HOUSTON (Interstat) — Rice defeated South Florida 79-72 in a women’s basketball game Tuesday night at Tudor Fieldhouse. The Owls built a 35-26 halftime lead and maintained their advantage throughout the second half to secure the victory.

South Florida mounted a challenge after halftime, outscoring Rice 24-22 in the third quarter, but the Owls matched the Bulls point-for-point in the final period. The win improved Rice’s record to 22-3 this season, while South Florida fell to 16-11. Attendance was 1,011.