- Matchup: Rice Owls vs. Charlotte 49ers
- Date: Saturday, January 31, 2026
- Venue: Halton Arena, Charlotte, NC
- Broadcasting: ESPNU
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The Charlotte 49ers (12-9) are set to host the Rice Owls (9-12) at Halton Arena this Saturday.
In their previous outing, the Rice Owls secured a victory against East Carolina with a score of 83-77. In the match, Rice committed 17 fouls while East Carolina totaled 18. The Owls successfuly made 4 out of 19 attempts from beyond the arc. East Carolina had a strong free throw performance, hitting 23 of their 26 attempts for an impressive 88.5%. On the boards, East Carolina gathered 27 rebounds (7 offensive, 20 defensive), but did not record any blocks. They also contributed 15 assists and made 5 steals. On the defensive end, Rice held East Carolina to 41.7% shooting, allowing them to convert 25 of 60 attempts. The Owls also registered 14 assists and forced 9 turnovers, alongside earning 5 steals. They managed to grab 34 rebounds, including 11 offensive ones. From the charity stripe, Rice converted 15 of 25 attempts, achieving a free throw percentage of 60.0%. The Owls closed out the game with a field goal percentage of 49.1% (28 of 57) and knocked down 12 of their 28 three-point tries.
Jalen Smith made a significant impact in the game, scoring 21 points on 8 of 16 shooting while playing for 35 minutes and contributing 3 rebounds and 1 assist.
Rice enters this game with a record of 9-12 for the season, averaging 74.5 points per game, ranking 234th in college basketball. They have a field goal percentage of 42.7% and connect on 37.0% of their three-point shots (190 of 514). At the free throw line, they are hitting 68.9% of their attempts. The Owls secure 37.3 rebounds per game and have accumulated 258 assists this season, placing them 300th in college basketball for assists per game. They turn the ball over 12.3 times per contest and commit about 18.5 fouls per game.
Defensively, the Owls force their opponents into 12.1 turnovers per game and draw 17.9 fouls. They yield 34.2% shooting from three-point range and rank 197th in Division 1 for points per game allowed (74.1). Rice has allowed an overall field goal percentage of 43.9% (535 of 1,220) and give up 36.3 rebounds per game, ranking 102nd nationally in assists allowed, with a total of 258 so far this season.
In their last game, the Charlotte 49ers emerged victorious with an 80-76 win over Temple. On the boards, Charlotte allowed Temple to collect 23 rebounds (9 offensive). Charlotte struggled from beyond the arc, finishing at 30.4% by making 7 of 23 attempts, but excelled at the free throw line, converting 27 out of 29 attempts for 93.1%. The 49ers allowed Temple to shoot 21 of 48 from the field, amounting to 43.8% for the game. At the conclusion of the contest, Charlotte shot 26 of 54 overall (48.1%) and made 39.1% of their three-point shots, hitting 9 out of 23 attempts. They knocked down 19 free throws, achieving a 67.9% rate. Temple committed 20 fouls which led to 28 free throw attempts for Charlotte. The 49ers totaled 8 turnovers and managed 3 steals during the game, while also grabbing 13 defensive and 13 offensive rebounds for a grand total of 26 boards.
Anton Bonke played a crucial role for the 49ers, finishing with 25 points on 11 of 14 shooting (78.6% from the field), along with 9 rebounds, in 33 minutes of action.
This season, Charlotte holds a record of 12-9. Offensively, the 49ers are shooting at 46.1% from the field, ranking 141st nationally. Charlotte has scored a total of 1,562 points this year (74.4 per game) and averages 34.9 rebounds per game. Their assist rate stands at 13.1 per outing (250th in D-1), while they average 12.0 turnovers per game and commit approximately 17.7 fouls per game, converting 71.3% of their free throw attempts.
The 49ers rank 183rd in college basketball for points allowed per game at 73.5. They force their opponents into 9.8 turnovers each game and allow teams to shoot 44.9% from the field (242nd in the nation). Charlotte’s defense lets opponents shoot 35.0% from three-point distance (164 out of 468) and allows a free throw conversion rate of 70.5%. They yield 12.3 assists and 30.5 rebounds per game, which places them 95th and 19th respectively in college basketball.
Who will come out on top in tonight’s NCAA contest against the spread?
Pick: Select Rice
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