Panthers’ defense sets the pace, slows down Owls

Rice struggled against Georgia State’s defense all game, losing 75-54 on Tuesday night at Tudor Fieldhouse.

Georgia State (2-0) controlled the tempo from the tip, slowing down a Rice offense that likes to move fast and shoot deep.

“That matchup zone has been really good for a long time,” Rice coach Scott Pera said of Georgia State’s defense. “It’s just a good team, a good scheme and he recruits to it.”

Rice (0-2) didn’t score for the first six minutes of the game as Georgia State took a 5-0 lead.

Rice was shooting 7.7 percent from the field with seven minutes remaining in the first half and trailed 20-7.

With less than five minutes left the half, Rice started to find a scoring rhythm.

Ako Adams made backto-back 3-pointers with 2:50 remaining to cut the Panthers’ lead to 32-21 with 2:50 remaining in the half, but the Panthers extended their lead from that point.

“Obviously, shots weren’t going in today,” Adams said. “We just have to do better on the defensive end when shots aren’t going in.”

In the first half, Rice committed 12 turnovers to Georgia State’s four. The Owls shot 30.8 percent from 3-point range and 31.8 percent from the field, while Georgia State shot 48.4 percent from the field in the half.

The Panthers led 42-25 at halftime.

About halfway through the second half, the Panthers pushed the lead to 53-33.

“We had great looks, sometimes they just don’t go in,” Rice guard Connor Cashaw said. “Honestly, they’re a great team, so we’re going to continue to learn from this and make those improvements on defense.”

After leading the Owls with 18 points in their opener against Eastern Kentucky, Cashaw shot just 1-of-7 and scored seven points. Senior guard Bishop Mency, who had 15 points in the opener, was held to five points.