Rice trounces Southern Miss, 88-62

University of Southern Mississippi Sports Information Department

HOUSTON, Texas (WDAM) -- Rice University was red-hot inside Tudor Fieldhouse Friday afternoon.

The Owls shot 54.3 percent and scored 51 points in the second half to hand the University of Southern Mississippi its worst defeat of the season, 88-62.

“I will always take responsibility and do a better job at getting our team ready,” USM coach Jay Ladner said. “We were very poor from the get-go getting down and ready to move our feet.”

USM (7-11, 3-8 Conference USA) lost its fifth consecutive game and for the eighth time in its last 10 games. Rice (11-8, 3-6) snapped a five-game losing streak with the win.

The margin was the largest USM had lost by this season and the largest victory margin Rice had produced in a C-USA game since joining the league in 2005.

The Golden Eagles hit four of their first seven shots, but then managed to make just three baskets in 18 attempts.

Leading 21-16, Rice went on a 13-2 run to go up 34-18 with 5 minutes, 31 seconds, before halftime.

USM managed to trim the deficit to 10 points at the break, thanks in part to DeAndre Pinckney’s banked-in, 3-pointer late in the shot clock.

Trailing 45-36, the Golden Eagles saw the Owls rip off an 11-0 run to lead by 20 and seize control of the game less than six minutes into the second half.

“We, of course, played from behind, something we’ve seemed to do about every game,” Ladner said. “You have to set the tone defensively and really get out and compete. Rice has a good basketball team, as we know, so no surprises there. They can shoot the three and were 13-for-32 (Friday).

“Rice does such a good job in penetration at sharing the ball, and when they drive it’s not always an intent to score, but to kick it out. We didn’t close out well and had to chase shooters. You have to control things as opposed to hoping they miss their shots.”

Pinckney and Tae Hardy each finished with 15 points for USM. Tyler Stevenson, who had nine points and five rebounds, did not reach double-figure scoring for only the third time in 29 C-USA starts.

Rice’s Quincy Olivari hit six 3-pointers on his way to a game-high 29 points. He also pulled down seven rebounds.

The two teams will meet again at 2 p.m. Saturday.