A strong second half for Senior Tymell Murphy helped get the Panthers record their first win of 2014 and first ever Conference USA victory, defeating Rice, 71-60.
Murphy finished the night with his seventh double-double of the season, 22 points and 15 rebounds.
Redshirt junior Dennis Mavin also contributed with 16 points and a career-high nine rebounds and tied a career-high with four assists.
It started off as a slow night for Murphy, as he didn’t get his first basket until just before halftime to put the Panthers ahead by one at the half, 33-32.
In the first, the Panthers shot 50 percent from the field with Mavin leading the team with 11 points. Murphy did contribute on the boards, grabbing six rebounds.
The first half also saw Freshman Jason Boswell set the school record for consecutive free-throws made, hitting his 25th straight from the line. Boswell finished 5-for-5 from the line.
With the score tied at 46-46, with over 10 minutes to play, Murphy accounted for 20 of the Panther’s next 21 points. The scoring onslaught ended on a jumper that put the team up 67-60 with 1:10 left to play.
Down the home stretch, Murphy went 8-of-9 from the field, converted two three-point plays, corralled five rebounds and had one block.
The Owls Austin Ramljak led Rice (5-9) with 14 points.
The Panthers concluded the night shooting 50 percent from the floor, including 7-of-24 from three point land.
The Panthers out-rebounded the Owls, 37-34, as well as outscored the Owls, 30-26, in the paint, while holding them to just 38.6 percent shooting.
The Panthers (9-7) will continue on their road trip as they face Louisiana Tech, Jan. 11.
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