The UC Santa Barbara women’s basketball team opened its 2026-27 season with a 101-26 victory over UC Santa Cruz on Tuesday night at the Thunderdome.
The offensive explosion resulted in the program’s first game with more than 100 points since 2023.
The Gauchos relied on contributions throughout their lineup, including four freshmen making their collegiate debuts. UC Santa Barbara established control early and maintained its advantage throughout the game, outscoring the Banana Slugs in all four quarters.
Zoe Borter opened the scoring with a three-pointer eight seconds into the game before adding a layup to give the Gauchos a 5-0 lead. UC Santa Cruz briefly narrowed the deficit to two points, but UC Santa Barbara responded with a seven-point run. The Gauchos finished the first quarter ahead 25-11, with Olivia Anderson leading the team with eight points.
UC Santa Barbara extended its lead in the second quarter, outscoring UC Santa Cruz 26-4. Seven Gauchos contributed points during the period, led by Karisma Flores with seven. Three consecutive baskets from Flores helped the Gauchos take a 51-15 advantage into halftime.
The Gauchos continued their offensive production after the break, opening the third quarter with 15 consecutive points. Freshman Sarah Heyn contributed five points during the stretch, while Borter added another three-pointer. UC Santa Barbara entered the fourth quarter with a 74-23 lead.
UCSB went on to outscore UC Santa Cruz 27-3 in the fourth quarter. Flores helped push UC Santa Barbara past the 100-point mark with five points in the final minute. The Gauchos finished with a 101-26 victory.
Heyn led all scorers with 17 points in her collegiate debut, shooting 4-for-6 from three-point range and recording four assists. Naomy Zonzon-Huyghe added 15 points on 6-for-8 shooting and collected six rebounds.
Flores finished with 14 points in her first collegiate appearance, while Borter and Anderson each scored 13. Borter made all of her field-goal attempts, including three three-pointers.
Maddie Naro led the Gauchos with six assists, followed by Mauriana-Hashemian Orr with four. Chauncey Andersen and Nicole Steiner each recorded seven rebounds to lead the team.
UC Santa Barbara shot 61.7% from the field and 56% from three-point range. The victory marked a productive season opener for the Gauchos after a stunning exhibition victory over Stanford last week.
The Gauchos will continue their season Thursday, Nov. 5, with a road game against Pepperdine scheduled for 5 p.m.
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