Rice, Simmons Lift Owls Over Kangaroos, 70-61

Saturday, December 23

Boca Raton, Fla.

7:00 PM

Florida Atlantic

UMKC

12/23/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Dec. 23, 2006

Box Score

BOCA RATON, FL - DeAndre Rice scored 19 points and Derrick Simmons added 16 points to go with a career-high 16 rebounds as the Florida Atlantic University men's basketball team earned a 70-61 win over UMKC at FAU Arena on Saturday.

"Every play that you diagram is a heck of a lot better when the ball goes in, and DeAndre does that for us," Head Coach Rex Walters said. "He's got a very good feel for the game and can score the basketball a lot of different ways. He's our most talented offensive player."

Rice, a native of Flint, MI, was playing in his first home game since being cleared on Dec. 18.

"It feels good to have him back," senior guard Brent Crews said. "We have more weapons and teams have to guard us differently. He's very good on the offensive and defensive end."

The game began with teams trading buckets early on. UMKC's Dane Brumagin matched threes by Avery Holley and Crews to tie the game at eight. Back-to-back buckets by Simmons and Rice gave the Owls a 12-8 lead. A Simmons offensive rebound put-back gave FAU a five point lead with 12 minutes to go in the first-half, 18-13.

A three by Eni Cuka and back to back triples by Rice gave FAU a 34-16 lead with six minutes left, but back to back threes by Gettinger brought the Kangaroos back within 12 at 34-22.

UMKC would cut the lead to seven at 39-32 at the 2:15 mark before a Simmons layup would expand the lead back to nine at 41-32 with 1:35 left in the first frame. A three by Brumagin right before the half would cut FAU's lead to six and produce the halftime margin, 41-35.

Rice led all scorers at the half with 12 points. Simmons added 10 to go with a game-high seven rebounds, while Dane Brumagin led the way for the Kangaroos with 11 points.

A Holley jumper at 17:20 would stretch the lead to seven, 47-40, as FAU turned it up on the defensive end forcing back to back turnovers. A pair of Quinton Day triples would cut the Owls' lead back down to three, 49-46, with 15:30 left in the second-half.

Rice was fouled on a layup that gave FAU a 51-46 lead, but couldn't convert the free-throw attempt. Brent Stephens would answer with a jumper to cut the lead to three, 51-48, but Alarcon would hit a three to once again give FAU a six point lead.

Back-to-back leaners in the lane by Rice and Crews would give FAU an eight-point lead at the 9:05 mark, prompting a timeout by Kangaroo Head Coach Rich Zvosec.

A Brian Gettinger three and Brent Stephens jumper for UMKC would cut the FAU lead to four, 59-55 with six minutes left in regulation.

Jeremiah Hartsock would cut the lead to two with just over four minutes remaining before a Simmons layup would extend the lead back to four.

Stephens would cut the lead back to three with a free throw, 61-58, with 2:50 remaining. A steal by Crews with two minutes left led to a breakaway dunk by Paul Graham, who returned from injury after missing one game, for his first points of the game and gave FAU a 63-58 lead.

Rice made a pair of free throws with 1:02 remaining to stretch the lead to seven, 65-58, and Holley would hit two free throws with 51 seconds left to put the game out of reach, and the Owls would go on to win, 70-61.

The Owls will take five days off as a holiday break before traveling down to Miami, FL to face Sun Belt foe Florida International at 7 p.m.