Reis Fight: Men’s basketball is poised to compete in Conference USA
“Try and get thrown out tonight.”
Those were the words Head Coach Mike Rhoades told the student section as he walked by before the exhibition game against LeTourneau on Saturday night. His team will play with that high energy all season long, and he wants us students to match that energy in the stands.
For me, the excitement for Saturday’s game started 25 minutes before tipoff. I got to Tudor that early for three reasons. First, I needed to secure my spot in the front row. Second, I couldn’t study anymore because of my excitement for the upcoming game and season. Third, I wanted to watch warm-ups to witness the new student athletes to this program.
While watching warm-ups, I witnessed something that I have not really seen from Rice basketball: dunks. And these dunks were not just your boring two-handed flushes, but dunks that one would witness in a dunk contest. Each player added a little extra flavor to his dunk, which was getting the blood flowing among all of the students in the student section.
Dunks in warm-ups are exciting, but they don’t really matter because they do not change the score. But this team didn’t save the dunks just for warm-ups — they had dunks that changed the score, specifically one that gave the Owls triple digits.
There was under a minute left in the game. Rice already had the win secured, but all the students wanted to see the team reach triple digits. The play started with a block by freshman forward Amir Smith that then led to a fast break the other way by sophomore guard Oliver Xu. Xu missed the layup, but Smith was there to throw down the putback dunk that put Rice over 100 points, causing Tudor Fieldhouse to erupt.
When the clock showed three zeros, the party began as the players and Coach Rhoades joined the student body in the stands for the alma mater. They were truly appreciative of the support and wanted to thank us for showing up, cheering and staying till the end.
The team this year is ready to shock the world, but to us this should not be a surprise. If you have ever listened to Coach Rhoades, you know he creates excitement and expects nothing but success from his team. If you have ever watched a video of the off-season workouts this team goes through, you know that they are putting in the work to become a championship team. If you have ever attended a game, you know this team is exciting to watch and able to play.
This year we don’t have to rely on the 3-point shot to be successful. This year we don’t have to rely on Seth Gearhart scoring over 40 points to be successful. This year we don’t have to count on three players playing more than 35 minutes a game.
This year we will see a team with multiple players who can score in multiple different ways. This year we will see a team that will press for all 40 minutes. This year we will see a team that will create buzz around campus as a place you need to be on a Saturday night.
What do I believe is possible for this team? An NCAA tournament berth this season. What do I believe is most realistic? A Top Four finish in Conference USA with a spot in the National Invitational Tournament, hosting a postseason game in March in front of a sold-out crowd in Tudor.
If you thought last year was exciting, buckle up for this wild ride. In the words of Coach Rhoades, put down your books for two hours and head to Tudor to act like a crazy person having the time of your life.
Jeremy Reiskind is a Duncan College junior.
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