Rice Owls advance in WBI with 73-72 win over Lamar

Photo by Darla S. Tamuitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2017
All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2017 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 16, 2017) Leading at halftime 35-27 due largely to the shooting of senior Jasmine Goodwine (No. 33, shown right), the Rice Owls (19-13) went on to down the Lamar Cardinals (22-8) by the score of 73-72 in a first-round game of the Women’s Basketball Invitational (WBI) at Tudor Fieldhouse on Thursday, March, 16, 2017. With the win, the Owls will face UT-Rio Grande Valley in the quarterfinals of the tournament at home on Sunday, March 19 with a 2 p.m. CDT tipoff. The Owls and Lady Cardinals have played each other 31 times, with the current win raising Rice’s record to 9-22.

Goodwine, who played her prep ball at Killeen (Texas) High School, scored 21 points along with pulling down six rebounds and three assists. Both Maya Hawkins and Shani Rainey each added 14 points for the Owls. Lamar had three players in double figures; with Kiandra Bowers and Chastadie Barrs each scoring 14, while Moe Kinard chipped in 11. The Owls led by a game-high 11 points at the 9:50 mark in the third period while leading the game for 32:40. Rice head coach Tina Langley stated after the game:

Photo by Darla S. Tamuitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2017
All Rights Reserved

 “I couldn’t be more proud of our team and staff. This season has been a journey that we’ve really enjoyed so far and we definitely don’t want it to end. I’m really excited about the progress we’ve made this season.”

The win was the sixth victory in post-season play for the Owls, with their last previous win coming during the 2005-2006 season when the downed Jackson State 64-48 in the first round of the WNIT. That win was also the last time the Owls hosted a post season game.

When Rice faces UT-Rio Grande Valley on Sunday, they will be looking at a team that finished fourth in the regular season of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). In the conference tournament, the No. 4 Vaqueros dropped a 77-69 decision to the No. 5 University of Missouri-Kansas City Kangaroos in Las Vegas.