Rice 3-pointers sink Demons

HOUSTON — Rice started fast and finished just good enough against Northwestern State on Monday night.

The Owls scored the game’s first 11 points, bombed in 3-pointers and gradually opened a 20-point lead with 10 minutes remaining, but had to hold off the Demons 100-93. It was a script switch for the Demons, two days after their 23-point lead was nearly erased in a 68-64 victory over UL Monroe.

The Demons, who had a three-game win streak snapped, ended their pre-Christmas schedule 5-5, taking five of their last eight. Rice improved to 9-3.

Devonte Hall scored a career-best 22 for the Demons, who got 20 from Zeek Woodley and 15, also a career high, from freshman guard Josh Boyd.

The Owls, who were shooting over 60 percent until the closing minutes, finished at 59 percent and 57 percent (12-21) on 3-pointers. Marcus Jackson’s 19 points, 17 by Marquez Letcher-Ellis and 14 from Egor Koulechov led the way, with 13 points and 10 rebounds by Connor Cashaw.

Demons’ coach Mike McConathy, whose team rebounded from a sub-50 percent day at the free throw line Saturday by making 77 percent (27-35), liked his team’s toughness.

“They continued to fight and do the little things, and finally Rice quit making every 3 they took,” he said.

“We could have easily gotten beat 30, maybe even 40 but credit our guys for refusing to falter. We had a lot of really tough breaks at critical times tonight, shots that didn’t drop, calls that we wanted that weren’t made, but we kept working,” he said. “There is something to build from here.”

NSU outscored Rice 25-14 on points off turnovers. The Demons stayed in range on the boards, 36-32, against a taller Owls squad as Ishmael Lane led NSU with eight rebounds.

Rice ran its offense crisply, stacking up 23 assists with six players posting at least three.

“This is probably the best basketball team as far as running their sets and executing that we’ve played,” said McConathy. “The game just was three minutes too short for us. We managed to hold off a great comeback (by ULM) Saturday and tonight Rice did the same thing to us.”

The 5-5 mark at the Christmas break is the best for the Demons, who traditionally play a challenging non-conference schedule (facing four Power 5 foes this year), since the 2012-13 team went 5-3. That squad won 23 games and reached the NCAA Tournament.