Rice Owls @ UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
Moore’s late layup caps Rice comeback for 82-81 win
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Payton Moore drove for a contested layup with two seconds remaining as Rice overcame a 22-point deficit to knock off UC Santa Barbara 82-81 on Saturday afternoon.
Trey Murphy III drained 5 of 8 from deep to finish with 18 points and Moore totaled a career-best 16 for Rice (4-1) which trailed 47-27 at the break.
UC Santa Barbara led 81-80 before Rice's Robert Martin rebounded a Max Heidegger miss and the Owls tore downcourt. Moore took a pass and cut in from the right wing, weaving through two defenders for the winning basket.
The Owls were behind 64-42 with 12:09 left in the game. They trailed 76-63 until Murphy drained a 3 and followed with a dunk to close to 76-68 with 5:11 remaining. Chris Mullins followed with a layup, Drew Peterson dropped in two free throws and Martin had a layup to put Rice within two,76-74 with 3:16 remaining.
The Gauchos finally scored again when Amadou Sow had a layup for a 78-74 advantage with 2:19 left to play.
Heidegger had 21 points for UC Santa Barbara (1-2).
Game Information
Santa Barbara, CA
Referee:Mike Scyphers
Referee:Jeff Ketchu
Referee:Brady Chelette
2025-26 Standings
| American ConferenceAmerican Conference | CONF | GB | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Florida | 15-3 | - | 25-9 |
| Tulsa | 13-5 | 2 | 30-8 |
| Wichita State | 13-5 | 2 | 24-12 |
| UAB | 11-7 | 4 | 20-12 |
| North Texas | 9-9 | 6 | 19-14 |
| Florida Atlantic | 9-9 | 6 | 18-15 |
| Charlotte | 9-9 | 6 | 17-17 |
| Tulane | 8-10 | 7 | 18-15 |
| Temple | 8-10 | 7 | 16-16 |
| Memphis | 8-10 | 7 | 13-19 |
| Rice | 7-11 | 8 | 13-18 |
| East Carolina | 6-12 | 9 | 11-20 |
| UTSA | 1-17 | 14 | 5-25 |
| Big West ConferenceBig West Conference | CONF | GB | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC Irvine | 15-5 | - | 23-12 |
| Hawai'i | 14-6 | 1 | 24-9 |
| UC San Diego | 12-8 | 3 | 23-11 |
| Cal State Northridge | 12-8 | 3 | 20-14 |
| Cal State Fullerton | 12-8 | 3 | 18-16 |
| UC Davis | 11-9 | 4 | 19-14 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 11-9 | 4 | 18-14 |
| Cal Poly | 10-10 | 5 | 14-19 |
| Long Beach State | 6-14 | 9 | 10-22 |
| UC Riverside | 5-15 | 10 | 10-22 |
| Cal State Bakersfield | 2-18 | 13 | 8-24 |




