CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Marcus Evans scored 25 points and Rice pulled away from Charlotte in the second half to earn an 89-70 win on Monday night.
Evans finished 9 of 19 from the field in what was his eighth 20-plus point game of the season.
Egor Koulechov finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Owls (11-4, 1-1 Conference USA), while Marcus Jackson and Connor Cashaw each added 16 points.
Rice shot an even 50 percent from the field and won the rebounding battle by double digits (46-35).
Jon Davis finished with 23 points and Quentin Jackson added a season-high 19 to lead the 49ers (7-6, 1-1). Charlotte had just seven total assists on its 27 made field goals.
The Owls led 38-33 at the break and scored the first nine of the second half to seize a 14-point lead. An Evans 3-point play made it 82-64 with 3:38 left, and Rice cruised to the finish.
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