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Preview: Rice at Texas
Texas looks to bounce back from a tough road loss to Michigan State when it hosts Rice in its last non-conference game of the season. The Owls concluded a five-game homestand just before the holidays with a 2-3 record, suffering a two-point loss to TCU in their most recent outing. Despite the loss, Rice felt pretty good about itself, erasing an 18-point second-half deficit before finally falling. The Longhorns also had a good feeling about its loss to the nationally-ranked Spartans, leading for most of the game before dropping an eight-point decision. The Longhorns have won the last seven in this series.
TV: 2 p.m. ET, Longhorn Network.
ABOUT RICE (3-8): The Owls have struggled to put points on the board, averaging just 59.5 a game, which ranks 314th in the nation. The one player who has been consistent is 6-3 senior guard Tamir Jackson, whose 18-point average ranks second in Conference USA. Jackson has hit nearly a third of his baskets from the 3-point line but also draws fouls, going to the line a team-best 62 times. Sophomore guard Julian DeBose ranks second on the team with 9.9 points per game. The backcourt duo are also the top rebounders on the Owls, grabbing 6.9 and 5.5 boards per game respectively.
ABOUT TEXAS (7-5): The Longhorns have been up and down, notching an 18-point win over North Carolina and suffering a loss to Division II Chaminade at the Maui Invitational. Texas should enjoy this game against a struggling offensive team in Rice, with the Longhorns leading the NCAA in field-goal percentage defense (.338) and 3-point percentage defense (.230). For the year, Texas is holding opponents to 59.7 points a game. Offensively, the Longhorns have been getting a lift from freshman point guard Javan Felix, who leads the Big 12 in assists (6.4) and is coming off a career-high 11 assists against Michigan State. Sophomore guard Sheldon McClellan has been on the receiving end of a few of those assists, leading Texas in scoring at 15.3 points per game.
TIP INS
1. Leading scorer Jackson has accounted for 30.3 percent of Rice’s scoring.
2. Texas freshman C Cameron Ridley ranks third in the Big 12 in blocks with 2.1 per game despite playing just 20.1 minutes a contest.
3. The Owls and Longhorns have met 194 times, many when the two were members of the Southwest Conference. Texas leads the series 135-59 and is 6-0 against Rice under coach Rick Barnes.
PREDICTION: Texas 74, Rice 54
