HOUSTON – Kyra Collier scored a team-high 16 points but Little Rock couldn't stop a Rice team that used its height to overpower the Trojans in a 66-40 decision at Tudor Fieldhouse in Houston Saturday.
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Little Rock (0-2) faced another strong test on its season-opening week in Texas and kept the Owls off-balance enough to hold them to just 13.3 percent shooting from 3-point range. But a tall Rice roster - led by the 6-foot-9 Nancy Mulkey - still shot 46.3 percent from the field. Moreover, the Trojans couldn't make up the score different from long range, going 0-for-14 from beyond the arc.
The Owls (2-0), receiving votes in both polls but surprisingly not ranked, were led by Erica Ogwumike's 23 points and nine rebounds. Rice controlled the paint from the start and never relented, scoring 44 points in the lane.
Facing a 36-19 halftime difference, both teams were hot from the field in the third quarter shooting well over 55 percent. Collier led the way with eight of her 16 points in the third frame.
The height differential also came into play on rebounding as Rice claimed a 37-29 advantage on the boards with their 11 offensive rebounds leading to seven second chance points.
Little Rock was limited by foul trouble in the first half. The Trojans entered the halftime break with three players having received three fouls with a fourth player receiving two. That kept a revolving squad of five on the floor for Little Rock and helped lead to
Angelique Francis and
Skyla Knight getting their first collegiate action.
Having spent the opening week of the season on the road, Little Rock's Team now returns home as LSU will visit the Jack Stephens Center on Wednesday, Nov. 13 for the Trojans' home opener. Tickets are available for sale 24/7 at
LRTrojans.com/tickets or during normal business hours by calling 501-565-8257.
For the latest information on Little Rock Basketball, make sure to check out
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