Halftime Report

Fortunes may be turning around for Rice after losing five in a row. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead Temple 41-28.

If Rice keeps playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 7-11 in no time. On the other hand, Temple will have to make due with an 8-11 record unless they turn things around (and fast).

Who's Playing

Rice Owls @ Temple Owls

Current Records: Rice 6-11, Temple 8-10

How To Watch

What to Know

We've got another exciting American Athletic matchup on schedule as the Rice Owls and the Temple Owls are set to tip at 2:00 p.m. ET on January 20th at Liacouras Center. Both teams have had a bumpy ride up to this point with five consecutive losses for Rice and three for Temple.

Rice fought the good fight in their overtime game against Charlotte on Tuesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the 49ers by a score of 81-79. Rice was up 20 in the first but still couldn't manage to seal the deal.

The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Max Fiedler, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and ten rebounds. He is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as he's now pulled down ten or more in the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Travis Evee, who scored 21 points along with eight rebounds and three steals.

Meanwhile, the Owls couldn't handle the Mustangs on Tuesday and fell 77-64.

Despite their defeat, Temple saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Shane Dezonie, who scored 14 points along with five rebounds, was perhaps the best of all. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Dezonie has scored all season. Less helpful for Temple was Hysier Miller's abysmal 0-10 three-point shooting.

The Owls' defeat was their third straight at home, which bumped their record down to 6-11. That rough patch can't be blamed on the team's offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 76.0 points per game. As for the Owls, they have been struggling recently, as they've lost four of their last five matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 8-10 record this season.

Saturday's matchup is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Rice have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 36.8 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Temple struggles in that department as they've been averaging 37.8 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.

Rice is hoping to beat the odds on Saturday, as the experts think they're headed for a loss. Bettors picking them against the spread have some confidence (to put it mildly), as the team is sitting on a three-game streak of failing to cover when playing as the underdogs on the road.

Odds

Temple is a 4-point favorite against Rice, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Owls as a 3.5-point favorite.


The over/under is set at 143.5 points.

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