Jan. 17, 2008
LOS ANGELES - The Santa Clara women's basketball team's balanced offense led by senior Chandice Cronk's game-high 19 points lifted the Broncos to an 81-57 victory over Loyola Marymount Thursday night at Gersten Pavilion. With the win, SCU improved to 12-4 on the season and 1-1 in West Coast Conference action, while LMU evened out to 9-9 overall and dropped to 1-2 in league action.
The win not only evened out the Broncos WCC record, but it snapped the Lions four game winning streak in the all-time series and was the first time Santa Clara defeated LMU on the road since the 2002-03 season.
Cronk registered 17 of her game-high performance pacing the Broncos in the first half of the game. Senior Tracey Walker was just two rebounds shy of her first triple-double as she dished out a game-high 11 assists, 16 points and eight rebounds. Senior Jen Gottschalk posted her fifth double-double of the season on 15 points and 11 rebounds, while junior Elizabeth Doran chipped in with 13 points and six rebounds.
Valerie Ogoke registered the first points of the game for the Lions, 2-0, but Walker quickly tied the score, which started the Broncos 12-0 run. Santa Clara pushed their control of the scoreboard on back-to-back jumpers from Cronk, a trey from Doran and a triplet of free throws from Cronk and Walker. The veteran effort helped create an 18-point lead, 22-4, with 12:10 left. It was SCU's largest lead of the half. However, LMU answered back with an eight-point run to but the Lions into double-digits, 22-12.
Yet, a nailed jumper from Cronk ended their run, 24-12. A three-point goal followed by a deuce from Gottschalk, along with a two-point play by Cronk gave Santa Clara a 17-point edge, 33-16, with 4:50 remaining in the half. The Broncos continued to push ahead and ended the first half with a 42-25 lead.
The Lions returned from the break and applied heavy pressure on the Broncos; however, a short rally from Cronk, Doran and Maggie Goldenberger gave the Broncos a 23-point edge, 58-35. Goldenberger came in off the bench to add eight points and three rebounds to the Broncos' victory. Walker and Sara Majors teamed up to produce a 10-0 run that ended on a layup from Doran to give SCU a 30-point edge, 70-40, with 7:40 left.
With just under four minutes remaining in the contest, the Broncos soared to their largest lead of the contest, 32-points, on a successful jumper from Doran, 78-46. Although LMU began to chip away at SCU's lead on baskets from Cassady Moore, Amanda DeCoud and Melanie Ysaguirre, the Broncos finished the game 81-54.
For the Lions, Renahy Young registered a team-best 18 points, while Ogoke recorded 17 points and seven rebounds.
The Broncos return to action on Saturday, Jan. 19 against the Waves of Pepperdine. Tip off is slated for 2 p.m. at the Firestone Pavilion in Malibu, Calif.