The Rice Owls women's basketball program is set to headline a Thanksgiving week showcase that will bring together some of the region's most promising teams.
The tournament, scheduled as part of the 2026‑27 non‑conference slate, will feature matchups against UT Rio Grande Valley, Lamar University and the University of Illinois Chicago, each of which arrived with impressive recent résumés.
UT Rio Grande Valley, fresh off a program‑record 21‑win season and a second‑round run in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament, will test the Owls with its aggressive style, while Lamar, celebrating its fourth straight 20‑win campaign and a first‑round WNIT appearance, brings consistent excellence.
A season to remember
Rice capped the previous season with a school‑best 29 victories, a 22‑game winning streak and the American Athletic Conference regular‑season championship, a milestone that has raised expectations for the upcoming campaign.
Key contributors who helped forge that success — Victoria Flores, Louann Battiston, Hailey Adams and Aniah Alexis — are slated to return, giving the team continuity and depth as they prepare for the new slate of games.
The tournament itself will be staged at Tudor Fieldhouse, with games slated for November 25 and November 27, offering fans a chance to see high‑level basketball in an intimate setting.
While ticket details have yet to be released, the university has promised that information will be made available in the coming weeks, allowing supporters to plan attendance for what promises to be a marquee event in the early college basketball calendar.