Owls' Late Surge Not Enough to Tame the Tigers at Tudor Fieldhouse
The Rice Owls, with a record of 0-0, faced off against the Memphis Tigers, also at 0-0, in a nail-biting encounter that ended with a score of 73-66 in favor of the visitors. Despite a valiant effort by the home team in the final quarter, it was not enough to secure victory.
The game started off competitively with both teams showing strong offensive plays. The Owls edged out slightly in the first quarter with 17 points over the Tigers' 16 but were overtaken by halftime as Memphis ramped up their game to lead by seven points. The third quarter saw continued dominance by Memphis as they extended their lead further.
However, it was during the last quarter that Tudor Fieldhouse witnessed an impressive rally from Rice. Scoring a remarkable 25 points in this period alone showed their resilience and determination. Unfortunately for Rice fans, this late-game surge fell short as time ran out.
Rice's performance was marked by solid teamwork and effective passing which resulted in them amassing 16 assists over Memphis's six. However, they struggled from beyond the arc hitting only three out of thirteen attempts which translated into just twenty-three percent accuracy from three-point range.
On defense, both teams were evenly matched with each recording three blocks throughout the game. Yet it was on turnovers where Rice felt more pressure; they committed fifteen compared to thirteen by Memphis which allowed for sixteen points off turnovers for both sides.
Memphis capitalized on fast breaks scoring sixteen fast break points and dominated inside scoring forty-four points in paint compared to forty by Rice. They also had an edge on rebounds grabbing forty-nine total rebounds while Rice managed thirty-six.
Despite these challenges faced by Rice Owls including committing twenty-eight personal fouls against nineteen by Memphis Tigers – leading players stepped up when needed most notably during their fourth-quarter push which showcased what could have been if time had permitted.
Looking ahead after this tough loss at home court – fans can look forward to seeing how their team will bounce back when they host SMU Mustangs at Tudor Fieldhouse located at 6100 Main Street Houston TX zip code:77251 USA on January 31st starting at 7:00 PM local time (Central Time Zone). This upcoming match promises another exciting display of collegiate basketball that can be watched live ensuring supporters won't miss any action-packed moments from their beloved team – The Rice Owls!