Tuesday, November 5
Houston, TX
6 p.m.
Rice University
vs
FIU
Photo by: Maria Lysaker | Rice Athletics
Men’s Basketball Opens Lanier Era Against Former Conference Foe FIU
11/4/2024 3:19:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HOUSTON — Rice opens the Rob Lanier era this Tuesday, Nov. 5, when it hosts former Conference USA foe FIU. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and the game will be streamed by ESPN+.
Game 1
What: Rice vs. FIU
When: Tuesday, November 5 at 6 p.m.
Where: Houston, Texas
Stadium: Tudor Fieldhouse (5,208)
Stream: ESPN+
Listen: RiceOwls.com
Live Stats: RiceOwls.com
Tickets: RiceOwls.com
Series Information: FIU leads, 7-5 (Rice leads, 3-2, in Houston)
Scouting Rice
• Rice returns just six letterwinners and one starter from last year's squad.
• Fifth-year senior guard Alem Huseinovic is Rice's leading returning scorer, averaging 7.8 points last year. He also led the team and was seventh in the AAC in three-point field goal percentage (.402).
• Junior forward Andrew Akuchie averaged 3.6 points per game and is the team's leading returning rebounder (3.5).
• Graduate student guard/forward Kellen Amos joins the Owls after transferring from Central Connecticut State, where he twice earned All-Northeast Conference. Last season, he averaged 11.8 points and led the team with 5.2 rebounds, while placing sixth in the NEC in blocks per game (1.1) and ninth in free throw percentage (.747).
• Graduate student guard Trae Broadnax comes to South Main after spending the last two seasons at USC Upstate. Last year, he earned Second Team All-Big South Conference honors after leading the team in both scoring (14.2) and assists (3.5).
• Rice averaged 72.0 points per game last year while allowing 75.0.
• The Owls connected on 44.3% from the field and 33.7% from three. Their opponents connected on 45.1% from the floor and 37.6% from behind the arc.
• Rice was outrebounded by its opponents, 35.6-to-35.4.
• Head coach Rob Lanier is in his first season at the helm of the Rice men's basketball program.
Scouting FIU
• FIU returns eight letterwinners and two starters from last year's squad that went 11-22.
• Junior guard Dashon Gittens is FIU's leading returning scorer, averaging 9.4 points last year. He also had 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.6 steals.
• Junior guard Jayden Brewer averaged 8.5 points per game and 3.2 rebounds while connecting on 48.4% from the field.
• Senior guard Jaidon Lipscomb averaged 6.3 points and is FIU's leading returning three-point shooter, connecting on 46 threes and 36.2% from behind the arc.
• FIU averaged 73.6 points per game last year while allowing 76.5.
• The Panthers connected on 43.7% from the field and 33.8% from three. Their opponents connected on 47.5% from the floor and 39.5% from behind the arc.
• FIU was outrebounded by its opponents, 38.8-to-31.6.
• Head coach Jeremy Ballard is in his seventh season at the helm of the FIU men's basketball program.
Rice-FIU Series History
• Rice and FIU will meet for the 13th time overall.
• This is the first meeting as non-conference foes, as all 12 games came as members of Conference USA.
• The teams were members of Conference USA from 2013-23.
• FIU leads the series, 7-5, and 3-2 in Houston.
• The Panthers have won five of the last seven meetings.
Rice in Season Openers
• Rice is 62-49 all-time in season openers.
• Rice will open the season at home for the second straight year and the 56th time overall. When opening at home, Rice is 41-14.
• This will be the second time that Rice opens the season against a Conference USA opponent. The Owls defeated Tulane, 72-58 to start the 2002-03 season.
Rice in Home Openers
• Rice is 76-31 all-time in home openers.
• Rice is looking to win its seventh straight home opener. The Owls defeated Saint Leo (80-64) in 2018, Penn (80-61) in 2019, LeTourneau (94-74) 2020, Pepperdine (82-63) in 2021 and St. Thomas in 2022 (85-48) and 2023 (101-57).
