SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (Interstat) — In a back-and-forth contest decided in the final second, the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos edged the Grand Canyon Antelopes 72-70 in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Saturday at the Thunderdome.

The game was sealed when UC Santa Barbara’s Olivia Bradley made the first of two free throws with one second remaining on the clock, breaking a 71-71 tie. Bradley missed the second attempt, but Grand Canyon was unable to get a shot off before the buzzer.

The finish capped a dramatic fourth quarter that saw six lead changes. Grand Canyon had taken a one-point lead with 16 seconds left on a turnaround jumper by Julianna LaMendola, only to see UC Santa Barbara answer with a Zoe Borter jumper with eight seconds remaining to go back up by one. A turnover by Grand Canyon on the ensuing inbounds play set the stage for Bradley’s game-winning free throws.

UC Santa Barbara improved to 3-1 on the season, while Grand Canyon’s tough start continued, falling to 0-4.

The Gauchos’ victory was fueled by a remarkable shooting performance from beyond the arc, connecting on 13 of 23 three-point attempts. In contrast, the Antelopes managed just 4 of 14 from deep. That long-range efficiency allowed UC Santa Barbara to overcome a significant disadvantage in several other statistical categories.

Grand Canyon dominated the interior, outscoring UC Santa Barbara 46-24 in the paint and securing a 10-3 advantage in offensive rebounds, which led to 18 second-chance points. The Antelopes also forced 18 turnovers, converting them into 18 points, and dished out more assists, 14 to UC Santa Barbara’s 7.

However, the Antelopes’ offensive execution was less efficient overall. They scored 70 points on 76 possessions for an offensive rating of 92.5, while the Gauchos scored their 72 points on 72 possessions for a more efficient rating of 99.6. Grand Canyon also committed 14 turnovers of their own.

Bradley, a 6-foot-1 forward from Adelaide, Australia, was a force for the Gauchos, finishing with 16 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 blocks in 32 minutes. Her presence in the paint was a key factor in UC Santa Barbara recording 7 blocks as a team.

She was complemented by strong guard play. Madison Naro logged 36 minutes, contributing 14 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Zoe Shaw, from Melbourne, Australia, provided a major offensive spark off the bench, leading the Gauchos with 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-5 from three-point range.

For Grand Canyon, Julianna LaMendola of Coppell, Texas, led all scorers with 17 points and added 7 rebounds. Ale’Jah Douglas from Omaha, Nebraska, scored 11 points, while Chloe Mann of Fort Worth, Texas, chipped in 10 points and a team-high 5 assists. Anisa Jeffries of Zacatecas, Mexico, filled the stat sheet with 9 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.

The game featured distinct shifts in momentum. Grand Canyon started strong, leading 16-13 after the first quarter. UC Santa Barbara responded with a 23-point second quarter, powered by their three-point shooting, to take a 36-30 lead into halftime. The Antelopes mounted their own comeback in the third, outscoring the Gauchos 25-17 to reclaim a 55-53 lead heading into the final period, setting the stage for the tense finish.

The announced attendance at the Thunderdome was 481.