MORAGA, Calif. – Despite holding a lead for just 37 seconds in the second half, Santa Clara women's basketball picked up a 74-67 overtime win at Saint Mary's Saturday evening. The Broncos (11-11, 5-7 WCC) closed regulation with seven points in a row and had a strong extra period to put the Gaels (11-8, 7-3 WCC) away.
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HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Saint Mary's jumped out to a quick 7-2 lead, but Santa Clara came back with a 12-2 run that put them on top by five. The Gaels didn't make a field goal for the final 3:20 of the quarter but four free throws kept them in it. At the end one of the first, the Broncos held a 15-13 advantage.
- A 6-0 Saint Mary's run put them back on top early in the second, but Santa Clara answered with back-to-back 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to retake the lead. The Broncos would follow with a scoring drought of 5:10 to end the half that allowed the Gaels to go up 25-23 at the break.
- The deficit for Santa Clara stretched to a then-game-high nine early in the third after a 7-0 run for Saint Mary's. After a dry spell for both teams, the Broncos scored seven in a row of their own to make it 38-37. The quarter would end with the Gaels on top 42-41.
- Santa Clara started the fourth with a 3-pointer to retake the lead, but it didn't last long as Saint Mary's followed with back-to-back triples of its own and used an 8-0 run to get on top by six.
- With Santa Clara within two, Abigail Shoff scored five in a row to make it a 61-54 game with just two-and-a-half minutes to go. The Broncos weren't done and closed the game on a 7-0 run, capped by Malia Latu's layup with 5.9 seconds on the clock after a steal by Kaya Ingram. Saint Mary's final possession came up empty to send the game into overtime.
- A 6-0 run early in the overtime period put Santa Clara on top for good and the Broncos would close the game on a 13-4 run.
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NOTABLE NUMBERS:
- Santa Clara shot 49.0-percent from the field and went 9-of-20 from downtown. The Broncos also took advantage at the free throw line, going 17-for-21.
- Saint Mary's shot it at 37.0-percent and struggled from deep, going 5-of-31 from downtown.
- Pollerd led Santa Clara with 16 points, all in the second half, and added six rebounds and four assists. Ingram and Latu both scored 15 with Ingram pulling down seven rebounds and Latu dishing out six assists. Alana Goodchild was also in double-figures with 11 and had six boards.
- Maia Jones led all scorers with 23 points with Kennedy Johnson adding a double-double (14 points, 12 rebounds). Schoff finished the night with 11 points.
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OTHER NOTES:
- Latu has now reached double-figures in eight straight games. She is averaging 15.6 ppg over that span.
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HIGHLIGHTS:
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NEXT UP
- The Broncos are at San Francisco Saturday at 2 p.m.
