Open Game Thread: Texas at Rice
by Peter Bean on Nov 29, 2009 12:39 PM CST
in Texas Longhorns Basketball
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PrintTexas Longhorns at Rice Owls, Nov 29, 2009 3:00 PM CST
Game preview and keys to the game after the jump...
RICE OWLS AT A GLANCE
Conference: Conference USA
Record: 4-1 (L 49-66 at AZ)
Last Season: 10-22 (4-12)
Starters Lost/Returning: 1/4
Coach: Ben Braun (2nd year)
Rice returns four starters from a season ago, but if there's a big step forward to be made this year, it will be thanks to the arrival of freshmen Arsalan Kazemi and Tamir Jackson, both of whom were recruited by East Coast schools. Kazemi, a 6-7, 205 lb. forward averaging 7.2 points and 6.0 rebounds off the bench (including 5 blocks), is the first Iranian to play Division I hoops. Most encouraging for the Owls, Kazemi's best game of the year came during the team's road loss to Arizona when the freshmen registered a double-double with 13 and 10, while blocking a pair of shots. Tamir is a quick and active 6-2 combo guard averaging 10.8 points and 3.4 boards a game; he's terrific at slashing to the hoop, but his game is still pretty raw -- he's connected on just 1 of his 16 three point attempts on the year and has 19 turnovers to 13 assists.
Joining Jackson in the starting backcourt are sophomore Connor Frizzelle (6-1, 180) and senior Lawrence Ghoram (6-5, 195), both of whom can hit the deep ball -- Frizzelle has hit 12 of 22 (54.5%) of his threes on the year, while Ghoram has connected on 4 of 7 (54.1%). In the frontcourt, sophomore Lucas Kuipers (6-8, 225) and junior Suleiman Braimoh (6-8, 225) have been rounding out the starting five, but I wonder whether junior Trey Stanton won't get the starting nod over Braimoh this afternoon. At 6-10, 230 Stanton has more length to deal with Texas's Dexter Pittman, and he's coming off his best game of the year last week against Furman, when he contributed 23 points and 9 rebounds coming off the bench.
KEYS TO THE GAME
- Protect the basketball. The degree of the blowout will correspond directly to Texas's ability to protect the basketball: take care of the rock and they win by 30, turn it over 20 times and Rice might halve it. The Owls are a bad offensive club, but they're quick and active defensively and do a nice job forcing turnovers.
- Dominate the paint. Rice has no answer for Texas near the rim and this is a match up Dexy should put up 20 and 10 in 25 minutes of play. I'll be watching for how well Texas gets their big man involved.
- Make a &#*@ free throw. Texas is literally doing everything well but shoot free throws -- just 62% on the year so far. Fix it.
PREDICTION: Texas 70 Rice 48
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long beach up on ucla early in the 2nd
ouch.
by the other Andrew on Nov 29, 2009 2:48 PM CST reply actions
Confused ESPN
Off Gamecast
Varez Ward missed Three Point Jumper.
Nice block by Hamilton
But we still can’t make a shot. Bricks everywhere.
Game is on CBS College Sports Network
Channel 152 if you have Dish & 613 if you have DirectTV. If you have Time Warner, it’s 438.
Hamilton still has some work to do on his shot selection
Tries too hard to prove himself at times.
http://www.channelsurfing.net/watch-rice.html
i cant get this link to work but it may be my connection. let me know if you have any luck.
Johnson continues to be one of the best FT shooters on the team
A mark of distinction
CBS just put up the most ridiculous graphic
Schools with Heisman and POY candidates:
Texas – Colt McCoy, Damion James
Notre Dame – Jimmy Clausen, Luke Harangody
Stanford – Toby Gerhart, Landry Fields
Florida – Tim Tebow, Kenny Boynton
Is breathing on someone a foul this year?
This ticky-tack BS is getting old. Every game is going to take 3 hours.
Got Texas at -17.5 just before tip-off
Bet $100. Here’s to hoping we hit our free throws today…
You ain't hurt.
"What can Brown do for you?!?"
Nice one Craig.
J'Covan is playing well
Hamilton starting to hit his shots. Now if only the officials could wake up and decide that when someone jumps to shoot and then doesn’t shoot, it’s a travel.
Great pass. Fooled everyone.
And nice finish by Dogus.
Love Brown as a passer
When he starts making consistently good decisions this team is going to take off.
by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Nov 29, 2009 3:49 PM CST up reply actions
Pittman has got to get better at FTs
If one player on this team needs to be able to hit 2 FTs regularly, it’s Dex.
I love GJ's defense
Guy has a motor that doesnt stop
The "Big Bang" was actually a Will Muschamp chestbump......with the Earth!
You're kidding?
