Jan. 26, 2011

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Houston vs. Rice Game Book

HOUSTON - Rice junior guard Connor Frizzelle drilled a three-pointer with 12.1 seconds to play in regulation to send Wednesday's game against Houston to overtime and the Owls were 6-for-7 from the field in the extra period as they claimed a 79-71 win over their cross-town rivals.

With the victory, Rice improved to 10-10 and 2-4 in Conference USA. The Owls continue a home stand Saturday when they play host to SMU. The Mustangs defeated Tulsa 59-58 on the road Wednesday to improve to 12-8 and 3-3.

Houston is now 11-8 and 3-3. The Cougars play at East Carolina on Saturday.

The Houston game marked the second straight overtime contest in Tudor Fieldhouse for the Owls. Rice had lost an 81-78 decision to Southern Miss two weeks ago.

On Wednesday, the outcome was much different. Rice and Houston played to a 56-56 tie at the end of regulation. After a pair of 28 point halves, the Owls scored 23 in the five-minute overtime period.

Arsalan Kazemi set the tone with a dunk of an offensive rebound on the Owls' first offensive series.

With the game tied 60-60 with three minutes to play in overtime, Tamir Jackson sparked an 8-0 run when he converted a three-point play. Jackson's fastbreak layup in which he was fouled and ensuing free throw gave the Owls the lead for good. Jackson had another layup then Cory Pflieger sank a three-pointer that put Rice out in front 69-61 with 1:39 to play in overtime.

Kazemi would later steal the ball from Adam Brown, breaking away for a dunk that extended the Owls' lead to 75-63 with 53 seconds left.

Frizzelle, a 90-percent free throw shooter, would add four shots at the line and Jackson had a break-away layin for the Owls' final points.

Frizzelle finished with a game-high 18 points to go along with four assists and two steals. Jackson scored nine of his 13 points in overtime and in 42 minutes of play had five assists and two steals.

Kazemi recorded his 22nd career double-double, scoring 17 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. He also established a new career high with four assists and equaled another career standard, blocking four shots.

Neither team led by more than six points in regulation. There were four lead changes and three ties in the final eight minutes.

The Owls' last lead in regulation came on a Lucas Kuipers layin with 4:39 to play, giving Rice a 50-49 lead. Kendrick Washington answered inside for the Cougars and UH would extend the lead to four in the final minutes. But a Pflieger three with 2:06 left in regulation pulled the Owls back to within a point, 54-53.

Kirk Van Slyke would come up with a rebound of his own missed jumper and was fouled with 21 seconds to play. His two free throws gave Houston a 56-53 lead.

Rice would get the ball to halfcourt then called timeout with 17 seconds. Out of the timeout, Frizzelle took the inbounds, drove to the arc and launched the game-tying shot. At the other end Houston's Zamal Nixon missed his only shot of the night, a jumper that could have been the game-winner at the end of regulation.

Houston was 6-for-9 from three-point range in the first half and 10-for-17 from behind the arc for the game. Nixon led UH with 15 points. He was 6-for-7 from the field. Brown scored 14 points and had five assists while Darian Thibodeaux finished with 12 points.

The Cougars' three starting guards were a combined 9-for-15 from three-point range.

With Wednesday's win, Rice snapped an eight-game losing streak against Houston. The two teams will meet in the final game of the regular season, March 5th at UH's Hofheinz Pavilion.