Men's Basketball

Cougars gear up for rubber match with Rice

Perhaps a small dose of rivalry can get the Cougars back on track.

After dropping an 80-77 contest against Tulane on Wednesday, the Cougars (12-16, 4-11 Conference USA) return home for Senior Day — and their final regular-season game at Hofheinz Pavilion.

Wednesday’s loss tied the Cougars’ season-long losing streak at five games. The Cougars hope to end the regular season on a winning note, despite having won only one game in their last 11 outings.

“Heading into the conference tournament we definitely want to give ourselves a bit of momentum,” senior forward Zamal Nixon said. “This is our last chance to do that.”

UH sits at tenth in the C-USA standings, one place above Rice (12-17, 4-11 C-USA). Saturday’s contest between the two teams with identical conference records will determine which team gets the higher seed in the tournament.

Senior forward Maurice McNeil said that he always expects Rice to come in with a winning mentality.

“Rice is going to come in and try to play hard,” McNeil said. “It’s a rivalry game, so they’re going to want to get a win and get the better seed in the tournament.”

The Cougars are still stinging from the 79-71 overtime loss to Rice at Tudor Fieldhouse on Jan. 26. Revenge will be in the forefront of their minds heading into Saturday’s season finale.

Head coach James Dickey said the game will be a meaningful day for everyone involved.

“It’s Senior Day, so we’ll have a lot of emotions for them,” Dickey said. “Also, we’re playing our cross-town rival who already beat us in an overtime game.”

Saturday’s game tips off at 5 p.m. in Hofheinz Pavilion.

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