Letter to the Editor: In Defense of Rice Men’s Basketball
Rice men’s basketball is still worth our time. In response to last week’s column in the Thresher sports section, “A midwinter airing of grievances” (Jan. 23, 2018), I would like to highlight the simple resiliency of this year’s team. The article mentions the team’s exodus of six players, along with their heartbreaking loss to Eastern Kentucky University to begin this season, but I dare anyone to find a team doing more with less than this year’s Rice Owls.
Firstly, let’s start with scheduling. This season’s schedule was created years ago, with the hope of creating a team led by breakout stars Marcus Evans (now at Virginia Commonwealth University) and Egor Koulechov (now at the University of Florida). Rice’s 2017-18 non-conference schedule, with games chosen by the former coaching staff, included not only power conference teams Texas Tech University and the University of Mississippi, but also potential NCAA tournament teams from smaller conferences such as Georgia State University (16-6, second in the Sun Belt) and a game in New Mexico in their notorious “Pit.” Our schedule was created for a different team.
Still, Rice has competed admirably. Besides the cited loss to Eastern Kentucky, look at their 69-67 defeat against University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley or their overtime loss to C-USA power Old Dominion University. In the aforementioned New Mexico game, a controversial out-of-bounds call with 1:20 left in the game ended an improbable Rice comeback. Finally, anyone who attended their Jan. 27 home loss to Florida Atlantic University, where Rice’s Connor Cashaw hit the seemingly game-winning jumper with 3.6 seconds left, only to watch as an FAU player made an unlikely half-court shot at the buzzer, knows how much better this team is than their record reflects.
With the exception of guard Bishop Mency, and save for a couple of low-usage walk-ons and graduate transfers (one of whom, AJ Lapray, has missed most of the season due to injury), this is a team without seniors. Losing close games can be expected with a young team. Head coach Scott Pera and his staff have already secured multiple three-star recruits for next season, but this team is worth noting now. We have a team that does the most with the talent they have, led by a coaching staff successfully motivating the group to continue fighting through adversity, and ultimately competing in every game. If you’re one of those who “keeps the complaints coming” as the article suggests, go to a game this season. You’ll be watching the best 5-17 team there is.
Martin Rather is a senior at Lovett College.
More from The Rice Thresher
Students of conscience should boycott Local Foods
Local Foods has served, for many years, as a casual Houston restaurant option for Houston residents, including Rice students. Folks on campus will notice that this option has become more proximate, as a Local Foods location claims space on campus in the Brochstein Pavilion.
Insurance options for Ph.D. students are overpriced and insufficient
Doctoral students at Rice are given insufficient health insurance options especially compared to institutions with graduate student unions. Aetna’s graduate student health insurance plan leaves students with significant costs compared to the minimum annual stipend. Additionally, the available Aetna plan offers insufficient benefits when compared both to medical insurance plans at peer institutions and to the non-subsidized Wellfleet plan – Rice’s alternative option for international students.
Keep administrative hands off public parties
Emergency Management is hoping to implement a new system that has students swipe their IDs when entering public parties to cross-check their name with a pre-registered list. This idea is being touted as an effort to reduce check-in time and lines at publics. The thing is – we are tired. After bans on events, APAC and dramatic changes in party requirements, we want hands off the public party.
Please note All comments are eligible for publication by The Rice Thresher.