HOUSTON, Texas - Put together two Conference USA rivals, both looking to get back into a groove in conference play and you've got a recipe for a fierce baseball series down in Houston, Texas.

Two of the early favorites in Conference USA play, the Bulldogs and Owls both find themselves looking for a big weekend to turn around a tough start, as they meet for a three-game set beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m.

Louisiana Tech and Rice are familiar foes as the two teams met six times over the course of a ten-day stretch in March of 2016. The Bulldogs got the best of the Owls in four of those six matchups, including a three-game sweep in Ruston, but Rice ended Louisiana Tech's Conference USA Tournament run in an elimination game in Hattiesburg.

The six meetings featured plenty of fireworks as the two teams combined for 14 or more runs in five of the games. Louisiana Tech reached double-digit run production in four of the six games as well.

Louisiana Tech is currently led by Brent Diaz, who carries a team-high batting average of .364 and five home runs with 27 runs driven in. Marshall Boggs has registered a Conference USA-leading 31 RBI to this point in the season, followed closely by Chase Lunceford's 29 RBI.

Rice is led by Dominic Dicaprio who is batting .358 with four home runs and 25 RBI, all of which are team-highs. Conference USA preseason player of the year, Ford Proctor is batting .333 with three home runs and 15 RBI.

As a team the Owls are hitting .268 with a team ERA of 4.99.

Rice opened conference play on the road against Old Dominion, dropping all three on the road before taking a single game against FIU in Houston and Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton.

On Tuesday night against nationally-ranked Houston, the Owls took out some frustration, clobbering the Cougars, 9-0.

First pitch on Friday is set for 6:30 p.m. and Saturday's game will begin at 2 p.m. The series finale on Sunday is scheduled for 1 p.m. All three games will be streamed on CUSA.TV and broadcast on ESPN 97.7.