MORAGA, Calif. – Santa Clara women's basketball fell 74-67 Saturday afternoon to Saint Mary's. The Broncos were able to fight back from deficits multiple times and were even headed to the fourth, but the Gaels used an advantage at the free throw line to grab the win.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• A 6-0 run for Saint Mary's (10-11, 3-4 WCC) midway through the first quarter put the Gaels on top by seven. After the team's exchanged buckets, Marya Hudgins knocked down a 3-pointer in the final minute of the period to get Santa Clara (15-7, 3-4 WCC) within 19-15.
• The Broncos used a 7-0 run early in the second to get out on top briefly but a 9-0 run by Saint Mary's followed to make it an eight-point game. The teams went into the locker rooms with Santa Clara trailing 32-25.
• An 11-1 run in the third put the Broncos on top by a game-high four but the Gaels again had an answer, pulling even at 50-all by the end of the period.
• Saint Mary' scored the first two buckets of the fourth to take the lead for good. Santa Clara would get within one possession multiple times, including as last as the 2:38 mark but couldn't finish a comeback.

 
NOTABLE NUMBERS:

•  Santa Clara shot 44.1-percent from the floor while knocking down 12 3-pointers in 34 tries. Saint Mary's shot it at 51.0-percent and were 7-of-19 from deep. The biggest difference came at the free throw line where the Broncos were just 3-of-4 while the Gaels were 17-of-21.
• Olivia Pollerd scored a team-high 20 and knocked down a career-best six triples in 12 attempts. Tess Heal added 15 points, five rebounds, and four assists with Marya Hudgins and Lara Edmanson both adding 11.
• Maia Jones led all scorers with 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting and Zeryhia Aokuso scored 21 while going 9-of-10 from the charity stripe while grabbing seven boards. Ali Bamberger chipped in 13 points.

NEXT UP

• The Broncos play at LMU Thursday at 7 p.m.