2019-20 Men's Basketball Roster
Roster
Rice, Xander
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Jersey Number 21
Xander Rice
- Position:
- Guard
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 179
- Class:
- Freshman
- Hometown:
- West Long Branch, N.J.
- High School:
- The Patrick School
Bio
High-level combo guard who saw rotation minutes right from the start of his rookie year ... excellent ball-handler who can push the ball up the floor and finish at the rim ... able to make shots at all three levels ... has shown signs of being an excellent defender ... typical of a coach’s son, brings a level of consistency and a good sense of the game to the college level ... product of high school programs that have produced major talent ... career 84.0 FT% is 4th-best in team history.
2022-23
Co-captain for second straight year ... earned Third Team All-Patriot League honors after playing in all 32 games with 31 starts ... led team in scoring (14.1) and assists (3.8) ... shot 42.5 FG%, 36.5 3FG%, 81.9 FT% ... ranked 6th in Patriot League in scoring, 5th in asst., 7th in FT%, 5th in min. (33.6) ... scored in double figures in 25G, including 4 20-pt. games ... hit double figures in first 19G of season ... 14 pts. (4-8 3FG), 5 asst. in 21 min. in blowout win over Lebanon Valley in season opener ... 14 pts., 4 stl. in home win over Niagara ... two second-half thefts led to transition points and helped Bucknell stretch its lead to 17 ... team-high 19 pts. (8-13 FG) in 4-pt. loss at Georgia ... MVP of Ocean Bracket of Sunshine Slam after scoring 17 pts. vs. Presbyterian and 20 vs. Austin Peay ... 18 of 20 vs. APSU came in second half, as Bucknell came from 9 down to win ... went 7-8 FG in 2nd half ... scored game-high 20 pts. on efficient shooting (6-9 FG, 3-5 3FG, 5-5 FT) in home win over Saint Francis ... set a career high with 9 asst. in home win over Merrimack ... assisted on 9 of team’s 19 FGs ... first Bison in 6 yrs. to have 9+ asst. with 0 TOs ... had streak of 26 straight game with a 3FG end vs. Merrimack ... team-high 19 pts. (4-5 3FG) at Richmond and Lafayette ... streak of 20 straight double-digit scoring games ended at Army (9 pts., 5 asst.) ... longest streak by a Bison since Stephen Brown in 2018 ... attempted career-high 20 FGs and scored 21 pts. at Loyola ... followed that up with big game in road win at American with 23 pts. (8-13 FG, 4-6 4FG) ... 17 pts. at American in PL Tournament in final game of his Bucknell career.
2021-22
Co-captain ... started all 32 games in the backcourt ... recipient of the Coaches’ Award for outstanding contributions to the program ... team’s second-leading scorer at 13.1 ppg and leader in assists (3.9) and steals (1.3) ... shot 39.8 FG%, 42.4 3FG%, 88.4 FT% ... led the Patriot League and ranked 20th nationally in FT% ... FT% was third-best in team history among players with at least 50 attempts in a season ... also ranked 12th in the PL in scoring, 5th in 3FG%, 3rd in asst., 6th in asst/TO ratio (1.9), 9th in stl., 10th in mpg (32.5) ... had 6 20-pt. games on the season ... scored 12 of 14 pts. in 1st half in opener at N.C. State ... also had 6 asst. ... led the team and tied then-career high with 23 pts. in home win over Rider ... hit 7-13 FG, 4-5 3FG and 4 clinching FTs in final 0:30, and also had 4 asst. with 0 TOs ... set new career highs with 24 pts. (7-13 FG, 2-5 3FG, 8-8 FT), 8 reb. vs. Rider in Cancun ... scored 47 pts. in 2G vs. Rider ... also had a 20-pt. game vs. Mercer and averaged 22.0 ppg in the 2G in Cancun ... went 18-18 FT in 3G at the Cancun Classic, including the campus-site game at Illinois State ... hit 4-7 3FG and scored 15 pts. vs. Army ... followed with team-high 14 at Navy ... tallied 8 pts. and career-high 8 asst. at Loyola ... strong game vs. Colgate with 20 pts., 7 asst., 2 stl. ... 14 pts., 6 reb., 8 asst. in home win over Loyola ... clinched the game with two defensive reb. and 4-4 FT in final 0:13 of OT ... team-high 18 pts. (4-8 FG, 3-5 3FG, 7-8 FT) at Colgate ... 19.5 ppg in the two games vs. Colgate ... 21 pts. (6-10 FG, 3-5 3FG, 6-6 FT) vs. Holy Cross at home ... 17 pts., 7 asst. in home win over Lafayette ... set career highs with 25 pts., 4 stl. at Army ... 3-3 on 3FGs in first 3:24 of the game ... team-high 19 pts. in home win over Boston U., thanks in large part to 11-13 FT (8-8 in last 2:00 of close game) ... averaged 18.3 ppg in 3G vs. PL champion Colgate.
