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Women's Basketball Hosts UCF
Knights Take On Owls At 7 p.m. Thursday

	Jessica Goswitz is averaging 10.5 points in her last two games and shooting 42.9 percent on 3-pointers since Feb. 3

Feb. 20, 2013

UCF Knights (10-14. 4-6 C-USA) at Rice Owls (10-14, 2-9 C-USA)

Game 25 • Thursday, Feburary 21, 2013 • 7 p.m.

Houston, Texas • Tudor Fieldhouse (5,750)
Audio: RiceOwls.com • TV: None

Series Record: UCF leads 5-3

Owls Return Home To Host UCF

Rice hosts UCF at Tudor Fieldhouse to kick off a run of four of five games played in the city of Houston. The Owls play their next two games at Tudor Fieldhouse, followed by a trip to UTEP and across town to Houston before closing out the season at home.

Briefly On The Owls

• Jessica Kuster is the only player in C-USA and one of 38 players nationally to be averaging a double double

• Kuster is one of eight players nationally to have averaged a double double in 2010-11, 2011-12 and to currently be averaging a double double in 2012-13. Kuster and Middle Tennessee's Ebony Rowe are the only two juniors on that list.

• Kuster has posted four consecutive double-digit rebound games

• Jessica Goswitz is averaging 10.5 points in her last two games and shooting 42.9 percent (9-of-21) on 3-pointers since Feb. 3

• Rice has had a second half lead or tie in eight of their last ten C-USA games

• Rice has held 12 opponents to less than 60 points this season, and is 9-3 in those games

• The Owls' typical starting unit of Goswitz, Maduka, Kuster, Porter and Palmer outscores their opponents by an average of 1.4 points per 40 minutes

Rice vs. UCF

The Knights make their last stop in Tudor Fieldhouse before departing for the Big East next season, holding a 5-3 edge in the series. UCF has won five of the last six meetings between the squads, including a 66-64 UCF victory in the 2009 C-USA Tournament Opening Round. The Owls have not defeated UCF in Houston since Jan. 8, 2006, the first meeting bewteen the two schools.

First Unit Prowess

The grouping of Jessica Goswitz, Nakachi Maduka, Jessica Kuster, Christal Porter and Megan Palmer have started 21 games for the Owls, and have played together for 239 minutes this season. That unit has outscored its opponents by 1.4 points per 40 minutes (62.6 to 61.2) while on the court this season.

What Could Have Been

The Owls have had open looks that could have won or tied three C-USA games in the final minute of play this year. The Owls had a potential game-winning look against UTEP (Jan. 24) as the clock expired, a potential game-winning 3-pointer against Houston (Feb. 10) as the clock expired, and a potential game-tying 3-pointer with :10 left at Tulsa (Feb. 17).

Prepare For Trouble, Make It Double Double

Jessica Kuster, along with Middle Tennesse's Ebony Rowe, are the only two juniors in the NCAA who are on track to average a double double in each of their first three years and two of eight players nationally who are on pace to average a double double each of the past three years. Kuster would become the first Rice player to have back-to-back-to-back double double seasons, should her averages hold.

Kuster's Quick Starts

Twice this season, Jessica Kuster had as many points (10+) as the opposing team midway through the first half. At then-No. 24 Tennessee, Kuster had 12 points to match the Lady Vols' 12 until 13:33 of the first half. Against Houston, Kuster's 10 points matched the Cougars' total until 10:22 of the first frame.