Box Score

Postgame Interview with Ron Cottrell

HOUSTON – Houston Baptist cut a 19-point deficit to two, but the Huskies were unable to complete the comeback as Rice claimed a 61-53 victory in non-conference basketball Saturday night at Tudor Fieldhouse.
 
Sophomore guard Tyler Russell and senior forward Art Bernardi each had 15 points to lead the Huskies (3-4). Bernardi posted a double-double by posting a season-high 14 rebounds, and Russell added seven boards. Sophomore guard Marcel Smith had 10 points, and freshman guard James Harper added six points and six rebounds off the bench.
 
Austin Ramljak led the Owls (2-5) with 12 points off the bench, going 4-for-10 from the field, including 2-of-5 from behind the arc. Tamir Jackson had 11 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and six steals, while Max Guercy also had 11 points to go with five rebounds.
 
Rice shot 40 percent from the field, but only 5-of-17 from 3-point range, while HBU shot 37 percent, including 4-for-11 from long range. The Owls made 14-of-23 free throws, while the Huskies made only 11-of-21. HBU outrebounded Rice, 40-34, including 12-9 on the offensive glass. The Owls won the turnover battle, 22-15.
 
Rice opened the game by scoring the first eight points of the game and holding HBU scoreless for the first 5:42. After the Huskies got on the board with back-to-back baskets, the Owls answered with a 14-0 run to lead 22-4 with 9:26 remaining. HBU scored four more points in a row, but Rice came back with the next five for a 27-8 advantage with 6:37 left.
 
A pair of free throws and a layup inside by Bernardi, followed by a fast-break layup from Smith and a Bernardi baseline jumper cut the deficit to 27-16 with just under four minutes to go. HBU held Rice to only one field goal over the last 6:37 as the Owls took a 29-18 lead into halftime. Bernardi led the Huskies with 10 points and eight rebounds, while Jackson had nine points and seven for the Owls.
 
HBU shot only 29 percent in the first half, while Rice shot 39 percent. The Owls made 3-of-11 from behind the arc, but the Huskies missed all five of their attempts.
 
Rice scored the opening basket of the second half, but HBU got threes from Smith and Russell and a pair of free throws from Russell to slice the Owls' lead to 31-26 with 16:22 remaining. Davis drilled a three at the to get the Huskies within two, but Guercy sank a free throw and a 3-pointer and Ramljak hit a jumper to put Rice back up by eight with 8:42 to go.
 
The Owls pushed their lead back up to 10 at 55-45 with just under three minutes remaining. Smith nailed a three in the corner with 25 seconds left to get the Huskies within six, but they would get no closer as the Owls held on.
 
The Huskies return home to host future Southland Conference rival Sam Houston State Saturday, Dec. 8 at 7:05 p.m. at Sharp Gym.