Two In Double Digits Not Enough As Broncos Fall 68-51

Two In Double Digits Not Enough As Broncos Fall 68-51

Nov. 24, 2008

Box Score

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - The Santa Clara women's basketball team faced its fourth straight setback of the season Monday night at Northern Arizona. The final score in the hard-fought battle was 68-51.

The Broncos (0-4) were led by redshirt freshman Kelli Parker, who had 12 points, and sophomore Lena Gipson, who had 11 points and a game-high seven rebounds. Senior Claire Goins also tied the game-high rebounds.

Santa Clara opened the first half, after winning the tip, with a 4-0 lead on back-to-back jumpers by Gipson. However, at 17:52, Northern Arizona knotted the score on a field goal by Sade Cunningham. The Broncos regained the lead on a layup by Goins, but a three-pointer from Cunningham gave the Lumberjacks their first lead of the game. Santa Clara saw its last lead at 14:45 on free shots by Parker, 8-7. NAU regained control and produced a 15-0 run to claim a 29-12 lead with 6:27 left in the half.

Santa Clara's last field goal was scored at 13:24, but free throws made by Sara Majors, Gipson and Goins helped SCU chip at the lead. At 2:15, Goins cut the lead to 12-points with her two made free throws. Parker executed a jumper with just two seconds left to make the score at the half, 36-22.

NAU started the second half with a 10-2 run to take a 46-24 lead. A three-point play by Alyssa Shoji brought the score under a 20 difference, as did a layup from Majors at 14:26. Both teams were held scoreless for about three minutes before Tiffany Amos' layup put the Lumberjacks up by 21 points, 50-29. From then on, NAU held no less than a 20-point lead over SCU.

With 4:34 left in the game, the Broncos began to cut the deficit. An 11-2 run fueled on layups by Parker and Gipson, and a free shot by Goins, made the score 64-46. Junior Brittany Purvis, an Arizona native, saw action in her first game since the 2006-07 season. She scored a layup at 1:08 to cut the lead to 17-points, 66-49.

The Lumberjacks reached their 68 points on free throws by Jannelle Matthews, but the Broncos had the final say with a field goal by Goins, 68-51.

For the Lumberjacks, Caty Huntington had 16 points, while Cunningham collected 11 points and Lauren Hoisington had 10 points.

The Broncos return to action on Wednesday, Nov. 26 against the Eagles of Florida Gulf Coast. Tip-off is scheduled for Noon PT at Alico Arena in Fort Myers, Fla.