Thursday, November 28
Cancun, Mexico
8 p.m.
Rice University
vs
BYU
Photo by: ©Juan DeLeon Creative
Owls Battle BYU and Vermont in Cancun
11/27/2024 12:54:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Rice Owls (4-2, 0-0 AAC) vs. BYU Cougars (5-1, 0-0 Big XII)
Game 7 • Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024 • 8:00 p.m. CT
Rice Owls (4-2, 0-0 AAC) vs. Vermont Catamounts (3-4, 0-0 AEC)
Game 8 • Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 • 5:30 p.m. CT
Cancun, Mexico • Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya
Video Stream: Click Here
Radio Stream: Click Here
Statistics: available on Statbroadcast
Tickets: Click Here
Twitter Updates: @RiceWBB
Thanksgiving in Cancun
Rice travels to Mexico to compete in the Cancun Challenge this Thanksgiving, where they will first face the BYU Cougars. The Cougars got off to a hot start this season, going 5-0 before recording their first loss to Northern Colorado. The Owls will then face the Vermont Catamounts, who are 3-4 after recording two losses at the ASRC/ConocoPhillips Great Alaska Shootout. Next week, Rice will return to Tudor Fieldhouse to take on the Utah Tech Trailblazers.
Last Time Out
In a tight contest, the Owls fought hard but ultimately fell to Gonzaga 69-72 at McCarthey Athletic Center. In a standout performance, Hailey Adams led the Owls with a career-high 20 points, nine rebounds, and three assists, while Emily Klaczek recorded 15 points, three assists, and four steals.
Rice vs. BYU
This is the fifth meeting between the two, with the Owls holding a 3-1 lead in the series. The Owls won the previous matchup 71-67 at the Marriott Center during the 2022-23 WNIT First Round.
Rice vs. Vermont
This is the first-ever meeting between the Rice Owls and the Vermont Catamounts.
Conference Honors (11/18)
Dominique Ennis earned American Athletic Conference Honorable Mention recognition after leading Rice to a 3-0 week. Ennis averaged 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 steals per game.
All-Conference Honors
Malia Fisher was named the 2024-25 AAC Preseason All-Conference First Team after leading the Owls to the NCAA Tournament a season ago. Fisher was an AAC Third Team selection and AAC All-Tournament MVP last season.
Preseason Polls
Rice was picked tied for second in the AAC Preseason Coaches' Poll. South Florida was the preseason favorite (eight first-place votes), while North Texas (three votes) and Rice (two votes) were tied for second.
Playing Mid-Major Powers
Several opponents on Rice's schedule are ranked in the Women's Mid Major Top 25, with Gonzaga earning the top spot, South Dakota State (#7) and North Carolina A&T checking in at number 17.
Champions of the AAC
Rice debuted in the AAC as champions, winning four games in four days to claim the first-ever AAC title in Rice Athletics history. Led by AAC Third Team selection and All-Tournament MVP Malia Fisher, Rice took down East Carolina 61-41 to become the lowest seed (10) to ever win the AAC Tournament.
Year Four
Shelley Pennington and Friends Head Coach Lindsay Edmonds enters her fourth year at the helm for Rice. Through her first three seasons, Edmonds has achieved the most wins (56), became the first head coach to open their Rice WBB career with back-to-back-to-back winning seasons, and was the fastest coach to win a conference title in program history.
Fisher Reaches 1,000
Malia Fisher became the 26th athlete in program history to surpass 1,000 career points, doing so in the NCAA Tournament against LSU. Currently, Fisher ranks 21st all-time in points with 1,006. To reach the top 10 in points, Fisher will have to reach 1,329 points.
Kuster to be Inducted into CUSA Hall of Fame
Rice women's basketball all-time great Jessica Kuster is set to be inducted into the Conference USA Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2024. She is Rice basketball's all-time point scorer (2,081), while leading Rice WBB and CUSA in career rebounds (1,376) and career double-doubles (67). Kuster is the only athlete in program history to average a double-double in all four seasons, one of two female athletes in CUSA history. Kuster is also the only player in CUSA history to be named to both the First Team All-Conference and the All-Defensive Team all four seasons. She is also the only four-time recipient of the Hackerman Award in school history, presented to the team MVP. Kuster becomes the fifth Rice inductee and the first Rice women's basketball inductee in the CUSA Hall of Fame.
Non-Conference Schedule
Rice's non-conference schedule includes games against six postseason teams from last season, South Dakota State (NCAA), N.C. A&T (WNIT), at Gonzaga (NCAA), vs. BYU (WBIT), vs. Vermont (WNIT) and at Georgia Tech (WBIT). The Owls will see several local rivals coming to Tudor Fieldhouse with Houston, Sam Houston and Texas Southern all making the trip to South Main.
