Dec. 27, 2000
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Four Maryland players reached double digits in scoring as the Terrapins spoiled Santa Clara's debut in the renovated Leavey Center with a 72-50 non-conference victory tonight.
The Broncos fall to 7-3 overall as their four-game win streak comes to an end. The Terrapins improve to 9-2 on the season. It was the first meeting between the schools.
Maryland held Santa Clara to 18 first-half points, the Broncos' lowest scoring output in 11 years. Although Idaho led Santa Clara 28-17 at the half of a December 1, 1989 game, the Broncos won 58-55. Santa Clara has only seen a halftime score in the teens on three other occasions in the last decade, last in the 1997-98 season.
"I can't honestly say that there was one area that we played well in," head coach Chris Denker said. "I thought Maryland controlled us in every area offensively, defensively, in transition and on the boards."
The Terrapins jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first seven minutes before sophomore forward Julie Butler's putback placed Santa Clara on the scoreboard. Maryland led by as much as 22 points in the half before settling for a 20-point cushion at intermission.
At least in the second half we came out and played more inspired," Denker said, "But we didn't play at the level we want to be at nor that we need to be in order to win games like tonight's."
The Broncos pulled to within 13 midway through the second half, but couldn't close in. Senior Annie Garrison led the Broncos with 11 points while junior guard Caroline Gruening added 10. As a team, the Broncos shot a season-low 31.7 percent from the field.
Maryland shot 55.2 percent from the field tonight, an opponent season high for the Broncos. The visitors were led by Rosita Melbourne's 14 points. Marché Strickland and Renneika Razor added 12 points each for the Terrapins, while Deedee Warley recorded 10.
The Broncos remain at home and will host 10th-ranked Texas Tech on Saturday as part of a triple-header with the men's Cable Car Classic. That game will begin on December 30 at 2 p.m. Next Tuesday, Santa Clara will close out the non-conference season against Columbia in a 5 p.m. twilight match before the Bronco men take on Murray State.
