GREENVILLE, N.C. (Interstat) — Hailey Adams recorded 19 rebounds and four blocks to lead Rice to a 60-58 victory over East Carolina in an American Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Williams Arena. The Owls, now 23-3, survived a late push from the Pirates. East Carolina’s Anzhane’ Hutton posted 18 points and 14 rebounds. Rice’s Dominique Ennis added 16 points. Kennedy Fauntleroy led East Carolina with 16 points and eight assists. The Pirates fell to 20-8 despite holding a rebounding advantage. A key defensive stop in the final seconds secured the road win for Rice, which was projected as a slight favorite.

GREENVILLE, N.C. (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle where points were at a premium, Dominique Ennis delivered the only one that truly mattered at the final horn. The senior guard from Niagara Falls, Canada, sank a 3-pointer with 14 seconds remaining to lift Rice to a 60-58 victory over East Carolina in a pivotal American Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Williams Arena. The game’s decisive sequence encapsulated an afternoon defined by grit over grace. With the score tied at 58 and the clock winding under 20 seconds, Rice worked the ball around the perimeter. Louann Battiston found Ennis on the right wing, and she calmly connected for her fourth 3-pointer of the game, giving the Owls their first lead since the opening minutes of the second quarter. East Carolina called a timeout to advance the ball with 12 seconds left. On the ensuing inbounds play, Pirates guard Kennedy Fauntleroy drove hard to the basket, but her layup attempt was emphatically swatted away by Rice’s Hailey Adams. Adams secured the defensive rebound, was fouled, and Rice called timeout with 4.4 seconds left. After the stoppage, a foul was called on the inbound pass, but Rice successfully ran out the remaining time to seal the win. The dramatic finish salvaged a game where both teams endured prolonged offensive droughts. Rice shot just 29.9% from the field, while East Carolina managed 35.4%. The Pirates held a significant 32-24 advantage in points in the paint but were undone by a 2-for-13 performance from beyond the arc. Rice, conversely, hit six 3-pointers and was nearly perfect at the free-throw line, making 14 of 15 attempts. The contest was a showcase for two of the conference’s premier forwards. East Carolina’s Anzhane’ Hutton, a junior from Dallas, dominated stretches of the game, finishing with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Her work inside helped the Pirates build a lead that grew to nine points in the second quarter and was still at 46-40 entering the final period. But Rice had an answer in Adams. The 6-foot-1 sophomore from San Antonio turned in a monstrous performance on both ends, recording 11 points, a career-high 19 rebounds and four blocked shots. Her defensive presence, particularly in the final minutes, anchored the Owls as they clawed back. Her rejection of Fauntleroy’s potential game-tying drive was the exclamation point on a defensive masterpiece. Ennis led all Rice scorers with 16 points, with 12 coming from beyond the arc. Shelby Hayes added 11 points off the bench for the Owls. For East Carolina, Fauntleroy scored 16 points and dished out eight assists, while Keanna Rembert contributed 10 points and six rebounds. The victory improved Rice’s record to 23-3 overall and solidified its position atop the AAC standings. The Owls have now won 11 consecutive games, their last loss coming on Nov. 28. East Carolina, which had won four of its last five, fell to 20-8. The game’s tempo was grinding from the outset, with both teams combining for more turnovers (27) than assists (9) in the first half. East Carolina led 27-23 at halftime after closing the second quarter on a 10-2 run, fueled by Hutton and Fauntleroy. Rice chipped away in the third quarter and finally drew even at 54 on a Victoria Flores 3-pointer with 3:04 left in the fourth. The teams traded empty possessions and turnovers—East Carolina committed 14 in the game, Rice 13—setting the stage for Ennis’ late-game heroics. Rice next travels to face Temple on Wednesday. East Carolina looks to rebound on the road at Memphis, also on Wednesday.

GREENVILLE, N.C. (Interstat) — A marquee American Athletic Conference women’s basketball clash is set for Saturday when the No. 10-ranked Rice Owls visit the East Carolina Pirates at Williams Arena. Rice (22-3, 13-1 AAC), riding a nine-game winning streak, brings one of the nation’s top records to Greenville. The Owls are coming off a 79-72 home victory over South Florida on Tuesday, powered by 24 points from guard Victoria Flores. Flores has been a consistent force, averaging 16.6 points over her last seven games, including a 33-point outburst at UTSA on Jan. 31. East Carolina (20-7, 11-3) has won six of its last seven, including a 74-61 win over Florida Atlantic on Tuesday. The Pirates are led by dynamic guard Kennedy Fauntleroy, who is averaging 15.1 points and 4.6 assists during that same seven-game stretch. Her backcourt duel with Flores will be pivotal. The matchup features the conference’s top two teams in the standings. Rice’s only league loss came on Jan. 17 at Temple, while East Carolina’s three AAC defeats include a January home loss to Wichita State. The Pirates’ defense, which has held opponents to an average of 62.1 points during their recent run, will be tested by a balanced Rice offense that has scored 70 or more points in 18 games this season. Beyond the star guards, each team boasts secondary scoring. For Rice, Shelby Hayes (15 points vs. USF) and Hailey Adams provide support. East Carolina counters with Anzhane’ Hutton, who scored 17 points in the last outing, and forward Keanna Rembert. Saturday’s contest is a critical juncture for conference tournament seeding and potential NCAA Tournament resumes. A win for East Carolina would tighten the league race, while a Rice victory would solidify its hold on first place. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST. The Pirates travel to Memphis next Wednesday, while the Owls visit Temple on Feb. 25.