HOUSTON – Adrian Morales came off the bench to score 17 points, including four 3-pointers, and NAIA program St. Thomas stunned crosstown rival Rice on Saturday, leading most of the game and rolling to a 72-59 victory to spoil the Owls' season opener.
Travis Lampley and Bryan Kaase added 14 points apiece, and Lampley dished out 12 assists for the Celts, who are starting only their fourth season of men's basketball. St. Thomas, a small Catholic liberal arts school about 2 miles north of the Rice campus, only has had intercollegiate athletics since 2006.
Tamir Jackson led the Owls with 13 points but was just 4 of 13 from the field, part of Rice's 37 percent shooting effort.
After a close first 10 minutes, the Celts went on a 24-7 run en route to a 34-21 halftime lead. St. Thomas never trailed in the second half, leading by as many as 18.
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