Won't be making it tonight due to plans for the rodeo. Hopefully Rice starts and finshes strong.
Some other important conference games tonight:
UAB (10-6) currently leads Old Dominion (14-2) after one quarter, 16-6.
Charlotte (11-5) is at WKU (12-4).
ODU with a good 2nd quarter, takes a 1 point lead at the half.
UAB up 8 with 7:47 to go.
Not related to today's game, but remarkable that Saturday's game against Old Dominion won't even be on ESPN+. Biggest conference game of the year and only accessible through CUSATV.
UAB and ODU headed to overtime. ODU missed 2 FTs late but got a rebound after the 2nd miss, and then got fouled again. This time, they made their free throws and it's going to overtime. UAB is pretty bad foul trouble so it doesn't look good for them.
Rice and UTEP tied at 16.
Rice 19-16. The drop in conference play defense this year has been kind of staggering. We allowed 47 points a game last year (which remains ridiculous), but have allowed nearly 59 this year.
Just non-stop whistles. At this rate people from the stands will have to play the 4th Q.
Looks like UAB won in OT, 64-61.
I see the final score as 64-61 on ESPN. But nice win for UAB, and a rough loss for ODU. Rice can clinch a co-championship tonight with a win - and an outright title with two wins. But they will still need to win both games this week to be the 1 seed.
Owls up 31-26 with 4:37 to go in the 2nd.
Rice averages 14.5 fouls a game. They already have 12.
42-35 at the half. 24 total fouls with Rice having 13. Some good minutes from the younger players and with the fouls all sorts of combos on the floor.
29 fouls and counting. 28 turnovers and counting.
And we're all tied up. We've been winning close games lately. Let's see if that trend continues.
56-48 Rice after 8 straight. 34 fouls, 30 turnovers now. Rice with absurd shooting splits of 57/62/82.
Sydne Wiggins also with a really fun stat line: 9 points, 5 assists, 5 steals, 5 turnovers.
61-49 after 3 quarters. Nice 13-1 run to end the 3rd quarter. Erica also having a nice game (20 points, 12 rebounds).
5's are wild for Wiggins. She has 5 FG's (all 3's), 5 assists, 5 turnovers and 5 steals. Rice up 13 with just under 5 minutes to go.
The run was 34-9 Rice starting from when UTEP tied it at 48. (34-11 if you give UTEP’s last bucket at the finish)
Owls run away with it in the end.
82-59
Really good offensive performance, even with the turnovers. A quiet (?) 24 and 16 for Ogwumike. 18 points, 6 rebounds, 5 steals for Wiggins. Schwartz played one of her better games (14 pts, 4 assists). And Mulkey only played 13 minutes, so we were a bit hamstrung for most of the game.
Best offensive performance in a long time. Obviously great 3 pt shooting but crisp ball movement and some really nice fast breaks. Both teams kept their composure in a ridiculously called game.
Rice with a really nice last 12 minutes or so and wins going away 82-59. Owls with 20 wins for a school-record 4th straight year.
Rice also clinches a co-championship at the very least. A win Saturday at home against ODU gives the Owls a solo title. Otherwise, we share the conference crown (and would be the 2 seed at the conference tournament).