Rice Owls Dominate at Tudor Fieldhouse Against Incarnate Word Cardinals
In a display of offensive efficiency, the Rice Owls outperformed the Incarnate Word Cardinals with a final score of 80-57. The home game for the Owls saw them improve their season record to an unmentioned number of victories and defeats, while the Cardinals left with another addition to their loss column.
The contest took place at Tudor Fieldhouse in Houston, where 3,466 spectators witnessed the Owls' commanding performance. The first half ended with Rice leading by three points, but it was in the second half that they truly took control, outscoring their opponents by twenty points.
The Rice team showcased remarkable shooting accuracy throughout the game. They achieved a field goal percentage of 52 percent and were particularly dominant inside the paint, scoring 48 points. Their two-point shooting was exceptional as well; they made an impressive 69 percent of those shots.
Defensively, Rice also excelled. They collected nine steals and blocked two shots from Incarnate Word. This defensive prowess translated into offense as they scored ten fast break points and capitalized on turnovers by adding another sixteen points to their tally.
On top of that, Rice dominated rebounding with forty-two total rebounds—twelve offensive and twenty-nine defensive—which contributed to nineteen second-chance points. Their assist-to-turnover ratio stood at 1.08 as they dished out thirteen assists while committing twelve turnovers.
The Cardinals struggled to find their rhythm against Rice's defense but managed to make eight three-pointers at a rate of about twenty-nine percent from beyond the arc. They shot nearly thirty-nine percent for two-point attempts and had a free throw percentage close to seventy-nine percent.
Incarnate Word's efforts were hampered by fourteen turnovers which limited their opportunities on offense; however, they did manage eleven points off turnovers themselves. Despite being efficient from the charity stripe making eleven free throws out of fourteen attempts—they couldn't keep pace with Rice's high-powered offense.
As fans look ahead after this convincing victory for the Owls, attention turns towards their next challenge on December 16th when they will face off against Northwestern State Demons at Prather Coliseum in Natchitoches. Fans eager to follow can tune into ESPN+ for live coverage starting at 8 PM local time.