I love GJ’s defense
Guy has a motor that doesnt stop
kirk1005 – November 29, 2009
Guy has zero basketball IQ.
by thirtyand0 on Nov 29, 2009 4:05 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
33-23 at half
Poor last 2-3 minutes for Texas, but they look primed to overwhelm the Owls in the second half, as has been the pattern for the ’Horns this year.
You ain't hurt.
Getting to be a major problem.
Wonder why that keeps on happening.
by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Nov 29, 2009 3:57 PM CST up reply actions
The first half blues…taking a cue from the football team.
by dimecoverage on Nov 29, 2009 4:01 PM CST up reply actions
Hamilton with a turnover
trying to get the ball to Hill in the high post. Guess that’s why he doesn’t like to make entry passes — he apparently doesn’t know how.
by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Nov 29, 2009 3:56 PM CST reply actions
Vince looks great
7-8 102 yards and 2 nice scrambles to avoid sacks
by 7Swords of Salat on Nov 29, 2009 4:06 PM CST up reply actions
Bob Weltlich
As a student manager for the basketball team at Rice, I once mistook Texas coach Bob Weltlich for one of the game officials on one of their visits to Autry Court (old SWC days—this is how old I am). He was at one end of a long hallway and I was at the other, and if any of you remember Weltlich, middle-aged would have been the words you would have used to best describe him.
“Jesus Christ,” he shouted, exasperated. “I’m not that ugly, am I?”
Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate.
- Thomas Jones
Made me wonder during the commercial...
What he is doing now. From a USA Today 2005 article.
by dimecoverage on Nov 29, 2009 4:25 PM CST up reply actions
Crooked Zebra?
Oh, the irony…
It’s good to see he’s teaching. The state of Alabama doesn’t have a lot, but it’s retirement system is one of the best in country.
Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate.
- Thomas Jones
by beast in bama on Nov 29, 2009 4:29 PM CST up reply actions
Love how the Rice fans think that wasn't a foul
Are you kidding me?
Our whole team is going to get the Shaq treatment
at the end of close games. 19/30 from the line so far. Pathetic.
--AW--
He can't be on the court
This is getting pathetic. He doesn’t score from the field and can’t hit free throws.
by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Nov 29, 2009 4:46 PM CST up reply actions
to anyone not watching the game.. VY is ballin outta control. 11/14 169 yards, leinart only 8/15 for 83yards.
by Displaced Longhorn on Nov 29, 2009 4:44 PM CST reply actions
Sloppy
59-52 Texas, under-8 timeout. Our offense is lost against the zone defense of Rice.
You ain't hurt.
Horrible three by Hamilton
Youth is ugly sometimes. Step back, fade-away three from corner after one pass.
--AW--
How is balby getting all the rebounds??? Big guys need to grab some.
by Dawnpatrol on Nov 29, 2009 4:54 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Great question
Where is the rebounding?
Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate.
- Thomas Jones
by beast in bama on Nov 29, 2009 4:55 PM CST up reply actions
If Rice wasn't in such serious foul trouble
The last 6 minutes could take about an hour to play.
I am no coach
but at this point in every game, if you can’t make your free throws you are on the bench
How many Owls have fouled out?
One guy on ESPN picked up 6 fouls?
Pivoted into the teeth of the zone defense
To shoot over three pairs of hands. Awful.
You ain't hurt.
Gary has the same problem Jordan Hamilton does
These guys want to be on the floor so badly that they are trying to do too much.
A black hole
Missed FT’s, shits everytime he touches the ball, and is a spaz on defense.
Guy has no bball sense.
by thirtyand0 on Nov 29, 2009 5:06 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Disagree here
He just has trouble keeping his emotions in check. Some days, he plays great. Some days, he over-does everything. He wants to be on the floor more, and he’s trying too hard. He plays like this in Houston a lot because of the added hometown pressure. I like his lunch pail, do-anything-for-the-team attitude, but he still hasn’t learned that he can’t out-talent people in college the way he did in HS, so he gets a bit over-zealous.
They keep shooting FTs like that
And you’re losing your money today, PB.
Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate.
- Thomas Jones
Jesus
Rice still competing for some reason. Texas up 16 with 35 seconds to play. This would be a miracle cover. I’m not counting on it.
You ain't hurt.
Very excited about Braun
As a Rice alum, I’m tickled to death to see the effort and improved athleticism of the Owls.
It’s always like watching two of my brothers play on opposite teams, but outside of baseball, there’s usually not a competition. Today there was, and it was good to see.
Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate.
- Thomas Jones
Foul trouble really showed up there
They didn’t have anything left in the tank.
Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate.
- Thomas Jones
by beast in bama on Nov 29, 2009 5:23 PM CST up reply actions
just got back from the game
we looked like crap.. that is all
"We'll be baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!"
by greenspointexas on Nov 29, 2009 5:52 PM CST reply actions
J'Covan Brown
Is now my favorite player.
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. If they get mad, you're a mile away AND you have their shoes.
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