Rice nixes series due to COVID-19
The Rice men’s series against Marshall this weekend has been canceled, the program announced Thursday.
Though the school originally postponed all athletic events scheduled for Friday because of the severe winter weather and its effects in Houston, the cancellation of the men’s basketball series came as a result of COVID-19 issues in the program. It is not yet clear if the issues stem from positive tests or contact tracing efforts.
The Owls’ series next weekend at Louisiana Tech has not been affected at the time of publication. Rice is 12-10 overall and 6-8 in Conference USA.
In line with other Rice athletic events this weekend, the women’s basketball team’s series at Marshall has been postponed, the school announced Thursday afternoon.
The Owls (12-1, 8-0 CUSA) will now play the Thundering Herd at noon Saturday and at 11 a.m. Sunday. The games were originally set to take place Friday and Saturday but were moved because of the severe winter weather events impacting Houston.
NO. 1 GONZAGA 87 SAINT MARY’S 65
Corey Kispert scored 20 points, Joel Ayayi added 16, and the host Bulldogs beat the cold-shooting Gaels, extending the nation’s longest winning streak to 25 games over the past two seasons. Drew Timme scored 12 points to help Gonzaga (21-0, 12-0 West Coast) extend its home winning streak to 48 games.
NO. 3 MICHIGAN 71 RUTGERS 64
Franz Wagner scored 20 points, and Mike Smith added 12 to lift the Wolverines over the visiting Scarlet Knights. Hunter Dickinson added 10 points for Michigan (15-1, 10-1 Big Ten), who won its second straight game since returning from a lengthy layoff after the athletic department paused activities for coronavirus-related reasons.
NO. 11 IOWA 77 NO. 21 WISCONSIN 62
Luka Garza scored 30 points, Joe Wieskamp had 17, and the Hawkeyes (16-6, 10-5 Big Ten) pulled away to beat the Badgers in Madison, Wis. Garza raised his nation-leading average to 24.7 points, making 11 of 19 shots, including four of six from 3-point range, and grabbing eight rebounds.
Micah Potter had 23 points and 11 rebounds for Wisconsin (15-8, 9-7).
NO. 4 OHIO STATE 92 PENN STATE 82
E.J. Liddell scored 17 of his 23 points in the first half, and the Buckeyes (18-4, 12-4 Big Ten) outlasted the host Nittany Lions.
Women NO. 21 TENNESSEE 75 NO. 2 SOUTH CAROLINA 67
Rennia Davis scored all 24 of her points in the second half, and the Lady Vols (13-5, 7-3 Southeastern Conference) beat the visiting Gamecocks (17-3, 12-1), ending South Carolina’s 31-game conference winning streak.
NO. 14 INDIANA 70 NO. 11 MICHIGAN 65
Ali Patberg scored 21 points, including the only field goal by either team in the last 3½ minutes, and the host Hoosiers (14-4, 12-2 Big Ten), made a couple key defensive plays in the final minute to defeat the Wolverines (12-2, 8-2).
BYU 61, NO. 16 GONZAGA 56
Shaylee Gonzales scored 16 points, Paisley Harding scored the last four points to clinch the game, and the Cougars (15-3, 11-2 West Coast Conference) ended a 17-game winning streak by the visiting Bulldogs (18-3, 13-1).