Sunday's Sports Update: Women turn over win to SMU

By Casey Michel     2/19/09 6:00pm

The women's basketball team closed out its home season with a rough 63-41 loss to Southern Methodist University on Sunday afternoon. LeShandra Hill led SMU with 14 points, followed by Christine Elliott with 12. No one on the Owls was able to muster double-digit points, although the team had five players score a total of 36 points.The win leaves SMU tied for first place in Conference USA with a 10-4 conference record, while Rice's two-game winning streak comes to a close. The Owls are now 2-11 in C-USA.

Against the Mustangs, Rice played one of their sloppiest games of the season, getting blocked four times, accruing 24 turnovers and compiling only eight assists. SMU also had trouble holding on to the ball with 17 turnovers on the night, but 11 steals and 16 assists kept the lead on the Mustangs' side.

It was senior night for Rice's two graduating seniors, Emery Carter and Maudess Fulton, who have lettered two and two years, respectively.

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"The disappointing thing was our lack of energy, which was mind-boggling to myself and my staff," head coach Greg Williams (Hanszen '70) said. "We talked about how the rest of the players needed to step their game up to make sure that the seniors went out with a win; instead . the way it went down in the first half, it was just unbelievable."

Rice's first-half effort was one of the worst the team has had all season, scoring only 18 points while allowing the Mustangs to rack up 41. A six-minute scoring drought effectively nullified any chances Rice had of competing with the visiting team. The offense showed little movement, and the numerous turnovers allowed SMU to extend the lead to its 33-point peak.

Hill led the way for the Mustangs, coming off the bench to make five of her first six shots for 14 points, at one point single-handedly outscoring the Owls.

The second half saw little difference, although Rice eventually whittled the lead away. Freshman Brianna Hypolite brought the game within 22 with a pull-up jumper with 15 minutes remaining, but whatever momentum the Owls gained was quickly wiped away with either missed shots or poor ball control.

"It just is amazing that we didn't have the energy, that we didn't have the excitement," Williams said. "That's a horrible, horrible performance. I used the word 'pathetic' at halftime. Not so much that they were down, [but] how it happened with the lack of effort, the lack of focus defensively."

The Owls return to action on Feb. 26 when they travel to Greenwille, N.C., to take on East Carolina University at 7 p.m.

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