Can the Rice Owls Bounce Back After Bartow Arena Defeat?

The Rice Owls faced a challenging contest at Bartow Arena, ending with a score of 87-74 in favor of the UAB Blazers. The Owls' season record now stands at 0-1, while the Blazers improve to 1-0.

From the opening quarter, it was evident that both teams were eager to establish dominance. The Blazers set an early pace with 20 points against the Owls' 15. However, it was in the second quarter where Rice began to find their rhythm, outscoring UAB by four points and closing the half-time gap to just one point.

The third quarter saw a determined effort from Rice as they added another 16 points to their tally. Despite this push, UAB managed to maintain their lead by scoring 21 points. It was during this period that Rice showcased their ability to drive into the paint effectively, contributing significantly to their total of 34 points in that area over the course of the game.

Rice's offensive efforts were led by a balanced attack with seven made three-pointers out of nineteen attempts, translating into a solid three-point percentage of thirty-seven percent for them. Their free throw accuracy was also commendable; they hit eleven out of fourteen attempts from the line which rounded up as seventy-nine percent successful free throws.

Defensively though, there were challenges for Rice as they failed to register any blocks and recorded six steals compared with nine from UAB. This disparity contributed partly towards more fast break opportunities for UAB who capitalized on these chances and scored twenty-five fast break points.

In terms of ball handling and teamwork, Rice dished out fourteen assists but also turned over possession ten times which resulted in twelve points off turnovers for UAB. The assist-to-turnover ratio stood at an unremarkable figure of one point four for Rice while UAB edged them slightly with one point sixty-four.

Rebounding was another area where Rice struggled against a physically imposing Blazers side who pulled down thirty-seven rebounds including ten team rebounds compared to thirty-two by Rice which included only three team rebounds.

As fans look ahead after this tough loss on foreign grounds, attention turns towards future contests where improvement will be sought after diligently by players and coaching staff alike.

The next opportunity for redemption comes soon as fans can catch The Owls facing off against Memphis Tigers at Elma Roane Fieldhouse on February 20th at 7:00 PM Central Time. Supporters unable or preferring not to travel can tune into broadcasts available through local sports networks or streaming services providing coverage.