Next Up
• Rice stays in Houston when it faces Florida State in the Toyota Center in the MattressFirm Battleground 2k24, this Saturday, Nov. 9. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m., and the game will be streamed at ESPN+.
Game 1
What: Rice vs. FIU
When: Tuesday, November 5 at 6 p.m.
Where: Houston, Texas
Stadium: Tudor Fieldhouse (5,208)
Stream: ESPN+
Listen: RiceOwls.com
Live Stats: RiceOwls.com
Tickets: RiceOwls.com
Series Information: FIU leads, 7-5 (Rice leads, 3-2, in Houston)
Scouting Rice
• Rice returns just six letterwinners and one starter from last year's squad.
• Fifth-year senior guard Alem Huseinovic is Rice's leading returning scorer, averaging 7.8 points last year. He also led the team and was seventh in the AAC in three-point field goal percentage (.402).
• Junior forward Andrew Akuchie averaged 3.6 points per game and is the team's leading returning rebounder (3.5).
• Graduate student guard/forward Kellen Amos joins the Owls after transferring from Central Connecticut State, where he twice earned All-Northeast Conference. Last season, he averaged 11.8 points and led the team with 5.2 rebounds, while placing sixth in the NEC in blocks per game (1.1) and ninth in free throw percentage (.747).
• Graduate student guard Trae Broadnax comes to South Main after spending the last two seasons at USC Upstate. Last year, he earned Second Team All-Big South Conference honors after leading the team in both scoring (14.2) and assists (3.5).
• Rice averaged 72.0 points per game last year while allowing 75.0.
• The Owls connected on 44.3% from the field and 33.7% from three. Their opponents connected on 45.1% from the floor and 37.6% from behind the arc.
• Rice was outrebounded by its opponents, 35.6-to-35.4.
• Head coach Rob Lanier is in his first season at the helm of the Rice men's basketball program.
Scouting FIU
• FIU returns eight letterwinners and two starters from last year's squad that went 11-22.
• Junior guard Dashon Gittens is FIU's leading returning scorer, averaging 9.4 points last year. He also had 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.6 steals.
• Junior guard Jayden Brewer averaged 8.5 points per game and 3.2 rebounds while connecting on 48.4% from the field.
• Senior guard Jaidon Lipscomb averaged 6.3 points and is FIU's leading returning three-point shooter, connecting on 46 threes and 36.2% from behind the arc.
• FIU averaged 73.6 points per game last year while allowing 76.5.
• The Panthers connected on 43.7% from the field and 33.8% from three. Their opponents connected on 47.5% from the floor and 39.5% from behind the arc.
• FIU was outrebounded by its opponents, 38.8-to-31.6.
• Head coach Jeremy Ballard is in his seventh season at the helm of the FIU men's basketball program.
Rice-FIU Series History
• Rice and FIU will meet for the 13th time overall.
• This is the first meeting as non-conference foes, as all 12 games came as members of Conference USA.
• The teams were members of Conference USA from 2013-23.
• FIU leads the series, 7-5, and 3-2 in Houston.
• The Panthers have won five of the last seven meetings.
Rice in Season Openers
• Rice is 62-49 all-time in season openers.
• Rice will open the season at home for the second straight year and the 56th time overall. When opening at home, Rice is 41-14.
• This will be the second time that Rice opens the season against a Conference USA opponent. The Owls defeated Tulane, 72-58 to start the 2002-03 season.
Rice in Home Openers
• Rice is 76-31 all-time in home openers.
• Rice is looking to win its seventh straight home opener. The Owls defeated Saint Leo (80-64) in 2018, Penn (80-61) in 2019, LeTourneau (94-74) 2020, Pepperdine (82-63) in 2021 and St. Thomas in 2022 (85-48) and 2023 (101-57).
Next Up
• Rice stays in Houston when it faces Florida State in the Toyota Center in the MattressFirm Battleground 2k24, this Saturday, Nov. 9. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m., and the game will be streamed at ESPN+.
Players Mentioned
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