Box Score

Postgame Interview with Ron Cottrell (video)

HOUSTON – Houston Baptist freshman guard Tyler Russell tied for the game high with 20 points, but the Huskies' couldn't over come Rice's 19 second-chance points in a 78-66 loss to the crosstown rival Owls in front a packed house Wednesday night at Sharp Gym.
 
Russell was 9-of-16 from the field, hitting a variety of twisting jumpers and layups, and also had two assists. Junior forward added 15 points, seven rebounds and four steals in his debut for the Huskies (2-5), while junior guard Marcus Davis had 13 points and nine rebounds. Senior center Joe Latas chipped in seven points and seven rebounds, and freshman guard Ronald March Jr. had seven points, five rebounds and a pair of blocks.
 
Tamir Jackson hit 5-of-12 from the field and 10-of-16 from the free-throw line to lead Rice (5-2) with 20 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists. Ahmad Ibrahim hit 5-of-7 from behind the arc to finish with 19 points and six rebounds. Connor Frizelle had 12 points, Omar Oraby had 11 points and 12 rebounds, while Dylan Ennis had eight rebounds and five assists.
 
Rice shot 44.3 percent from the field for the game, but only 35.3 percent (6-of-17) from long range, while HBU shot 41.9 percent from the field and 31.3 percent (5-of-16) from behind the arc. The Owls hit 18-of-28 from the free-throw line, while the Huskies were 9-of-18. Rice outrebounded HBU, 48-35, and pulled down 15 on the offensive end.
 
The Huskies got off to a hot start, scoring eight-straight points to take an 8-2 lead in the first three minutes, but the Owls answered with a 10-0 run over the next three minutes to go ahead by four. Bernardi check into the game and quickly made an impact by nailing a three and a layup to put HBU back on top, 13-12, with 13:03 left in the first half. After a free throw by Jackson gave Rice a two-point edge, Bernardi tied the game with a layup and March came up with a steal and took it the distance for a dunk that gave the Huskies their last lead of the game at 18-16 with 10:49 to go in the half.
 
After Rice went back up by three, Davis tied the game, 23-23, with 7:59 remaining in the first half, but the Owls scored the next eight points, including  six on two of Ibrahim's four first-half threes, and held the lead the rest of the game. The Owls led by as many as 11 with just under three minutes to go in the opening frame, but Russell hit a jumper and Bernardi hit a layup to cut Rice's lead to 37-30 by halftime.
 
HBU opened the second half with a jumper by Latas to get within five as did Russell's jumper with 18:35 left in the game to make Rice's lead 39-34, but the Huskies would get no closer the rest of the way. The Owls led by as many as 16 at 62-46 with 7:02 to go, but Davis' 3-pointer with 3:29 left capped a 12-4 spurt by the Huskies that pulled them back within eight.
 
Rice went on to close the game out from the free-throw line, hitting 8-of-10 in the final three minutes.
 
The Huskies return to action when they travel to face Texas State Saturday at 4 p.m. at Strahan Coliseum in San Marcos, Texas.