd time overall.
• This was the first meeting in the Conference USA Tournament.
• Rice is 10-16 all-time in the C-USA Tournament.
• Rice has won at least one game in the conference tournament for three straight years for the first time since the 1994-96 Southwest Conference Tournaments.
• G Quincy Olivari scored a team-high 18 points, his 29th straight double-figure scoring game.
• He also grabbed a game-high eight rebounds.
• Olivari passed Kendall Rhine (1961-64) for 10th-place on Rice's all-time scoring list with 1,450 points.
• Olivari also became the 12th player in school history to score 600 points in a season, tying Robert Johnson (1998-99) for eighth-place with 617.
• G Mekhi Mason scored 12 points, including 10 in the second half.
• F Max Fiedler scored 10 points and had a game-high six assists.
• With six assists, Fiedler passed Tamir Jackson (2009-13) for fifth-place on Rice's all-time list with 391.
• Fiedler now has 163 assists on the year, passing Rashid Smith (2003-04) for third-place on Rice's single-season list.
• G Cameron Sheffield scored 11 points and pulled down seven rebounds.
• With six points, G Travis Evee moved past 1,700 career points.
• F Andrew Akuchie scored eight points and had five rebounds.
Next Up
Rice advances to the quarterfinals of the C-USA Tournament tomorrow, Mar. 9, in Frisco, Texas. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. and will be streamed by ESPN+.
Team Stats
UTSA
Rice
FG%
.429
.492
3FG%
.350
.217
FT%
.556
.700
RB
40
33
TO
10
11
STL
5
3
Game Leaders
Pts
18
FGM
7
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
10
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG/F
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