HOT SHOOTING BY RICE OVERSHADOWS 30-POINT NIGHT BY EVANS

12/31/2009 2:00:00 AM

Houston, TX - Freshman forward Shante Evans tallied a career-high 30 points, but outstanding three-point shooting and a huge second half run by Rice doomed the Pride in a 90-71 loss to the Owls on Wednesday evening in Tudor Fieldhouse.

Hofstra falls to 7-5 with the loss, while Rice won for the fourth time in its last five outings to improve to 4-7 this season.

Rice ended up the contest 8-12 from three point range and a 30-7 Rice run in the second half put the Owls out in front for good.

Senior guard Sam Brigham would tally the first five points of the contest in the 100th game of her career as Hofstra jumped out to a 7-0 lead just 57 seconds into the half. She opened the scoring at the 19:49 mark with the 98th three-pointer in her three-plus seasons in a Pride uniform.

Rice would respond almost immediately as a 16-7 run ensued for the Owls, allowing the home squad to take a 16-14 lead with 13:21 left before halftime. D'Frantz Smart, who hit the two free throws to give the Owls the slight lead, had 11 first half points and joined Evans and teammate Jackie Stanley for the high point total in the first twenty minutes.

Leading 28-27 after a three-pointer from Rice's Megan Elliott, Hofstra scored six straight points to match its largest lead of the half at 34-27 following a free throw from sophomore guard Nicole Capurso with 5:21 to play before intermission. Rice battled back once again and took a 38-37 lead on a jumper from Morgan Mayse before redshirt sophomore guard Candice Bellocchio hit a driving layup with four seconds left to allow the Pride to take a one-point lead into the break.

Led by Evans, who had 11 points and five rebounds in the opening stanza, Hofstra was able to hold a 23-13 rebounding advantage at the break.

Hofstra would lead 52-50 with 14:46 left in regulation after an old-fashioned three-point play from Evans before Rice completely turned the momentum in the contest with the help of their three-point shooting to go on a 21-5 run and lead 71-57 after a three-pointer from Jessica Goswitz with 7:21 left on the clock.

The Pride was unable to recover from the surge the Owls put together as they fell in their final non-conference game of the season and saw the all-time series with Rice even up at one after Hofstra won last season's meeting.

The point total for Evans was a high for a Pride player this season, eclipsing the 23 points scored by Capurso against Providence on December 8. Evans added six rebounds to her point total, while Bellocchio had 13 points and five assists and senior center Jess Fuller chipped in with 10 points.

It marked the first 30-point game by a Pride player since Cigi McCollin poured in 34 at UNC Wilmington on February 5, 2006.

Smart finished with 24 points for the Owls, while Stanley added 20. Smart also dished out a game-high seven assists.

Hofstra is next in action on Sunday when they open Colonial Athletic Association play on Sunday at William & Mary. The game, which begins at 1 p.m., will be televised in the New York area on MSG+.

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