PORTLAND, Ore. – A fourth quarter comeback lifted Santa Clara women's basketball to a 77-66 lead at Portland on Saturday evening. The Broncos (20-7, 1-04 WCC) were down at halftime and entering the fourth but the offense got hot over the final 10 minutes to put away the Pilots (15-11, 9-5 WCC).
HOW IT HAPPENED:Â
- Santa Clara had a quick start, using a 7-0 run in the first two and a half minutes to get out in front 7-2. The teams went back-and-forth the rest of the way with the Broncos holding a 15-14 lead at the end of the first quarter.
- Down three, Portland went on an 11-0 run to build and eight point lead at the 6:01 mark of the second. Santa Clara responded right back with an 11-0 run of its own to retake a three point lead, but the Pilots would score the next seven to lead 34-30. The Broncos went into the locker room down 37-33 after Tyler Gildersleeve-Stiles' layup in the closing seconds.
- Six in a row for Portland, all by Lainey Spear, early in the third quarter gave the Pilots an eight point lead. Now down nine, Santa Clara used an 8-0 run to get back within one with 2:12 left in the period and was down 52-49 headed to the fourth.
- The Broncos came out hot in the fourth, scoring the first 10 points of the quarter to get out in front 59-52. The Pilots got back within three, but Delainey Miller scored five in a row to give Santa Clara a bit of cushion. Portland would continue to fight back, but each time the Broncos had an answer and then iced the game with a 6-0 run from the free throw line over the final 24 seconds.
NOTABLE:
- Santa Clara shot 44.6-percent from the floor despite going just 4-of-21 from downtown.
- Miller led all scorers with a career-high 21 on 7-of-13 shooting and added eight rebounds. Maia Jones scored 19 on 8-of-15 shooting and Ashley Hawkins scored 13 with seven assists and six rebounds. Gildersleeve-Stiles and Kylee Fox both brought down seven boards as well.
- Portland shot 41.3-percent (26-of-63) from the field and went 8-of-20 from beyond the arc.
- Spear led the Pilots with 20 points on 9-of-18 shooting. Florence Dallow just missed a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds with Rhyan Mogel adding 10 points.
- Santa Clara outscored Portland 48-28 in the paint.
- The Broncos held a 31-15 advantage in bench points.
- Santa Clara won the rebounding battle 42-33, including 11-8 on the offensive glass. The Broncos turned that into a 15-4 advantage in second chance points.
- Hawkins now has 166 assists this season, putting her at fifth on the program's single-season list.
- Jones is now 30 points away from 1,000 for her career.
POSTGAME COMMENTS:Â
HIGHLIGHTS:Â
NEXT UP
- The Broncos return home to face Saint Mary's Thursday at 6 p.m.
