SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Stretches of cold shooting were too much to overcome as Santa Clara women's basketball fell to Portland 73-66 Thursday night at home. The Broncos (15-5, 5-2 WCC) started the game cold and had another rough stretch in the fourth that the Pilots (10-8, 4-2 WCC) took advantage of to come away with the victory, despite a late push by Santa Clara that came up just short.
HOW IT HAPPENED:Â
- It was a brutal first quarter from the field for Santa Clara who went just 3-of-24 from the floor. The Broncos had stretches of 10 and eight misses in a row. Portland took advantage of the 0-for-8 stretch with a 6-0 run to close out the period, but led just 10-8 because the Pilots were just 4-of-13 themselves. Santa Clara also stayed in it thanks to nine offensive rebounds and nine turnovers committed by Portland even though they turned into just three second chance points and two points off turnovers.
- The second quarter was much better for the Broncos as they went 7-of-11 from the floor, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. Things didn't start well, was the Pilots scored the first five of the period and were up seven at the 7:46 mark before a 6-0 Santa Clara run got them within one. Down five midway through the quarter, the Broncos closed the half on and 11-2 run, including scoring the final six of the half, to take a 27-23 lead into the locker room.
- The third saw big swings in favor of both teams. First it was the Broncos who started the period with an 11-2 run that saw them take a game-high lead of 13. With Santa Clara up 12, Portland went on a 13-0 run to retake the lead at 41-40 as the Broncos missed six shots in a row. After Santa Clara briefly retook the lead by two, another 6-0 Pilot run put them up four. A triple by Maia Jones followed and Ashley Hawkins converted an and-one, but a last second jumper tied the game at 49-all at the end of the quarter.
- Portland stretched its lead out to seven with 2:52 left in the fourth but Santa Clara responded with six points in a row to cut the deficit to one. The Pilots made free throws on the next two possessions after getting fouled and a steal led to a bucket for a game-clinching 6-0 run.
NOTABLE:
- Santa Clara shot the ball at 31.6-percent (24-of-76) from the floor and just 7-for-31 from downtown. The Broncos struggled from the free throw line, going just 11-for-21.
- Hawkins led Santa with 15 points, eight assists, and five rebounds. Ava Schmidt had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds and tied a career-high with five blocks while Kylee Fox and Jones both scoring 12 points. Both just missed double-doubled with Jones grabbing nine rebounds and Fox trying a career-high with eight.
- Portland shot 42.0-percent (29-of-69) from the field and went 6-for-17 from beyond the arc. The Pilots weren't great from the charity stripe either until the end, finishing 9-of-13.
- Dyani Ananiev led all scorer with 22 points on 10-of-18 shooting with Florence Dallow adding 17 points and Rhyan Mogel scoring 15. Julia Dalan finished with eight rebounds and eight blocks.
- Santa Clara dominated on the offensive glass, outrebounding Portland 23-9 but couldn't take advantage, only outscoring the Pilots 14-10 ins second chance points.
HIGHLIGHTS:Â
NEXT UP
- The Broncos play at Saint Mary's Saturday at 5 p.m.