2020-21
Enjoyed a strong season in his first year as the starting point guard ... one of the league’s most-improved players ... started all 12 games and averaged 10.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.3 apg ... 39 asst. and only 18 TOs ... shot 50.0 FG%, team-best 42.4 3FG%, 77.8 FT% ... one of three PL guards to shoot 50% or better from the field ... ranked 6th in teh PL in assists and 3rd in asst./TO ratio ... also 6th in 3FG% ... scored in double figures 6 times ... recorded a career-high 13 pts. with 5 asst. on opening night at Navy ... blew past that mark with 23 pts. at Lafayette on Jan. 10 (9-14 FG, 1-1 3FG, 4-5 FT) ... also had 4 asst., 0 TO ... previous career high was 3 made FGs in a game before making 9 in Easton ... converted 3 3-pt. plays in that game ... solid weekend (1/30-31) in sweep of Lehigh ... hit 4-4 FG and had 8 pts., 3 asst., 0 TOs in road win, then 8 pts., career-high 7 asst. in home rout a day later ... pair of good games vs. American: 10 pts., 6 asst. at home; 16 pts. (7-7 FG) away ... huge game in PL quarterfinal win at Lafayette with 19 pts. (6-10 FG, 4-6 3FG, 3-4 FT) ... 4 3FGs were a career high.
2019-20
Played in all 34 games off the bench ... one of two Bison to play in every game ... averaged 2.8 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 1.3 apg ... 44 assists against 31 turnovers and also had 21 steals ... played well off the bench on opening night, logging 3 asst. without a TO and a +8 rating in 12 min. ... first career pts. came on a couple of FTs in home opener vs. Vermont ... had 5 pts., 6 reb., 0 TOs vs. Yale in Orlando ... strong game at home vs. Navy with season-high 9 pts. (3-4 FG, 1-2 3FG, 2-2 FT), 2 stl. ... 3 asst., 3 stl. in home PL Tourney win over Holy Cross.
PERSONAL/HIGH SCHOOL
Born Jan. 3, 2001 in Los Angeles, Calif. ... son of Summer and King Rice ... has a younger brother, Julian ... father was a McDonald’s All-American who went on to star at North Carolina ... he is currently the head men’s basketball coach at Monmouth ... mother played volleyball at UNC ... began his high school career at the legendary St. Anthony High School in Jersey City, where he played for two years and started as a sophomore for Hall-of-Fame coach Bob Hurley ... averaged better than 11 points per game for a team that finished 23-6 ... after the school closed, played at Mater Dei Prep as a junior and then at The Patrick School (formerly known as St. Patrick), which has produced many future basketball stars, most notably Kyrie Irving ... Second Team All-Section selection as a junior and senior ... scored 800 points in his three seasons of varsity basketball ... played in the state semifinals as a sophomore and senior, and his teams played in conference championship games in 2018 and 2019 ... also spent two summers with the We R 1 AAU team, and he played in two national championship tournaments ... majored in psychology ... named to 2020, 2022 and 2023 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
2022-23
Co-captain for second straight year ... earned Third Team All-Patriot League honors after playing in all 32 games with 31 starts ... led team in scoring (14.1) and assists (3.8) ... shot 42.5 FG%, 36.5 3FG%, 81.9 FT% ... ranked 6th in Patriot League in scoring, 5th in asst., 7th in FT%, 5th in min. (33.6) ... scored in double figures in 25G, including 4 20-pt. games ... hit double figures in first 19G of season ... 14 pts. (4-8 3FG), 5 asst. in 21 min. in blowout win over Lebanon Valley in season opener ... 14 pts., 4 stl. in home win over Niagara ... two second-half thefts led to transition points and helped Bucknell stretch its lead to 17 ... team-high 19 pts. (8-13 FG) in 4-pt. loss at Georgia ... MVP of Ocean Bracket of Sunshine Slam after scoring 17 pts. vs. Presbyterian and 20 vs. Austin Peay ... 18 of 20 vs. APSU came in second half, as Bucknell came from 9 down to win ... went 7-8 FG in 2nd half ... scored game-high 20 pts. on efficient shooting (6-9 FG, 3-5 3FG, 5-5 FT) in home win over Saint Francis ... set a career high with 9 asst. in home win over Merrimack ... assisted on 9 of team’s 19 FGs ... first Bison in 6 yrs. to have 9+ asst. with 0 TOs ... had streak of 26 straight game with a 3FG end vs. Merrimack ... team-high 19 pts. (4-5 3FG) at Richmond and Lafayette ... streak of 20 straight double-digit scoring games ended at Army (9 pts., 5 asst.) ... longest streak by a Bison since Stephen Brown in 2018 ... attempted career-high 20 FGs and scored 21 pts. at Loyola ... followed that up with big game in road win at American with 23 pts. (8-13 FG, 4-6 4FG) ... 17 pts. at American in PL Tournament in final game of his Bucknell career.
