Men’s Basketball Closes Homestand against In-State Foe UTSA

HOUSTON — Rice closes its homestand this Tuesday, Jan. 14, when it hosts in-state foe UTSA. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and it will be streamed by ESPN+.

Game 18
What: Rice (11-6, 2-2) vs. UTSA (7-8, 1-2)
When: Tuesday, January 14 at 7 p.m. CT
Where: Houston, Texas
Stadium: Tudor Fieldhouse (5,208)
Tickets: RiceOwls.com
Stream: ESPN+
Listen: RiceOwls.com
Live Stats: RiceOwls.com
Series Information: UTSA leads, 13-11 (Rice leads 7-6 in Houston)

Scouting Rice
• Rice enters Tuesday's game with an 11-6 record, including 2-2 in the AAC. The Owls are looking to snap a two-game losing streak after falling to Temple last Saturday, 73-70.
• Rice is led by graduate guard Trae Broadnax, who leads the team with 13.4 points per game and 4.2 assists, which is fifth in the American. He's also second on the team with 6.1 rebounds.
• Graduate student guard/forward Kellen Amos is second on the team with 9.5 points and 2.8 assists, while grabbing 3.8 rebounds per game.
• Junior forward Caden Powell is scoring 9.2 points per game and leads the team with 6.8 rebounds. He's also third in the AAC in field goal percentage, connecting on 61.5% from the floor, and is sixth with 1.4 blocks per game.
• Fifth-year senior guard Alem Huseinovic is scoring 8.9 points. He's connecting on 40.2% from three and 2.2 threes per game, which are sixth and eighth in the conference, respectively.
• Junior Denver Anglin is scoring 8.5 points. He is connecting on 88.9% from the free throw line, while hitting 37.3% from three.
• The Owls are scoring 69.4 points per game while allowing just 66.2, good for second in the American.
• Rice is connecting on 42.0% from the field and 31.5% from three. It is second in the league in field goal percentage defense (39.5%), while allowing 30.7% from three.
• The Owls are pulling down 39.3 rebounds per game, good for third in the conference, while the opposition is grabbing 34.6.
• Head coach Rob Lanier is in his first season at the helm of the Rice men's basketball program. In nine years as a head coach, Lanier is 152-141.

Scouting UTSA
• UTSA enters Tuesday's contest with a 7-8 record, including 1-2 in the American. The Roadrunners snapped a three-game losing streak on Saturday, defeating Wichita State, 88-75.
• Senior guard Primo Spears leads a group of five players in double-figures, scoring 21.4 points per game, which is second in the AAC. He's also fifth in free throw percentage (.859) and steals (1.8), ninth in assists (3.7), and 10th in three-pointers made per game (1.9).
• Redshirt senior guard Tai'Reon Joseph is second on the team with 11.4 points and sophomore guard Marcus Millender is averaging 10.9 points, while connecting on 36.8% from three.
• Senior guard/forward Raekwon Horton is scoring 10.8 points and is second on the team with 6.9 rebounds.
• Graduate guard Damari Monsanto is averaging 10.8 points. He leads the league in three-pointers made per game (3.2) and is fifth in three-point field goal percentage (.413).
• Redshirt senior forward/center Jonnivius Smith is scoring 7.4 points and leads the team, and is second in the conference with 8.2 rebounds per game.
• UTSA is averaging 79.6 points per game, good third in the American. However, it is allowing a league-worst 78.5.
• The Roadrunners are connecting on 42.7% from the floor and 34.4% from three, while their opponents are connecting on 46.9% from the field and 37.0% from behind the arc.
• UTSA is being outrebounded by the opposition, 37.5-to-34.9.
• The Roadrunners lead the league in free throw percentage (80.9%), steals per game (10.0), and three-pointers made per game (9.7).
• Head coach Austin Claunch is in his first season at the helm of the UTSA men's basketball program, where he has a 7-8 record.

Rice-UTSA Series History
• Rice and UTSA will meet for the first time this year and the 25th time overall.
• UTSA holds a 13-11 record in the series, but the Owls lead 7-6 in Houston.
• The teams will also meet on Mar. 2 in San Antonio.
• The Owls have won six of the last nine meetings.
• The first six meetings came as non-conference foes. Since 2014, the teams have competed as conference foes when UTSA joined Conference USA. The series is tied at nine as conference opponents.

Next Up
• Rice goes back on the road this Sunday, Jan. 19, when it travels to Boca Raton, Fla., to face Florida Atlantic. Tip-off is scheduled for 12 p.m. CT and the game will be streamed by ESPN+.

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