Five Owls Reach Double Digits in Win Over Jaguars

Monday, November 11

Houston, Texas

7 p.m.

Rice University

2-1,0-0AAC

South Alabama

1-2,0-0Sun Belt

Team	1	2	3	4	F
South Alabama	13	10	16	19	58
Rice	21	15	19	21	76

Five Owls Reach Double Digits in Win Over Jaguars

11/11/2024 10:48:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

By: Anthony Roberts (ar186@rice.edu)

HOUSTON – The Rice women's basketball team used a well-balanced attack to overwhelm South Alabama 76-58 Monday night at Tudor Fieldhouse. The Owls claim back-to-back victories to move to 2-1 on the season.

Five Owls reached double-digit points, with Victoria Flores recording 12 points, three rebounds and three steals, while Emily Klaczek finished with 12 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Shelby Hayes added 11 points, four rebounds and four assists, while Hailey Adams netted 10 points, seven rebounds and a block. Dominique Ennis rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points, five steals, three rebounds, two assists and a block.

As a team, Rice shot 26-of-63 (41.3%) from the floor and 8-of-22 (36.4%) from three-point range. The Owls held South Alabama to 22-of-60 (36.7%) shooting and 5-of-21 (23.8%) from three-point range. Rice forced 21 turnovers and scored 43 points off the bench.

Postgame Reaction – Shelley Pennington and Friends Head Coach Lindsay Edmonds
"It's great to stack back-to-back wins. I'm really proud of our team's effort. I always think we are at our best when we have multiple in double figures. Tonight, we were able to get five in double figures. I feel like [Klaczek] really ignited us tonight and gave us that spark that we needed and that spark that she can provide and spark that she's done for this team so many times. She started it, and everyone kind of followed suit. I was also very pleased with our defensive willpower. We put our foot down and forced 21 turnovers and had 11 steals, so that was very good for us. Overall, really happy with the win, stacking back-to-back wins, and ready for more."

For more of the post-game press conference, click here.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
Ennis opened the game with a layup as the two sides traded scores early. Down by two, an Ennis triple gave the Owls a one-point lead. Leading 12-11, a Hayes layup followed by back-to-back Klaczek baskets gave Rice a seven-point lead. Aniah Alexis closed the first with a three-pointer as the Owls led 21-13.

Second Quarter
Following a South Alabama three, Klaczek drilled one of her own to give Rice a double-digit lead. With the Jaguars within eight, Flores hit another Rice three to extend the lead to 11 points. After Rice's lead was cut to seven, Sussy Ngulefac's layup, followed by a Jazzy Owens-Barnett three, put Rice up 12 points, where the Owls eventually went into the half up 13 points at 36-23.

Third Quarter
The Jaguars cut the deficit to nine before an Ennis and-one conversion put the Owls back up by double digits. Leading by 10, Klaczek added another triple to extend the Rice lead. After a 6-0 Owl run put the Owls up by 16, Alexis hit another Rice three to extend the lead to 54-35. Rice led 55-39 at the end of the third.

Fourth Quarter
A quick 5-0 South Alabama run opened the fourth before Hayes stopped the run with a pair of free throws. With the Owls up 10, Flores drilled a three-pointer, forced a steal, and followed with a layup to put Rice up 66-51. Later, Adams hit back-to-back shots to extend the lead to 19, with the Owls eventually winning 76-58.

Quick Notes
Ennis hit her 100^th career three-pointer.
Rice is now 2-0 all-time against South Alabama.

UP NEXT
Rice will welcome crosstown foe Houston to Tudor Fieldhouse on Thursday night.