Hagan Signs with Rice
Rice University head basketball coach Willis Wilson has announced the signing of Chris Hagan, from Houston, Texas, and Westfield High School, to a National Letter of Intent to attend Rice and play basketball for the Owls.
"Chris is an excellent point guard who plays with toughness," says Wilson. "He is an great passer and more importantly he possesses great decision-making skills on the court."
Hagen, a 5' 9" point guard, led Westfield to a 69-9 overall record in the last two seasons. This past year, he led the Mustangs to a 36-1 record and a 22nd national final-ranking in the USA Today high school poll.
Hagan is the 31st best player in the state of Texas according to Mike Kunstadt's Texas Basketball Review. Hagan was a first team all-district and all-region the past two years. He was also named MVP of the Great Florida Shootout.
As a senior, Hagan averaged 12.2 points, 3.2 assists, and only committed 55 turnovers in 37 games for coach Larry Brown.
Almond C-USA Player of the Week
Morris Almond led all scorers with a career-high 25 points at Arkansas.
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Almond C-USA Player of the Week
Rice junior guard Morris Almond became the first Rice men's basketball player to be named Player of the Week in the school's new league, Conference USA, for his performance last week.
Morris tied his career-high point tally then set a new personal best this week to earn his first Conference USA Player of the Week honor. The 6-foot-6 junior forward tied his career mark with 21 points in only 19 minutes of action in the Owls 93-54 victory against Palm Beach Atlantic on Thursday. He also snared a career-high eight rebounds in that game.
Almond scored a new career-high with 25 points Saturday against Arkansas. At one point in the first half he scored eight straight points for Rice. Almond leads the Owls and ranks fifth on the Conference USA scoring chart with an average 15.2 points per game in nine games this season.
Rice (4-5) now prepares for Wednesday's game vs. Texas Southern (2-8). Tip-off is set for 7:05 pm in historic Autry Court.
Almond Named All-America
Junior Morris Almond was named to the 2006 CollegeInsider.com All-America team.
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Rice Owls basketball player Morris Almond has been selected to the CollegeInsider.com 2006 All-America Team. Almond, a 6' 6" junior guard from Powder Springs, Ga. and McEachern H.S., led Rice and
Conference USA in scoring at 21.9 ppg this past season.
The 21.9 scoring average is second all-time in C-USA, just behind Steve Logan's (Cincinnati) 22.0 average set in 2002 and ahead of Dwyane Wade, of Marquette, (21.5, 2003), Danny Fortson, Cicinnati, (21.4, 1997) and Dajuan Wagner, Memphis, (21.2, 2002). Almond also set a single season C-USA record by averaging 25.1 ppg in 14 league games.
Almond's 612 points scored in 2006, is the fifth highest total in Rice basketball history and his 351 points in C-USA games is a record for a 14-game schedule.
A frontrunner for the 2007 C-USA Player of the Year, Almond was a first team All-Conference USA selection and he was selected to the USBWA District VII first team and to the NABC District 9 second team.
Houston, Rice
Lanny Smith hit a layup with 48 seconds left and Jahmar Thorpe followed with two free throws to help Houston defeat Rice 74-71 Wednesday night.
Morris Almond missed two 3-point attempts in the final six seconds for Rice.
Oliver Lafayette led Houston (19-7, 9-4 Conference USA) with 22 poitns and Smith added 17.
J.R. Harrison led Rice (11-15, 5-8) with 22 points and Almond added 17. Patrick Britton came off the bench to score 12.
Rice led by as many as eight points midway of the second half before the Cougars came back to tie the game at 64 with 5:47 left. The game was tied 15 times, including at 71 with 1:14 left.
Houston led 44-42 at the half.
Rice 62, East Carolina 54
HOUSTON (AP) - Morris Almond scored 30 points and had 10 rebounds to help lead Rice to a 62-54 win over East Carolina on Wednesday night.
The win marked the fourth consecutive game that Almond has scored at least 30 points.
J.R. Harrison came off the bench to add 14 points and grab 12 rebounds for the Owls (11-12, 5-5 Conference USA).
Rice trailed 26-19 after a 14-2 run by the Pirates but scored the last five points before haltime to bring the score to within two at 26-24.
Tyrone Beale led the Pirates (7-16, 1-9) with 15 points. Courtney Captain and Sam Hinnant each scored 10 points. Each hit a pair of 3-pointers.
