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No team is rising faster in Conference USA than the Rice Owls. The only conference team on a three-game winning streak heading into the final week of the regular season beat fellow West Division squad Southern Methodist on Saturday to move to 5-6 on the year and 3-4 in C-USA play.
Rice sits in fourth place in C-USA, but third could be within reach.
The toppling of the Mustangs, who are second place in C-USA West, wasn't taken advantage of by the third-place Houston Cougars. They lost 44-41 on Saturday after a second-half rally fell short against Marshall, and now the Cougars sit with the Owls at 3-4 in conference play.
Houston (4-7) holds the tiebreaker, but with a finale against C-USA West's leader in Tulsa this week, the Owls could very well jump the Cougars in the final standings. Rice plays the UTEP Miners, who are just 2-5 in conference action, in its final game.
Tulane sits alone at the bottom of C-USA West.
Here's a look at the full C-USA standings.
WEST | CONF | OVERALL | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | W | L | |
Tulsa Golden Hurricane | 7 | 0 | 9 | 2 |
SMU Mustangs | 4 | 3 | 5 | 6 |
Rice Owls | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Houston Cougars | 3 | 4 | 4 | 7 |
UTEP Miners | 2 | 5 | 3 | 8 |
Tulane Green Wave | 2 | 5 | 2 | 9 |
EAST | CONF | OVERALL | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | W | L | |
Central Florida Knights | 6 | 1 | 8 | 3 |
East Carolina Pirates | 6 | 1 | 7 | 4 |
Marshall Thundering Herd | 4 | 3 | 5 | 6 |
Memphis Tigers | 3 | 4 | 3 | 8 |
UAB Blazers | 2 | 5 | 3 | 8 |
Southern Miss. Golden Eagles | 0 | 7 | 0 | 11 |