BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — For a third consecutive season, the No. 1 Rice Owls will advance to the championship game of the American Women’s Basketball Championship after defeating No. 5 North Texas, 71–67, on Friday evening at Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama.
 
With the win, the Owls (28–4) advance to the championship game on Saturday, March 14, at 9:30 p.m. ET / 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU, where they will face the winner of No. 2 East Carolina and No. 6 UTSA.
 
After trailing by eight points early in the second quarter, the Mean Green defense stood stout, forcing five Owls turnovers while holding Rice to 16.7 percent shooting (2-for-12) from the floor in the period. North Texas shot 50 percent from the field and outscored Rice 22–9 in the second quarter to take a five-point lead into halftime.
 
The top-seeded Owls came alive in the third quarter, outscoring the Mean Green 27–11. Rice held North Texas to one made field goal in its final eight attempts of the quarter to take an 11-point lead.
 
The Mean Green cut the deficit to two points with 11 seconds remaining in the game following a pair of free throws from Andi Schissler, after holding the Owls without a field goal for the final three minutes. However, Victoria Flores sealed the victory with a pair of free throws in the closing seconds.
 
Flores, the American Player of the Year, led all players with 21 points, connecting on 12-of-14 from the free throw line. Dominique Ennis added 19 points, while Hailey Adams recorded a 17-point, 14-rebound double-double.
 
Megan Nestor led the Mean Green with a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double, while Aysia Proctor and Chania Price each added 12 points.