Men’s Basketball Takes to Birmingham to Face UAB

HOUSTON — Rice goes back on the road this Sunday, Feb. 8, when it travels to Birmingham, Ala., to face UAB. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT, and the game will be streamed by ESPN+.

Game 24
What: Rice (10-13, 4-6) at UAB (14-9, 3-6)
When: Sunday, February 8 at 2 p.m. CT
Where: Birmingham, Ala.
Stadium: Bartow Arena (8,500)
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: RiceOwls.com
Live Stats: RiceOwls.com
Series Information: UAB leads 22-4 (Leads 11-2 in Birmingham)

Scouting Rice
• Rice enters Sunday's game with a 10-13 record and is 4-6 in the American. The Owls are coming off an 86-83, double-overtime victory over North Texas on Wednesday.
• Graduate guard Trae Broadnax leads the team with 15.6 points (9th in American), 5.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.3 steals. He's also connecting on 78.9% from the free throw line and 32.6% from three.
• Senior guard/forward Nick Anderson is second on the team with 15.0 points per game while adding 3.9 rebounds. He is third in the league in three-point percentage (41.6%), fourth in three-pointers made per game (2.7), and eighth in free throw percentage (84.3%).
• Redshirt senior guard Jalen Smith is scoring 12.3 points per game and is third on the team with 2.2 assists. He is also ninth in the league in three-point field goal percentage (39.2%) and seventh with 2.4 three-pointers per game.
• Junior forward Jimmy Oladokun, Jr., is second on the team with 5.0 rebounds, and redshirt senior center Stephen Giwa is pulling down 4.7 boards and places 10th in the league with 1.2 blocks.
• Rice is averaging 74.8 points per game while allowing 74.7.
• The Owls are connecting on 42.3% from the field and 36.2% from beyond the arc, which is second in the conference. Their opponents are connecting on 44.0% from the floor and 34.0% from three.
• Rice is outrebounding its opponents, 38.3-to-36.3.
• The Owls are third in the league in three-pointers, making 9.1 per game, while placing 10th in the nation with 14.2 offensive rebounds per game.
• Head coach Rob Lanier is in his second season at the helm of the Rice men's basketball program.

Scouting UAB
• UAB enters Sunday's game with a 14-9 record, including 5-5 in the American. The Blazers fell on Thursday to Memphis, 90-80.
• Sophomore guard Chance Westry leads a group of five players in double-figures with 14.9 points per game. He also leads the team and is fourth in the league with 4.7 assists, while adding 3.9 rebounds.
• Junior guard Jacob Meyer is second on the squad with 13.8 points and is pulling down 4.0 rebounds. He also leads the team and is seventh in the conference in free throw percentage, connecting on 87.3% from the charity stripe.
• Senior forward Daniel Rivera is third on the team with 11.6 points. He's fifth in the league in field goal percentage (54.4%) and seventh in rebounding (6.7 rpg).
• Senior forward KyeRon Lindsay-Martin is scoring 11.5 points and is sixth in the American in both rebounding (6.8 rpg) and field goal percentage (53.2%).
• Senior guard Ahmad Robinson is scoring 10.3 points and is tied for seventh in the league with 1.6 assists.
• Junior forward Evan Chatman is scoring 7.9 points and leads the squad, and is third in the conference with 8.4 rebounds.
• UAB is scoring 81.8 points per game, good for third in the conference, while allowing 75.6.
• The Blazers are connecting on 44.5% from the floor, but just 28.6% from three. Their opponents are connecting on 43.1% from the field and 33.1% from three.
• UAB is second in the league in rebounding, pulling down 41.2 boards per game, while allowing 36.1.
• The Blazers are third in the American in assists with 14.3.
• Head coach Andy Kennedy is in his sixth season at the helm of the UAB men's basketball program, where he has a 138-59 record. In 19 seasons as a head coach, he is 404-228.

Rice-UAB Series History
• Rice and UAB will meet for the only time this year and the 27th time overall.
• Rice is looking for just its fifth victory in the series, as UAB holds a 22-4 advantage.
• In Birmingham, the Blazers lead, 11-2.
• The Owls are trying for their second straight victory in Birmingham. The Owls defeated UAB, 94-71, in 2024.
• Last year, UAB won the only meeting, a 90-89 decision in Houston.
• This will be the 26th meeting as conference opponents, as the last 25 came as members of Conference USA and the American.

Next Up
• Rice begins a stretch of three of four games at home next Wednesday, Feb. 11, when it hosts Florida Atlantic. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT, and the game will be streamed by ESPN+.

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