Arsalan Kazemi scored 15 points and pulled down nine rebounds to lead Rice over Arkansas-Little Rock 65-55 on Thursday night in the Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic.
Connor Frizzelle chipped in with 13 points for the Owls (5-4) while Tamir Jackson added 12.
The Trojans (6-5) led by as many as nine points midway through the opening period, but Rice hustled back to take the lead with 2:15 left before halftime and never gave it up after that.
The Owls led by as many as 17 points in the second period, shooting 50 percent from the field while the Trojans fell off to 31 percent.
Alex Garcia-Mendoza and Solomon Bozeman led Arkansas-Little Rock with 13 points each.
Connor Frizzelle chipped in with 13 points for the Owls (5-4) while Tamir Jackson added 12.
The Trojans (6-5) led by as many as nine points midway through the opening period, but Rice hustled back to take the lead with 2:15 left before halftime and never gave it up after that.
The Owls led by as many as 17 points in the second period, shooting 50 percent from the field while the Trojans fell off to 31 percent.
Alex Garcia-Mendoza and Solomon Bozeman led Arkansas-Little Rock with 13 points each.
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