Rice University
Utah Tech
Owls Return Home to Face Utah Tech
12/3/2024 2:31:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Rice Owls (5-3, 0-0 AAC) vs. Utah Tech Trailblazers (4-4, 0-0 WAC)
Game 9 • Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 • 7:00 p.m. CT
Houston, TX • Tudor Fieldhouse
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Back at Home
Rice returns home to Tudor Fieldhouse, where they will welcome the Utah Tech Trailblazers. The Trailblazers are coming off of a big win over Westcliff to conclude their homestead, propelling Utah Tech to an even 4-4 record to start the season. Tickets can be purchased on Ticketmaster or by calling (713) 348-OWLS (6957) for further assistance.
Last Time Out
To close out the Cancun Challenge, the Owls shot lights-out to secure a 79-57 victory over Vermont at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya. Leading all scorers, Victoria Flores scored a season-high 18 points off the bench. She also picked up three rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Emily Klaczek recorded 17 points, two rebounds, two steals, and an assist.
Rice vs. Utah Tech
This is the first-ever meeting between the Rice Owls and the Utah Tech Trailblazers.
Conference Honors
Dominique Ennis earned her second American Athletic Conference Honorable Mention recognition of the season after her performance in Cancun. Ennis averaged 13.0 points per game on 47% shooting with four three-pointers. She also picked up seven rebounds, two assists and one steal over two games, securing her a spot on the Cancun Challenge All-Tournament Team for the Riviera Tournament.
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.
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.
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.
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.
