
Owls Power Past Memphis Behind Career Days
1/12/2025 5:27:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HOUSTON – The Rice women's basketball team bounced back into the win column after a 70-59 win over Memphis Sunday afternoon at Tudor Fieldhouse. The win improves Rice's record to 9-7 (2-2 AAC), while the Tigers fall to 3-12 (1-3 AAC).
Victoria Flores led the Owls with a career-high 24 points on 6-of-11 shooting, while also adding six rebounds. Shelby Hayes tied a career-high with 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting, while adding career-highs with 14 points and two blocks for her second career double-double.
As a team, Rice shot 21-of-51 (41.2%) from the floor and 5-of-17 (29.4%) from three-point range. The Owls added a 23-of-30 (76.7%) showing from the free throw line. Rice out-rebounded the Tigers 48-26 and recorded a season-high 10 blocks.
Postgame Reaction – Shelley Pennington and Friends Head Coach Lindsay Edmonds
"Really proud of our team and our toughness. I think we had challenged them in that area after that last game and the way that they responded was incredible and exactly how I knew that they would. [Proud of] just how tough this team is and we put it on showcase for four quarters so that was really fun to see."
For more of the post-game press conference, click here.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
Memphis opened the game's scoring before Malia Fisher and Flores scored the next eight points to take an 8-2 lead early. Leading by six, Hailey Adams padded the Rice lead with a jumper. Rice led 14-10 at the end of the first quarter.
Second Quarter
Hayes got the scoring started in the second as the two sides traded scores. Up by three, Aniah Alexis made it a two-score game with a baseline layup. Following a Tiger score, Flores drilled the game's first three-pointer to take a six-point lead. Rice led 24-23 at halftime.
Third Quarter
Emily Klaczek's three-pointer opened the third quarter, with Flores later hitting another triple as Rice took a five-point lead. Up by three, Adams ignited a 10-0 run with Hayes and Flores also contributing. With Rice up 46-36, Hayes countered several Memphis scores to keep the lead intact. Jill Twiehaus drilled a three near the end of the frame as Rice took a 51-40 lead into the fourth.
Fourth Quarter
The Owls continued to tack on to their lead in the fourth, with a Flores triple and another Hayes layup giving Rice its largest lead at 58-41 (17 points). Leading by 12, Fisher's jumper pushed the lead to 14 points with 4:08 remaining. After several Memphis threes cut the lead to seven points, Flores and Klaczek prevented any rally with a perfect showing at the free throw line down the stretch as Rice won 70-59.
Quick Notes
Rice's 10 blocks are the most in a game for the Owls since 14 against SMU (Nov. 13, 2019).
Flores and Hayes accounted for 31 of Rice's 46 second-half points.
Flores set a career-high with 24 points and six rebounds.
Hayes tied a career-high with 18 points while setting a career-high with 14 rebounds and two blocks.
This is Hayes' second career double-double.
Fisher set season-highs with 10 rebounds and four blocks.
The Owls held the AAC's top scoring offense to 59 points (averaging 72 entering today).
UP NEXT
The Owls are back on the road Wednesday night at North Texas.
Victoria Flores led the Owls with a career-high 24 points on 6-of-11 shooting, while also adding six rebounds. Shelby Hayes tied a career-high with 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting, while adding career-highs with 14 points and two blocks for her second career double-double.
As a team, Rice shot 21-of-51 (41.2%) from the floor and 5-of-17 (29.4%) from three-point range. The Owls added a 23-of-30 (76.7%) showing from the free throw line. Rice out-rebounded the Tigers 48-26 and recorded a season-high 10 blocks.
"Really proud of our team and our toughness. I think we had challenged them in that area after that last game and the way that they responded was incredible and exactly how I knew that they would. [Proud of] just how tough this team is and we put it on showcase for four quarters so that was really fun to see."
For more of the post-game press conference, click here.
First Quarter
Memphis opened the game's scoring before Malia Fisher and Flores scored the next eight points to take an 8-2 lead early. Leading by six, Hailey Adams padded the Rice lead with a jumper. Rice led 14-10 at the end of the first quarter.
Second Quarter
Hayes got the scoring started in the second as the two sides traded scores. Up by three, Aniah Alexis made it a two-score game with a baseline layup. Following a Tiger score, Flores drilled the game's first three-pointer to take a six-point lead. Rice led 24-23 at halftime.
Third Quarter
Emily Klaczek's three-pointer opened the third quarter, with Flores later hitting another triple as Rice took a five-point lead. Up by three, Adams ignited a 10-0 run with Hayes and Flores also contributing. With Rice up 46-36, Hayes countered several Memphis scores to keep the lead intact. Jill Twiehaus drilled a three near the end of the frame as Rice took a 51-40 lead into the fourth.
Fourth Quarter
The Owls continued to tack on to their lead in the fourth, with a Flores triple and another Hayes layup giving Rice its largest lead at 58-41 (17 points). Leading by 12, Fisher's jumper pushed the lead to 14 points with 4:08 remaining. After several Memphis threes cut the lead to seven points, Flores and Klaczek prevented any rally with a perfect showing at the free throw line down the stretch as Rice won 70-59.
Quick Notes
Rice's 10 blocks are the most in a game for the Owls since 14 against SMU (Nov. 13, 2019).
Flores and Hayes accounted for 31 of Rice's 46 second-half points.
Flores set a career-high with 24 points and six rebounds.
Hayes tied a career-high with 18 points while setting a career-high with 14 rebounds and two blocks.
This is Hayes' second career double-double.
Fisher set season-highs with 10 rebounds and four blocks.
The Owls held the AAC's top scoring offense to 59 points (averaging 72 entering today).
The Owls are back on the road Wednesday night at North Texas.
Team Stats
Mem
Rice
FG%
.339
.412
3FG%
.438
.294
FT%
.714
.767
RB
26
48
TO
13
21
STL
10
4
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
WBB: Rice vs. Marshall Postgame Presser
Wednesday, March 09