TAMPA, Fla. (Interstat) — In a tense American Athletic Conference opener defined by momentum swings and a frantic final minute, the Rice women’s basketball team edged South Florida 70-68 on Tuesday night at the Sun Dome.

The Owls (11-3, 1-0 AAC) built an early double-digit lead, weathered a sustained second-half rally by the Bulls, and ultimately secured the victory at the free-throw line in the closing seconds before a crowd of 2,105.

Rice established control from the outset, leveraging a 10-0 run in the first quarter to take a 12-point lead. Dominique Ennis of Niagara Falls, Canada, ignited the surge with a pair of 3-pointers, and the Owls’ defense forced South Florida into seven turnovers in the opening period. Rice led 18-16 after one quarter and extended its advantage to 34-28 by halftime, thanks in part to 10 first-half points from forward Shelby Hayes of Cedar Park, Texas.

The second half became a showcase for the teams’ leading scorers. South Florida (7-7, 0-1), projected as a strong favorite by advanced metrics, came alive in the third quarter behind the dynamic play of guard Edyn Battle. The sophomore from Gahanna, Ohio, scored 10 of her team-high 16 points in the period, fueling a 22-point quarter that saw the Bulls briefly seize a one-point lead. Battle’s driving layup and playmaking, alongside timely baskets from Carla Brito of Spain and Stefanie Ingram of Orlando, Florida, transformed the game into a back-and-forth affair.

Rice responded every time. Aniah Alexis of Waller, Texas, answered South Florida’s third-quarter run with a critical 3-pointer, part of her game-high 19-point performance. The Owls reclaimed a slim 55-53 lead entering the final quarter after a physical and turnover-prone close to the third.

The fourth quarter featured six lead changes and two ties, with neither team leading by more than four points. With just over two minutes remaining and Rice trailing 66-63, Alexis delivered the game’s most crucial shot. Following an offensive rebound and a timeout, she drained a contested 3-pointer from the wing off an assist from Victoria Flores, tying the game with 1:42 left.

South Florida’s Brito, who finished with 10 points, put the Bulls back ahead 68-66 on a driving layup with 36 seconds remaining. On the ensuing possession, Rice went inside to Hayes, who powered through contact for a layup while being fouled by Ines Piper of Paris, France. Hayes missed the subsequent free throw, leaving the game tied at 68 with 17 seconds left.

The Bulls called a timeout to set up a final play, which resulted in Battle driving hard to the basket. Her contested layup attempt rolled off the rim and was secured by Rice’s Hailey Adams with one second left. On the rebound, South Florida’s Katie Davidson of Indianapolis was called for a foul, sending Ennis to the line for two shots with 0.4 seconds on the clock.

Ennis, who played 38 minutes and scored 17 points, calmly sank the first free throw to break the tie. She intentionally missed the second, and time expired on the rebound, clinching the road victory for the Owls.

Beyond the scoring of Alexis and Ennis, Rice received significant contributions from Hayes with 14 points and Flores of Dallas, who added 10 points, three assists, and key defensive plays. South Florida placed five players in double figures, led by Battle’s 16 points and four assists. Brito, Ingram (10 points), L’or Mputu of Congo (10 points), and Davidson (10 points) provided balanced scoring, but the Bulls were hampered by 21 turnovers.

The win extends Rice’s strong start to the season, while South Florida drops to .500 overall. Both teams continue conference play on Saturday, with Rice traveling to face Florida Atlantic and South Florida hosting North Texas.