Monday, March 10
Fort Worth, Texas
12 p.m.
Rice University
16-16,7-11AAC
62
vs
58
rv UTSA
26-4,17-1AAC
1
2
3
4
F
Rice
11
21
17
13
62
UTSA
13
15
12
18
58
Owls Take Down Top-Seeded UTSA to Advance to Semifinals
3/10/2025 3:52:00 PM | Women's Basketball
FORT WORTH – The ninth-seeded Rice women's basketball team continued their run through Fort Worth, powering past regular season champion and top-seeded UTSA 62-58 Monday afternoon at Dickies Arena. The Owls move to 16-16 on the season, while the Roadrunners fall to 26-4.
Malia Fisher led the Owls with 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block, while Aniah Alexis added 15 points, nine rebounds and three steals. Dominique Ennis rounded out the double-digit scorers with 13 points, six rebounds, an assist and a block.
As a team, Rice shot 24-of-57 (42.1%) from the floor and 6-of-18 (33.3%) from three-point range. The Owls added an 8-of-13 (61.5%) showing from the free throw line.
Postgame Reaction – Shelley Pennington and Friends Head Coach Lindsay Edmonds
"We've had some battles over the years with UTSA. [They have a] Tremendous team and tremendous coach. Jordyn Jenkins is an incredible player and they have a great supporting cast around her as well too. I'm just really, really proud of our fight and our preparation for this game today. We had a little bit of a 'get back' mentality. We had two battles this season that we felt like could have went our way but didn't go our way. When we looked at the film it became an pretty overline reason that we didn't play a full 40 minutes. So today we wanted to play a full 40 minutes, and we did that. It was a well balanced attack. A great win. Really, really impressed with out composure and our poise to pull out the win."
For more of the post-game press conference, click here.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
UTSA grabbed the game's first score, with Fisher following with her own basket as the two sides traded points early. Down by five, Ennis drilled a three as the Owls pulled within two at the end of the quarter at 13-11.
Second Quarter
The Roadrunners extended their lead to four before back-to-back scores from Trinity Gooden and Shelby Hayes tied the game. Emily Klaczek continued the run with a three, followed by an Alexis basket as Rice went up 20-15. Alexis then traded multiple scores with UTSA, with Ennis having the final basket of the half as the Owls led 32-28.
Third Quarter
UTSA got the scoring started, with Fisher and Ennis combining for a quick 5-0 run at the Owls went up seven. Leading by five, and Ennis three extended the lead. Sussy Ngulefac and Alexis closed the scoring for Rice as the Owls led 49-40.
Fourth Quarter
A 9-1 UTSA run opened the final frame before Fisher got the Rice offense going again with a jumper. With the Owls holding a one-point lead, Victoria Flores drilled a three to extend the lead to four. Alexis then pushed the lead to six, with Fisher forcing a turnover and Flores capitalizing with another three to give the Owls a 60-51 lead with 1:41 remaining. Free throws closed the game out for Rice as the Owls advanced to the semifinal game.
Quick Notes
Ennis broke the school record for threes in a single season with 76.
Fisher moved into the top 10 in blocks in a career with 87.
Flores recorded her 100th assist of the season.
UP NEXT
The Owls advance to the AAC Semifinal and will face the winner of 12-seed Charlotte and fourth-seed Temple tomorrow at 6 p.m.
Malia Fisher led the Owls with 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block, while Aniah Alexis added 15 points, nine rebounds and three steals. Dominique Ennis rounded out the double-digit scorers with 13 points, six rebounds, an assist and a block.
As a team, Rice shot 24-of-57 (42.1%) from the floor and 6-of-18 (33.3%) from three-point range. The Owls added an 8-of-13 (61.5%) showing from the free throw line.
"We've had some battles over the years with UTSA. [They have a] Tremendous team and tremendous coach. Jordyn Jenkins is an incredible player and they have a great supporting cast around her as well too. I'm just really, really proud of our fight and our preparation for this game today. We had a little bit of a 'get back' mentality. We had two battles this season that we felt like could have went our way but didn't go our way. When we looked at the film it became an pretty overline reason that we didn't play a full 40 minutes. So today we wanted to play a full 40 minutes, and we did that. It was a well balanced attack. A great win. Really, really impressed with out composure and our poise to pull out the win."
For more of the post-game press conference, click here.
First Quarter
UTSA grabbed the game's first score, with Fisher following with her own basket as the two sides traded points early. Down by five, Ennis drilled a three as the Owls pulled within two at the end of the quarter at 13-11.
Second Quarter
The Roadrunners extended their lead to four before back-to-back scores from Trinity Gooden and Shelby Hayes tied the game. Emily Klaczek continued the run with a three, followed by an Alexis basket as Rice went up 20-15. Alexis then traded multiple scores with UTSA, with Ennis having the final basket of the half as the Owls led 32-28.
Third Quarter
UTSA got the scoring started, with Fisher and Ennis combining for a quick 5-0 run at the Owls went up seven. Leading by five, and Ennis three extended the lead. Sussy Ngulefac and Alexis closed the scoring for Rice as the Owls led 49-40.
Fourth Quarter
A 9-1 UTSA run opened the final frame before Fisher got the Rice offense going again with a jumper. With the Owls holding a one-point lead, Victoria Flores drilled a three to extend the lead to four. Alexis then pushed the lead to six, with Fisher forcing a turnover and Flores capitalizing with another three to give the Owls a 60-51 lead with 1:41 remaining. Free throws closed the game out for Rice as the Owls advanced to the semifinal game.
Quick Notes
Ennis broke the school record for threes in a single season with 76.
Fisher moved into the top 10 in blocks in a career with 87.
Flores recorded her 100th assist of the season.
The Owls advance to the AAC Semifinal and will face the winner of 12-seed Charlotte and fourth-seed Temple tomorrow at 6 p.m.
Team Stats
Rice
UTSA
FG%
.421
.338
3FG%
.333
.182
FT%
.615
.667
RB
34
45
TO
16
16
STL
9
8
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
16
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
15
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's BasketballWBB: Rice vs. Marshall Postgame Presser
Wednesday, March 09