Game 7 • Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024 • 8:00 p.m. CT
Rice Owls (4-2, 0-0 AAC) vs. Vermont Catamounts (3-4, 0-0 AEC)
Game 8 • Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 • 5:30 p.m. CT
Cancun, Mexico • Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya
Video Stream: Click Here
Radio Stream: Click Here
Statistics: available on Statbroadcast
Tickets: Click Here
Twitter Updates: @RiceWBB
Thanksgiving in Cancun
Rice travels to Mexico to compete in the Cancun Challenge this Thanksgiving, where they will first face the BYU Cougars. The Cougars got off to a hot start this season, going 5-0 before recording their first loss to Northern Colorado. The Owls will then face the Vermont Catamounts, who are 3-4 after recording two losses at the ASRC/ConocoPhillips Great Alaska Shootout. Next week, Rice will return to Tudor Fieldhouse to take on the Utah Tech Trailblazers.
Last Time Out
In a tight contest, the Owls fought hard but ultimately fell to Gonzaga 69-72 at McCarthey Athletic Center. In a standout performance, Hailey Adams led the Owls with a career-high 20 points, nine rebounds, and three assists, while Emily Klaczek recorded 15 points, three assists, and four steals.
Rice vs. BYU
This is the fifth meeting between the two, with the Owls holding a 3-1 lead in the series. The Owls won the previous matchup 71-67 at the Marriott Center during the 2022-23 WNIT First Round.
Rice vs. Vermont
This is the first-ever meeting between the Rice Owls and the Vermont Catamounts.
Conference Honors (11/18)
Dominique Ennis earned American Athletic Conference Honorable Mention recognition after leading Rice to a 3-0 week. Ennis averaged 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 steals per game.
All-Conference Honors
Malia Fisher was named the 2024-25 AAC Preseason All-Conference First Team after leading the Owls to the NCAA Tournament a season ago. Fisher was an AAC Third Team selection and AAC All-Tournament MVP last season.
Preseason Polls
Rice was picked tied for second in the AAC Preseason Coaches' Poll. South Florida was the preseason favorite (eight first-place votes), while North Texas (three votes) and Rice (two votes) were tied for second.
Playing Mid-Major Powers
Several opponents on Rice's schedule are ranked in the Women's Mid Major Top 25, with Gonzaga earning the top spot, South Dakota State (#7) and North Carolina A&T checking in at number 17.
Champions of the AAC
Rice debuted in the AAC as champions, winning four games in four days to claim the first-ever AAC title in Rice Athletics history. Led by AAC Third Team selection and All-Tournament MVP Malia Fisher, Rice took down East Carolina 61-41 to become the lowest seed (10) to ever win the AAC Tournament.
Year Four
Shelley Pennington and Friends Head Coach Lindsay Edmonds enters her fourth year at the helm for Rice. Through her first three seasons, Edmonds has achieved the most wins (56), became the first head coach to open their Rice WBB career with back-to-back-to-back winning seasons, and was the fastest coach to win a conference title in program history.
Fisher Reaches 1,000
Malia Fisher became the 26th athlete in program history to surpass 1,000 career points, doing so in the NCAA Tournament against LSU. Currently, Fisher ranks 21st all-time in points with 1,006. To reach the top 10 in points, Fisher will have to reach 1,329 points.
Kuster to be Inducted into CUSA Hall of Fame
Rice women's basketball all-time great Jessica Kuster is set to be inducted into the Conference USA Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2024. She is Rice basketball's all-time point scorer (2,081), while leading Rice WBB and CUSA in career rebounds (1,376) and career double-doubles (67). Kuster is the only athlete in program history to average a double-double in all four seasons, one of two female athletes in CUSA history. Kuster is also the only player in CUSA history to be named to both the First Team All-Conference and the All-Defensive Team all four seasons. She is also the only four-time recipient of the Hackerman Award in school history, presented to the team MVP. Kuster becomes the fifth Rice inductee and the first Rice women's basketball inductee in the CUSA Hall of Fame.
Non-Conference Schedule
Rice's non-conference schedule includes games against six postseason teams from last season, South Dakota State (NCAA), N.C. A&T (WNIT), at Gonzaga (NCAA), vs. BYU (WBIT), vs. Vermont (WNIT) and at Georgia Tech (WBIT). The Owls will see several local rivals coming to Tudor Fieldhouse with Houston, Sam Houston and Texas Southern all making the trip to South Main.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's BasketballWBB: Rice vs. Marshall Postgame Presser
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