Men’s Hoops Hosts UAB to Begin Homestand

HOUSTON — Rice begins a two-game homestand this Wednesday, Feb. 19, when it hosts UAB. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and the game will be streamed by ESPN+.

Game 27
What: Rice (12-14, 3-10) vs. UAB (16-9, 9-3)
When: Wednesday, February 19 at 7 p.m. CT
Where: Houston, Texas
Stadium: Tudor Fieldhouse (5,208)
Stream: ESPN+
Listen: RiceOwls.com
Live Stats: RiceOwls.com
Series Information: UAB leads 21-4 (8-2 in Houston)

Scouting Rice
• Rice enters Wednesday's game with a 12-14 record, including 3-10 in the AAC. The Owls are coming off an 81-78 defeat at Tulane last Saturday.
• Rice is led by graduate guard Trae Broadnax with 12.9 points per game and 4.4 assists, which is third in the American. He's also second on the team with 5.5 rebounds.
• Junior forward Caden Powell is second on the team with 9.9 points per game while grabbing a team-high 7.1 rebounds, good for eighth in the AAC. He's also fourth in the league in field goal percentage, connecting on 61.4% from the floor.
• Junior Denver Anglin is averaging 9.2 points. He is connecting on 39.7% from three, tied for eighth in the league, and 80.0% from the free throw line.
• Graduate student guard/forward Kellen Amos is averaging 8.4 points and 2.7 assists, while grabbing 3.6 rebounds per game.
• Fifth-year senior guard Alem Huseinovic is scoring 8.3 points. He's connecting on 38.4% from three, which is 10th in the conference, and 2.0 threes per game.
• The Owls are scoring 70.8 points per game while allowing just 69.8, good for third in the American.
• Rice is connecting on 42.3% from the field and 34.2% from three. It is third in the league in field goal percentage defense (41.7%), while allowing just 32.5% from three.
• The Owls are pulling down 38.5 rebounds per game while the opposition is grabbing 34.4, which are third and fourth in the conference, respectively.
• In conference play, Rice is fourth in the league in three-pointers, connecting on 8.2 per game.
• 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 153-149.

Scouting UAB
• UAB enters Wednesday's contest with a 16-9 record, including 9-3 in the American. The Blazers have won nine of their last 11 games after defeating South Florida on Sunday, 85-78.
• Senior forward Yaxel Lendeborg is the only player in the conference averaging a double-double with 17.9 points and 10.8 rebounds, which is sixth in the nation. He also leads the AAC in assists (4.2 - tied for fourth in the conference), blocks (1.9 - second in AAC), and steals (1.6 - tied for seventh in AAC). He's seventh in the league in field goal percentage, connecting on 56.8%, and his 17 double-doubles are the fourth-most in the country.
• Senior forward Christian Coleman is second on the team with 11.2 points and 7.3 rebounds, good for sixth in the conference.
• Senior guard Alejandro Vasquez is averaging 11.1 points and is third in the AAC in free throw percentage, connecting on 87.7% from the charity stripe.
• Junior guard Ja'Borri McGhee is scoring 9.8 points and is 10th in the American in field goal percentage, connecting on 53.8%, and junior guard Efrem Johnson is scoring 9.7 points.
• UAB leads the AAC in scoring, averaging 83.4 points, while allowing 75.9.
• The Blazers are connecting on 46.6% from the floor, good for third in the league, and 33.8% from three, while their opponents are hitting 44.4% from the field and 34.5% from behind the arc.
• UAB is pulling down a league-leading 40.4 rebounds per game, and are allowing just 33.2, which is second in the conference.
• The Blazers are second in the league in assists per game with 16.2.
• Head coach Andy Kennedy is in his fifth season leading the UAB men's basketball program, where he holds a 117-46 record. In 18 years as a head coach, he is 383-215.

Rice-UAB Series History
• Rice and UAB will meet for the only time this year and the 26th time overall.
• Rice is looking for just its fifth victory in the series, as UAB holds a 21-4 advantage.
• In Houston, the Blazers lead 8-2.
• The Owls are trying for their second straight victory. The Owls defeated UAB, 94-71, in Birmingham last year.
• This will be the 25th meeting as conference opponents, as the last 24 came as members of Conference USA, and the American.

Next Up
• Rice concludes its homestand this Saturday, February 22, when it hosts Tulsa. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT and the game will be streamed by ESPN+.

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