No. 1 seed and No. 24 ranked Rice won its first-ever Conference USA Championship and second league postseason title in school history on Saturday night as the Owls broke open a close contest in the final four minutes to rout No. 3 Middle Tennessee 69-54.
The Owls will carry the nation's second-longest winning streak into the NCAA Tournament. The squad becomes the first team in C-USA history to go undefeated in regular-season conference play and win the league's postseason crown.
2019 C-USA Defensive Player of the Year Nancy Mulkey was named the C-USA Championship MVP. The sophomore registered 24 points on 9-of-20 FG shooting and 6-of-8 free throws to pair with five rebounds, a steal and eight blocks. The center shattered the C-USA title game record, besting the previous blocking clip of 3 last marked in 2017.
The Owls closed the contest on a 38-15 run after the Lady Raiders commanded the action 39-31 with 6:48 to play in the third frame. Rice held onto a slim three-point lead in the final four minutes before amassing 15 of the game's final 18 points. Extra points made all the difference in that period as four Owls combined to hit 10-of-10 foul buckets. Rice would finish the game 19-for-21 from the charity stripe. Defense was another key factor for Rice in the second half as the team outrebounded Middle Tennessee 21-10 and outscored the Lady Raiders 13-2 on second chance points.
Four Owls reached double-figures. 2019 C-USA Player of the Year Erica Ogwumike manufactured 15 points (5-11) with a perfect 5-for-5 showing from the free throw line, five rebounds and a pair of assists. Jasmine Smith added 10 points on 2-of-3 3-point shots and seven rebounds.
Alex Johnson was one-point shy of her season-high 28 points. The senior shot 50 percent from the field (10-20) and added six rebounds and three assists. C-USA Newcomer of the Year A'Queen Hayes chipped in 10 points and six rebounds.
Middle came into the matchup hitting nearly 50 percent of its postseason 3-point shots and did just that in the first quarter (4-8). Jess Louro capped an early 7-2 run with a long-range bucket. Freshman Taylor Sutton reached a layup out of the media timeout to extend the team's lead 16-9 and Johnson launched her second 3-pointer of the quarter with 2:38 on the board to give Middle Tennessee a nine-point advantage.
The Raiders commanded the entire second frame, but Rice came within three on an Ogwumike layup midway through. Johnson would grab another four points and Rice would trail at the half 34-26 for the second game in a row. Rice has now won seven of 10 games when trailing at halftime this season.
Nicole Iademarco pulled up and swished a 3-pointer with just over three minutes to play in the third to bring Rice within one 39-38. The Owls took their first lead of the second half on a jumper from Sydne Wiggins with under two minutes and pair of free throws from Smith would send Rice into the final stanza ahead by four.
2019 ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Nancy Mulkey, Rice (MVP)
Erica Ogwumike, Rice
Alex Johnson, Middle Tennessee
A'Queen Hayes, Middle Tennessee
Miyah Barnes, UAB
NOTES:
*Nancy Mulkey was named the C-USA Championship Most Valuable Player. In three Owls wins, she averaged 18.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 5.7 blocked shots per game.
*Nancy Mulkey shattered the C-USA Championship Game final record for blocked shots with eight. The previous record was three. The eight blocks tied the C-USA Championship record for any game (Natasha Lacy of UTEP vs. Southern Miss on Mar. 8, 2008). Mulkey's total of 17 blocks in the championship broke the previous record of 11 set TCU's Sandora Irvin in the 2004 championship.
*Nancy Mulkey set a new Rice single-season record for blocked shots (now 84). Lauren Neaves held the record with 84 from 2003-04.
*Rice becomes the first team in C-USA history to go undefeated in regular season conference play and win the league's postseason championship. Two other teams finished the regular season unbeaten before losing in the conference championship.
*Rice wins the second conference postseason title in school history. The Owls won the 2005 WAC Tournament title.
*The Owls 29 overall wins tie for the second-most in C-USA history. The 2014-15 WKU team holds the record with 30 victories.
*Rice will carry the nation's second-longest winning streak (21) into next week's NCAA Tournament. Only No. 1 Baylor has a longer active streak with 23.