FORT WORTH, Texas – The Rice Owls women’s basketball team led wire to wire in a convincing 79-55 victory over previously undefeated California Baptist to win the WNIT Fort Worth Regional and advance to the semifinals next weekend in Memphis.
 
Rice (21-4), who’s advancement to the WNIT semifinals is the furthest any Owls team has ever gone in the tournament, placed four players in double-figures led by a game-high 20 points from sophomore wing Lauren Schwartz. The Union, Ky. native, who was named to the Fort Worth All-Tournament Team, was nearly perfect on the offensive end, making 9-of-11 shots from the field to go along with six rebounds (4 offensive) and five assists. Schwartz averaged 18.7 points over three games on a sizzling 67.6 percent shooting from the floor.
 
Complimenting Schwartz was senior center Nancy Mulkey, who took home tournament MVP honors with 16 points, eight rebounds, and five blocks. For the tournament the Cypress, Texas native averaged 20 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.0 blocks. Also scoring in double-figures for the Owls was sophomore guard Katelyn Crosthwait (11 points) and junior guard Jasmine Smith (10 points).
 
As a team the Owls shot 48 percent from the field while holding the Lancers (26-1) to a season-low 32 percent shooting. The Owls dominated the boards, 45-33, and outscored CBU by 16 points (19-3) in points off turnovers.
 
The Owls will next face Delaware in the WNIT semifinals on Friday, Mar. 26 at 4 p.m. CT from My Town Movers Fieldhouse in Collierville, Tennessee. Limited tickets (600) at $10 apiece will go on sale to the general public on Tuesday at www.womensnit.com.    
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter   
Rice took control of the game right away by scoring the first nine points. The Owls outscored the Lancers 25-12 in the quarter by shooting 53 percent from the field. Schwartz and Mulkey got off to a great start with eight points apiece in the period.
 
Second Quarter
CBU outscored the Owls 16-14 in the period but Rice still took a comfortable 39-28 lead into the locker room at halftime. Crosthwait paced the Owls’ offense with eight points in the quarter.  

Third Quarter
The Owls broke the game open for good with a 26-12 advantage in the quarter and led 65-40 with 10 minutes remaining. Schwartz scored 10 points in the quarter, which included a pair of three-point makes, while Smith scored eight points as well. Meanwhile the Rice defense limited CBU to 27 percent shooting in the quarter, including a 3-of-11 performance from beyond the arc.
 
Fourth Quarter
The Owls led by as much as 30 points in the final quarter with 4:19 remaining as they cruised to the championship victory.