The Tulsa womens basketball team will conclude a three-game Western Athletic Conference homestand at 7:00 p.m. this Thursday against Rice at the Donald W. Reynolds Center. The Hurricane will look to Pack the House with $2 general admission tickets.
The TU womens basketball program will present a check to the American Red Cross Tsunami Relief Fund before the game. TU players, coaches and staff pledged $1,000 in an effort to provide relief for the thousands of people affected in Asia by a deadly Tsunami, and asked the public to match the pledge with a $1 donation in Tulsas last two home games.
After beginning conference play with a 0-2 record, Tulsa (10-3, 2-2 WAC) has rebounded with back-to-back WAC victories to pull even at 2-2. TU is 6-0 overall at home and 2-0 in conference games at the Reynolds Center this season, and has won four straight league games at home dating back to last season. The Lady Owls, which were picked to finish second in the WAC Preseason Coaches poll, enters the contest tied with Tulsa for fourth place in the current WAC standings. Both Tulsa and Rice advanced to the WNIT a year ago.
Sophomore Jillian Robbins is one of three Golden Hurricane players scoring in double-figures with 16.4 points per game, and has turned in seven 20-point performances. Junior Kara Pongonis is second on the team in scoring with 10.7 points per game, while classmate Megan Moody is third with 10.2 points per contest. Robbins is also Tulsas top rebounder with 9.8 boards per game, and has eight contests with 10 or more rebounds. She has seven double-doubles in 13 games this season.
The Golden Hurricane is averaging 66.9 points and 41.9 rebounds per game, and is shooting 41.7 percent from the field, 30.8 percent from behind the three-point line and 72.0 percent from the free-throw line.
Like Tulsa, Rice (9-6, 2-2 WAC) opened league action with a 0-2 record, but rebounded last week with a pair of home wins. The Lady Owls have won six out of their last seven contests, but are just 2-5 on an opponents home court this season. In fact, Rice has dropped two out of its last three games on the road. The Owls began the season in the Preseason WNIT, where they finished with 1-1.
Rice features two double figure scorers in senior Michelle Woods (12.0) and sophomore Lauren Neaves (10.6), and is Neaves is also the top rebounder with 8.6 boards per game. Neaves and Robbins were the only two freshmen named to the all-WAC First Team last season. The Owls are averaging 65.6 points and 43.0 rebounds per game and are shooting 38.9 percent from the field, 31.8 percent from behind the arc and 64.1 percent from the foul line.
Thursdays game marks the 18th all-time meeting between Tulsa and Rice.
The Owls lead the series, 12-5, and have won the last four meetings, including a 64-61 victory over TU at the Reynolds Center a year ago.
Tulsa is 5-3 against Rice at home.