Rice Rice Owls
GLANCE AT 2006: New coach Todd Graham will not only replace longtime head coach Ken Hatfield but his coaching staff must teach an entirely new offensive and defensive system to a team recruited to play a different style. The biggest transition will come in moving from the triple option to a more balanced pro-style offense, especially when it comes to finding a true passing quarterback. On the plus side, the new staff inherits a team that will lose only 10 seniors and returns a number of young players who have seen significant playing time. Even with as many as 10 starters returning on offense the Owls have to become a better passing team. As many as nine starters could return on defense, but the Owls have to force more turnovers and make more big plays. |
Owls report: Inside slant |
Of the 18 players signed by new Rice coach Todd Graham, six players stand out as the possible keys to the Owls' transformation from an option-oriented team to a more balanced attack. |
Owls report: Notes, quotes |
--New Rice coach Todd Graham had some definite ideas about who he wanted to hire when he was being interviewed for the head coaching job. Having a plan in place was one of the many factors that impressed Rice athletic director Bobby May about Graham. As soon as Graham completed his responsibilities as Tulsa's defensive coordinator in the Liberty Bowl and he was announced as the new coach, Graham moved quickly by bringing three Tulsa assistants to Rice, hiring Danny Phillips to coach the defensive line and special teams, Jason Jones to coach defensive backs and Jess Loepp to coach tight ends. Soon after, he hired Todd Dilbeck from the Oklahoma high school ranks to coach the offensive line and then added a Texas high school coach, David Beaty, to coach receivers. |
GLANCE AT 2006: New coach Todd Graham will not only replace longtime head coach Ken Hatfield but his coaching staff must teach an entirely new offensive and defensive system to a team recruited to play a different style. The biggest transition will come in moving from the triple option to a more balanced pro-style offense, especially when it comes to finding a true passing quarterback. On the plus side, the new staff inherits a team that will lose only 10 seniors and returns a number of young players who have seen significant playing time. Even with as many as 10 starters returning on offense the Owls have to become a better passing team. As many as nine starters could return on defense, but the Owls have to force more turnovers and make more big plays. |
Owls report: Inside slant |
Of the 18 players signed by new Rice coach Todd Graham, six players stand out as the possible keys to the Owls' transformation from an option-oriented team to a more balanced attack. |
Owls report: Notes, quotes |
--New Rice coach Todd Graham had some definite ideas about who he wanted to hire when he was being interviewed for the head coaching job. Having a plan in place was one of the many factors that impressed Rice athletic director Bobby May about Graham. As soon as Graham completed his responsibilities as Tulsa's defensive coordinator in the Liberty Bowl and he was announced as the new coach, Graham moved quickly by bringing three Tulsa assistants to Rice, hiring Danny Phillips to coach the defensive line and special teams, Jason Jones to coach defensive backs and Jess Loepp to coach tight ends. Soon after, he hired Todd Dilbeck from the Oklahoma high school ranks to coach the offensive line and then added a Texas high school coach, David Beaty, to coach receivers. |
GLANCE AT 2006: New coach Todd Graham will not only replace longtime head coach Ken Hatfield but his coaching staff must teach an entirely new offensive and defensive system to a team recruited to play a different style. The biggest transition will come in moving from the triple option to a more balanced pro-style offense, especially when it comes to finding a true passing quarterback. On the plus side, the new staff inherits a team that will lose only 10 seniors and returns a number of young players who have seen significant playing time. Even with as many as 10 starters returning on offense the Owls have to become a better passing team. As many as nine starters could return on defense, but the Owls have to force more turnovers and make more big plays. |
Owls report: Inside slant |
Of the 18 players signed by new Rice coach Todd Graham, six players stand out as the possible keys to the Owls' transformation from an option-oriented team to a more balanced attack. |
Owls report: Notes, quotes |
--New Rice coach Todd Graham had some definite ideas about who he wanted to hire when he was being interviewed for the head coaching job. Having a plan in place was one of the many factors that impressed Rice athletic director Bobby May about Graham. As soon as Graham completed his responsibilities as Tulsa's defensive coordinator in the Liberty Bowl and he was announced as the new coach, Graham moved quickly by bringing three Tulsa assistants to Rice, hiring Danny Phillips to coach the defensive line and special teams, Jason Jones to coach defensive backs and Jess Loepp to coach tight ends. Soon after, he hired Todd Dilbeck from the Oklahoma high school ranks to coach the offensive line and then added a Texas high school coach, David Beaty, to coach receivers. |
