Broncos Suffer 79-67 Upset In Northridge

Broncos Suffer 79-67 Upset In Northridge

Dec. 2, 2006

Final Stats

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - The week ended on a sour note for the Santa Clara women's basketball team Saturday afternoon, as the squad was upset 79-67 by the CS Northridge Matadors at the Matadome. CS Northridge's win was the first for the school in seven tries all-time against Santa Clara.

The Broncos return home to the Leavey Center next Saturday, Dec. 9, for a 7 p.m. contest against the Fresno State Bulldogs. Tickets are available by calling (408) 554-4660 or by clicking here.

Woes in both the shooting and rebounding departments plagued the Broncos Saturday. Although Ashley Graham led the Broncos on Saturday with a season-high 25 points, including six three-pointers. Chandice Cronk, with 14 points, was the only other Bronco to score more than seven points. The team shot only 34.4% from the floor, and was out-rebounded by a margin of 51-29 by the Matadors.

Ofa Tulikihihifo scored 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds for CS Northridge, while LaJoyce King pulled down a career-high 21 rebounds. The Matadors shot a combined 45.9% from the floor.

The game started slow, as the Matadors held a 12-8 advantage eight minutes in, until the Bronco offense put up the next eight points to take a 16-12 lead. SCU kept up the scoring as the teams battled to a 28-28 tie near the end of the first half, but CS Northridge scored the last nine points of the half to take a 37-28 lead that they would not relinquish the rest of the way into the locker room.

A 21-9 run to start the second half gave CS Northridge a 58-39 lead with seven and a half minutes elapsed, and the Broncos never got to within less than 10, cutting things to 69-59 with under four minutes to play after a 17-7 run. But SCU could not continue the pressure, and the Matadors held their cushion to the final whistle.