2021-22
Co-captain ... started all 32 games in the backcourt ... recipient of the Coaches’ Award for outstanding contributions to the program ... team’s second-leading scorer at 13.1 ppg and leader in assists (3.9) and steals (1.3) ... shot 39.8 FG%, 42.4 3FG%, 88.4 FT% ... led the Patriot League and ranked 20th nationally in FT% ... FT% was third-best in team history among players with at least 50 attempts in a season ... also ranked 12th in the PL in scoring, 5th in 3FG%, 3rd in asst., 6th in asst/TO ratio (1.9), 9th in stl., 10th in mpg (32.5) ... had 6 20-pt. games on the season ... scored 12 of 14 pts. in 1st half in opener at N.C. State ... also had 6 asst. ... led the team and tied then-career high with 23 pts. in home win over Rider ... hit 7-13 FG, 4-5 3FG and 4 clinching FTs in final 0:30, and also had 4 asst. with 0 TOs ... set new career highs with 24 pts. (7-13 FG, 2-5 3FG, 8-8 FT), 8 reb. vs. Rider in Cancun ... scored 47 pts. in 2G vs. Rider ... also had a 20-pt. game vs. Mercer and averaged 22.0 ppg in the 2G in Cancun ... went 18-18 FT in 3G at the Cancun Classic, including the campus-site game at Illinois State ... hit 4-7 3FG and scored 15 pts. vs. Army ... followed with team-high 14 at Navy ... tallied 8 pts. and career-high 8 asst. at Loyola ... strong game vs. Colgate with 20 pts., 7 asst., 2 stl. ... 14 pts., 6 reb., 8 asst. in home win over Loyola ... clinched the game with two defensive reb. and 4-4 FT in final 0:13 of OT ... team-high 18 pts. (4-8 FG, 3-5 3FG, 7-8 FT) at Colgate ... 19.5 ppg in the two games vs. Colgate ... 21 pts. (6-10 FG, 3-5 3FG, 6-6 FT) vs. Holy Cross at home ... 17 pts., 7 asst. in home win over Lafayette ... set career highs with 25 pts., 4 stl. at Army ... 3-3 on 3FGs in first 3:24 of the game ... team-high 19 pts. in home win over Boston U., thanks in large part to 11-13 FT (8-8 in last 2:00 of close game) ... averaged 18.3 ppg in 3G vs. PL champion Colgate.
2020-21
Enjoyed a strong season in his first year as the starting point guard ... one of the league’s most-improved players ... started all 12 games and averaged 10.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.3 apg ... 39 asst. and only 18 TOs ... shot 50.0 FG%, team-best 42.4 3FG%, 77.8 FT% ... one of three PL guards to shoot 50% or better from the field ... ranked 6th in teh PL in assists and 3rd in asst./TO ratio ... also 6th in 3FG% ... scored in double figures 6 times ... recorded a career-high 13 pts. with 5 asst. on opening night at Navy ... blew past that mark with 23 pts. at Lafayette on Jan. 10 (9-14 FG, 1-1 3FG, 4-5 FT) ... also had 4 asst., 0 TO ... previous career high was 3 made FGs in a game before making 9 in Easton ... converted 3 3-pt. plays in that game ... solid weekend (1/30-31) in sweep of Lehigh ... hit 4-4 FG and had 8 pts., 3 asst., 0 TOs in road win, then 8 pts., career-high 7 asst. in home rout a day later ... pair of good games vs. American: 10 pts., 6 asst. at home; 16 pts. (7-7 FG) away ... huge game in PL quarterfinal win at Lafayette with 19 pts. (6-10 FG, 4-6 3FG, 3-4 FT) ... 4 3FGs were a career high.
2019-20
Played in all 34 games off the bench ... one of two Bison to play in every game ... averaged 2.8 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 1.3 apg ... 44 assists against 31 turnovers and also had 21 steals ... played well off the bench on opening night, logging 3 asst. without a TO and a +8 rating in 12 min. ... first career pts. came on a couple of FTs in home opener vs. Vermont ... had 5 pts., 6 reb., 0 TOs vs. Yale in Orlando ... strong game at home vs. Navy with season-high 9 pts. (3-4 FG, 1-2 3FG, 2-2 FT), 2 stl. ... 3 asst., 3 stl. in home PL Tourney win over Holy Cross.
PERSONAL/HIGH SCHOOL
Born Jan. 3, 2001 in Los Angeles, Calif. ... son of Summer and King Rice ... has a younger brother, Julian ... father was a McDonald’s All-American who went on to star at North Carolina ... he is currently the head men’s basketball coach at Monmouth ... mother played volleyball at UNC ... began his high school career at the legendary St. Anthony High School in Jersey City, where he played for two years and started as a sophomore for Hall-of-Fame coach Bob Hurley ... averaged better than 11 points per game for a team that finished 23-6 ... after the school closed, played at Mater Dei Prep as a junior and then at The Patrick School (formerly known as St. Patrick), which has produced many future basketball stars, most notably Kyrie Irving ... Second Team All-Section selection as a junior and senior ... scored 800 points in his three seasons of varsity basketball ... played in the state semifinals as a sophomore and senior, and his teams played in conference championship games in 2018 and 2019 ... also spent two summers with the We R 1 AAU team, and he played in two national championship tournaments ... majored in psychology ... named to 2020, 2022 and 2023 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
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