Rice Owls and SMU Mustangs Set to Clash at Tudor Fieldhouse

As the Rice Owls prepare to host the SMU Mustangs at Tudor Fieldhouse, fans are eager to see if the home team can continue their recent upward trend. The Owls have shown a mixed bag of performances in their last few outings, but there's a sense of optimism brewing within the team's locker room.

In their most recent game against the Ragin' Cajuns, despite a valiant effort in the second half where they scored 41 points compared to 26 in the first, Rice fell short with a final score of 67-84. The team struggled from two-point range, hitting only 34 percent of those shots and were outrebounded by a significant margin with only 28 rebounds compared to Louisiana's 41.

However, looking back at their game against Prairie View A&M Panthers provides a more hopeful perspective. The Owls dominated with an impressive victory scoring 82 points and shooting an efficient 52 percent from the field. Their performance inside was particularly noteworthy as they made an outstanding 65 percent of their two-point attempts and controlled the boards with 47 total rebounds.

The away game against Northwestern State Demons showcased Rice’s ability to maintain consistency on offense. They secured another win with strong paint presence scoring 46 points and grabbing an impressive total rebound count of 45 while maintaining over fifty percent shooting from field goals.

The upcoming match promises to be intriguing as both teams will bring contrasting styles onto the court. With Tudor Fieldhouse providing familiar territory for Rice, fans can expect them to leverage home advantage fully.

The clash between Rice Owls and SMU Mustangs is scheduled for February 8th at Tudor Fieldhouse in Houston, Texas. Tip-off is set for local time (GMT-6), and fans can catch all action live on ESPN+ via internet broadcast networks.