HOUSTON, TEXAS (December 19, 2008) Rice will look to extend its current streak while Duquesne will be vying to stop one as the two teams meet Saturday at the Palumbo Center in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Rice has won back-to-back games for the first time since the 2006-07 season to improve its record to 4-5. Duquesne, 5-4, has lost consecutive games at home and four of five since a 4-0 start.
Tip-off for Saturday’s game is 12 p.m. Central Time and the game can be heard on ESPN 97.5 The Ticket.
The Owls’ current winning streak began with the team reaching the century mark for just the 15th time in program history. Rice defeated Texas State 100-94 two weeks ago and after an 11-day break for finals, the Owls returned to the hardwood and defeated Harvard 67-63 on Wednesday.
In Wednesday’s win, Rice came back from an 11-point, second-half deficit. Rodney Foster sparked a 14-1 run with a three-pointer and gave the Owls the lead for good with a trey with 40 seconds to play. He went on to make four free throws to seal the victory.
For the year, Foster is averaging 11 points per game and his .929 free throw percentage leads Conference USA. He is 26-of-28 at the free throw line this season.
Cory Pflieger’s 12.7 scoring average leads the team. Pflieger missed the final minutes of the Harvard game with cramps, managing seven points and seven rebounds. Lucas Kuipers has started the last three games for the Owls and is coming off a 14-point, 10-rebound effort against Harvard, the freshman’s first career double-double.
Duquesne senior guard Aaron Jackson is averaging 16.9 points per game to lead the Dukes. He is also shooting 57 percent from the field and is second on the squad with a 5.7 rebounding average. He also leads the team with 53 assists and 23 steals.
Sophomore forward Damian Saunders is averaging 15.6 points and 7.2 rebounds. He has made 58.9 percent of his shots.
Behind Jackson and Saunders’ numbers, Duquesne is shooting 47 percent from the field.
Duquesne owns a 4-2 lead in its series with Rice, including an 86-59 win over the Owls last season in Katy’s Leonard E. Merrell Center. Rice is 0-2 against Duquesne on the road in Pittsburgh.
Following Saturday afternoon’s game, Rice returns home and plays host to No. 4 Oklahoma on Monday. Tickets for the game are available at the Rice Ticket Office located in Tudor Fieldhouse as well as online at www.RiceOwls.com
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