2025–26 Rice Owls men's basketball team

The 2025–26 Rice Owls men's basketball team represents Rice University during the 2025–26 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team, led by second-year head coach Rob Lanier, play their home games at Tudor Fieldhouse in Houston, Texas as third-year members of the American Conference.

The Owls finished the 2024–25 season 13–19, 4–14 in American Athletic Conference (AAC) play to finish in 12th place. As the no. 12 seed in the AAC tournament, they lost in the first round to Charlotte.^[1][2]

Kellen Amos, Emory Lanier, Alem Huseinovic and Jackson Peakes graduated.^[3] Caden Powell transferred to Baylor on April 14.^[4][5] Denver Anglin transferred to Iona on May 5.^[6][7] Ifeanyi Ufochukwu transferred to Duke on May 7.^[8][9] Jacob Dar transferred to Seton Hall on May 10.^[10][11] Powell was the Owls' leading rebounder and shot blocker and second leading scorer, shooting 57% from the floor. Anglin shot three-pointers at 38% and was the team's leading free-throw shooter at 81%. Dar averaged 7.5 points in 20 minutes per game the previous season. Ufochukwu did not appear in a game for the Owls during 2024–25.^[12]

Cam Carroll, a 6' 2" guard from Grand Prairie, Texas, was the first freshman recruit to commit to Rice on September 4, 2024. Carroll had 13 other Division I offers, including from SMU and Mississippi State.^[13][14] Carroll was named most valuable player in his district as a senior at South Grand Prairie. He scored over 1,000 points in his high school career.^[15]

Bodey Howell, a 6' 4" guard from Meridian, Idaho, committed to Rice on September 10, 2024.^[16][17] Howell was named the Idaho player of the year by Gatorade and MaxPreps, after averaging 18.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.9 steals per game as a senior at Owyhee. He was tournament most valuable player, leading his team to the Class 6A state championship.^[18]

Evan Cochran, a 6' 9" forward from Houston, committed to Rice on September 10, 2024. Cochran had 10 other Division I offers.^[19][20] As a senior at The Village School, Cochran was first-team all-district and names All-Greater Houston by the Houston Chronicle. He scored over 2,500 points in his high school career. Cochran was named Class 6A academic all-state with a 4.0 grade point average.^[21]

Eternity Eguagie, a 6' 6" forward from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, committed to transfer to Rice from Colby Community College as a sophomore on March 22.^[22] Eguagie averaged 18.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 32 minutes in 31 games, all starts, as a freshman with the Trojans.^[23]

Nick Anderson, a 6' 3" swingman from Houston, committed to transfer to Rice from Prairie View A&M as a senior on April 19.^[24] Anderson averaged 18.9 points and 5.3 rebounds 12 games, all starts, as a junior with the Panthers,^[25] before suffering a season-ending injury.^[26]

Dallas Hobbs, a 6' 1" guard from Dallas, committed to transfer to Rice from Mount St. Mary's as a junior on April 22.^[27] Hobbs averaged 12.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 30 games, 26 starts, as a sophomore with the Mountaineers.^[28] He was named to the 2025 MAAC all-tournament team.^[29]

Jordan Williams, a 6' 2" guard from Houston, transferred to Rice from Vanderbilt as a redshirt junior on June 3.^[30] Williams averaged 1.2 points and 3.7 minutes in 10 games as a redshirt sophomore with the Commodores.^[31]

Stephen Giwa, a 6' 9" center from Houston, transferred to Rice from Texas A&M–Corpus Christi as a redshirt senior on June 3.^[32] Giwa averaged 5.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 21 minutes in 27 games, 23 starts, as a redshirt junior with the Islanders.^[33]

Presley Patterson, a 5' 11" guard from Knoxville, Tennessee, transferred to Rice from Auburn as a walk-on senior on June 7.^[34] Patterson appeared in 11 games as a junior for the Tigers and scored seven points in 1.3 minutes per game.^[35]

In May, Owls assistant coach Nelson Terroba left to become an assistant at Division II St. Edward's.^[36]

Source^[37]

• 2025–26 Rice Owls women's basketball team