Rice Rice Owls
GLANCE AT 2006: New coach Todd Graham will not only replace longtime head coach Ken Hatfield but his coaching staff must teach an entirely new offensive and defensive system to a team recruited to play a different style. The biggest transition will come in moving from the triple option to a more balanced pro-style offense, especially when it comes to finding a true passing quarterback. On the plus side, the new staff inherits a team that will lose only 10 seniors and returns a number of young players who have seen significant playing time. Even with as many as 10 starters returning on offense the Owls have to become a better passing team. As many as nine starters could return on defense, but the Owls have to force more turnovers and make more big plays. |
Owls report: Inside slant |
Of the 18 players signed by new Rice coach Todd Graham, six players stand out as the possible keys to the Owls' transformation from an option-oriented team to a more balanced attack. |
Owls report: Notes, quotes |
--New Rice coach Todd Graham had some definite ideas about who he wanted to hire when he was being interviewed for the head coaching job. Having a plan in place was one of the many factors that impressed Rice athletic director Bobby May about Graham. As soon as Graham completed his responsibilities as Tulsa's defensive coordinator in the Liberty Bowl and he was announced as the new coach, Graham moved quickly by bringing three Tulsa assistants to Rice, hiring Danny Phillips to coach the defensive line and special teams, Jason Jones to coach defensive backs and Jess Loepp to coach tight ends. Soon after, he hired Todd Dilbeck from the Oklahoma high school ranks to coach the offensive line and then added a Texas high school coach, David Beaty, to coach receivers. |
GLANCE AT 2006: New coach Todd Graham will not only replace longtime head coach Ken Hatfield but his coaching staff must teach an entirely new offensive and defensive system to a team recruited to play a different style. The biggest transition will come in moving from the triple option to a more balanced pro-style offense, especially when it comes to finding a true passing quarterback. On the plus side, the new staff inherits a team that will lose only 10 seniors and returns a number of young players who have seen significant playing time. Even with as many as 10 starters returning on offense the Owls have to become a better passing team. As many as nine starters could return on defense, but the Owls have to force more turnovers and make more big plays. |
Owls report: Inside slant |
Of the 18 players signed by new Rice coach Todd Graham, six players stand out as the possible keys to the Owls' transformation from an option-oriented team to a more balanced attack. |
Owls report: Notes, quotes |
--New Rice coach Todd Graham had some definite ideas about who he wanted to hire when he was being interviewed for the head coaching job. Having a plan in place was one of the many factors that impressed Rice athletic director Bobby May about Graham. As soon as Graham completed his responsibilities as Tulsa's defensive coordinator in the Liberty Bowl and he was announced as the new coach, Graham moved quickly by bringing three Tulsa assistants to Rice, hiring Danny Phillips to coach the defensive line and special teams, Jason Jones to coach defensive backs and Jess Loepp to coach tight ends. Soon after, he hired Todd Dilbeck from the Oklahoma high school ranks to coach the offensive line and then added a Texas high school coach, David Beaty, to coach receivers. |
GLANCE AT 2006: New coach Todd Graham will not only replace longtime head coach Ken Hatfield but his coaching staff must teach an entirely new offensive and defensive system to a team recruited to play a different style. The biggest transition will come in moving from the triple option to a more balanced pro-style offense, especially when it comes to finding a true passing quarterback. On the plus side, the new staff inherits a team that will lose only 10 seniors and returns a number of young players who have seen significant playing time. Even with as many as 10 starters returning on offense the Owls have to become a better passing team. As many as nine starters could return on defense, but the Owls have to force more turnovers and make more big plays. |
Owls report: Inside slant |
Of the 18 players signed by new Rice coach Todd Graham, six players stand out as the possible keys to the Owls' transformation from an option-oriented team to a more balanced attack. |
Owls report: Notes, quotes |
--New Rice coach Todd Graham had some definite ideas about who he wanted to hire when he was being interviewed for the head coaching job. Having a plan in place was one of the many factors that impressed Rice athletic director Bobby May about Graham. As soon as Graham completed his responsibilities as Tulsa's defensive coordinator in the Liberty Bowl and he was announced as the new coach, Graham moved quickly by bringing three Tulsa assistants to Rice, hiring Danny Phillips to coach the defensive line and special teams, Jason Jones to coach defensive backs and Jess Loepp to coach tight ends. Soon after, he hired Todd Dilbeck from the Oklahoma high school ranks to coach the offensive line and then added a Texas high school coach, David Beaty, to coach receivers. |
