Thursday, November 20
Houston, TX
7 p.m.
Rice University
vs
Tarleton State
Photo by: Maria Lysaker | Rice Athletics
Men’s Basketball to Host In-State Foe Tarleton State
11/19/2025 1:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HOUSTON — Rice will host its final home game for two weeks this Thursday, Nov. 20, when it welcomes Tarleton State. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and the game will be streamed by ESPN+.
Game 6
What: Rice (2-3) vs. Tarleton State (3-3)
When: Thursday, November 20 at 7 p.m. CT
Where: Houston, Texas
Stadium: Tudor Fieldhouse (5,208)
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: RiceOwls.com
Live Stats: Sidearm
Series Information: Rice leads, 3-1 (Rice leads 2-1 in Knoxville)
Scouting Rice
• Rice enters Thursday night's game with a 2-3 record after falling at No. 20 Tennessee on Monday.
• Senior guard/forward Nick Anderson leads the team with 14.6 points per game, while adding 2.8 rebounds. He's second in the American in three-point field goal percentage, connecting on 53.6% from beyond the arc, and third three-pointers per game (3.0).
• Graduate guard Trae Broadnax is second on the team with 14.2 points. He's also averaging 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists, while connecting on 88.0% from the free throw line, good for eighth in the conference.
• Redshirt senior guard Jalen Smith is scoring 12.6 points per game and is second on the team with 2.8 assists. He is second on the team in three-point field goal percentage (48.0%) and is ninth in the league in three-pointers per game (2.4).
• Junior forward Jimmy Oladokun, Jr., leads the team with 6.2 rebounds and graduate senior center Stephen Giwa is pulling down 5.8 boards.
• Rice is averaging 78.0 points per game while allowing just 62.5, good for second in the conference.
• The Owls are connecting on 41.8% from the field and lead the American in three-point field goa percentage, connecting on 40.7% from beyond the arc. Their opponents are connecting on 42.6% from the floor, and 31.7% from three.
• Rice is outrebounding its opponents, 38.4-to-34.8.
• The Owls are fourth in the conference in three-pointers per game (9.6) and free throw percentage (.732).
• Head coach Rob Lanier is in his second season at the helm of the Rice men's basketball program.
Scouting Tarleton State
• Tarleton State enters Thursday's tilt with a 3-3 record after defeating Angelo State on Monday, 77-54.
• Junior guard Dior Johnson leads the Western Athletic Conference with 22.0 points. The reigning WAC Player of the Week, he is third in the league in both field goal percentage (56.9%) and free throw percentage (84.3%).
• Senior guard forward Freddy Hicks is second on the team with 12.0 points and is tied for the lead with 2.8 assists.
• Senior forward Chris Mpaka is scoring 8.0 points and leads the team with 5.8 rebounds.
• Tarleton State is scoring 75.8 points per game while allowing 79.8.
• The Texans are connecting on 44.0% from the field and 33.0% from three, which is second in the league. Their opponents are connecting on 47.5% from the floor and 34.1% from three.
• TSU is outrebounding its opponents, 33.3-to-31.8.
• It also leads the WAC in free throw percentage, connecting on 80.0% from the charity stripe.
• Head coach Billy Gillespie is in his sixth season at the helm of the Tarleton State men's basketball program, where he has a 58-69 record. In 11 years as a head coach, he is 206-177.
Rice-Tarleton State Series History
• Rice and Tarleton State will meet for just the fourth time overall and the first time since 1985.
• Rice has taken the previous three meetings, which were all in Houston.
• The teams first played in 1973, a 72-71 victory.
• They then met in back-to-back season in 1984-85 and 1985-86.
Next Up
• Rice heads to Florida for three games at the GEICO Coconut Hoops. It begins on Monday, Nov. 24, when they face Kennesaw State. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT, and the game will be streamed by FloCollege.
Game 6
What: Rice (2-3) vs. Tarleton State (3-3)
When: Thursday, November 20 at 7 p.m. CT
Where: Houston, Texas
Stadium: Tudor Fieldhouse (5,208)
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: RiceOwls.com
Live Stats: Sidearm
Series Information: Rice leads, 3-1 (Rice leads 2-1 in Knoxville)
Scouting Rice
• Rice enters Thursday night's game with a 2-3 record after falling at No. 20 Tennessee on Monday.
• Senior guard/forward Nick Anderson leads the team with 14.6 points per game, while adding 2.8 rebounds. He's second in the American in three-point field goal percentage, connecting on 53.6% from beyond the arc, and third three-pointers per game (3.0).
• Graduate guard Trae Broadnax is second on the team with 14.2 points. He's also averaging 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists, while connecting on 88.0% from the free throw line, good for eighth in the conference.
• Redshirt senior guard Jalen Smith is scoring 12.6 points per game and is second on the team with 2.8 assists. He is second on the team in three-point field goal percentage (48.0%) and is ninth in the league in three-pointers per game (2.4).
• Junior forward Jimmy Oladokun, Jr., leads the team with 6.2 rebounds and graduate senior center Stephen Giwa is pulling down 5.8 boards.
• Rice is averaging 78.0 points per game while allowing just 62.5, good for second in the conference.
• The Owls are connecting on 41.8% from the field and lead the American in three-point field goa percentage, connecting on 40.7% from beyond the arc. Their opponents are connecting on 42.6% from the floor, and 31.7% from three.
• Rice is outrebounding its opponents, 38.4-to-34.8.
• The Owls are fourth in the conference in three-pointers per game (9.6) and free throw percentage (.732).
• Head coach Rob Lanier is in his second season at the helm of the Rice men's basketball program.
Scouting Tarleton State
• Tarleton State enters Thursday's tilt with a 3-3 record after defeating Angelo State on Monday, 77-54.
• Junior guard Dior Johnson leads the Western Athletic Conference with 22.0 points. The reigning WAC Player of the Week, he is third in the league in both field goal percentage (56.9%) and free throw percentage (84.3%).
• Senior guard forward Freddy Hicks is second on the team with 12.0 points and is tied for the lead with 2.8 assists.
• Senior forward Chris Mpaka is scoring 8.0 points and leads the team with 5.8 rebounds.
• Tarleton State is scoring 75.8 points per game while allowing 79.8.
• The Texans are connecting on 44.0% from the field and 33.0% from three, which is second in the league. Their opponents are connecting on 47.5% from the floor and 34.1% from three.
• TSU is outrebounding its opponents, 33.3-to-31.8.
• It also leads the WAC in free throw percentage, connecting on 80.0% from the charity stripe.
• Head coach Billy Gillespie is in his sixth season at the helm of the Tarleton State men's basketball program, where he has a 58-69 record. In 11 years as a head coach, he is 206-177.
Rice-Tarleton State Series History
• Rice and Tarleton State will meet for just the fourth time overall and the first time since 1985.
• Rice has taken the previous three meetings, which were all in Houston.
• The teams first played in 1973, a 72-71 victory.
• They then met in back-to-back season in 1984-85 and 1985-86.
Next Up
• Rice heads to Florida for three games at the GEICO Coconut Hoops. It begins on Monday, Nov. 24, when they face Kennesaw State. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT, and the game will be streamed by FloCollege.
Players Mentioned
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