SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Playing its final exhibition game of the season, Santa Clara women's basketball beat Humboldt State by a final of 94-68. The Broncos finish their exhibition slate 2-0 after topping Sonoma State 81-47 on Nov. 1.
Santa Clara returns to the floor on Fri., Nov. 8 at 4:30 p.m. at UNLV in the regular season-opener.
"I thought we started off a little slow so I didn't like the pace as much," said Santa Clara head coach Jennifer Mountain. "We responded well and scored 94 points so I'm not disappointed that we're putting that kind of production up. In order to run we have to play really intense defense and we didn't have that urgency at times. I think we're ready to start the regular season and our freshmen saw what it takes to play at this level. It's going to be a really good test for us and I'm excited."
Santa Clara shot 43.1% (28-65) from the field and 26.9% (7-26) from deep. The Broncos had 48 rebounds, 15 turnovers, six blocks, 15 assists and six steals. Jo Paine led the offense with 13 points on 5-6 shooting. Vanessa Leo nearly had a double-double with 12 points and nine board while Brooke Gallaway and Katie Hawkins each scored a dozen. Arteivia Lilomaiava had 10 points and seven rebounds.
Humboldt State shot 33.9% (2162) from the field and 23.8% (5-21) from three. The Jacks had 31 rebounds, 17 turnovers, eight assists, four blocks and three steals. Sumayyah Wiggins led all scored with 20 points on 7-11 shooting and 6-6 from the line. Danielle Gaumer added 13 points while Kelly Kime led the team with five boards while scoring eight points.
Paine scored five of the Broncos' first six points through two minutes to give Santa Clara the early 6-2 lead. Humboldt State came back with two buckets to even the score at 6-6 before the Broncos jumped back on top 8-6 on some nice interior passing from Paine to Leo.
Kime made a layup at the 14:29 mark and was fouled for a three-point play to put the Jacks on top 12-10 before some tough inside play by Gallaway evened the score.
Out of the second media timeout Paine knocked down a jumper from the right baseline to put Santa Clara back on top 14-12. Just before the 10 minute mark Humboldt State tied the game but Paine answered with a deep jumper from the top of the key.
The Broncos went on a 7-0 run over 1:45 highlighted by a three from Gallaway. The run ended on a layup off an inbounds pass that made the score 23-18 Santa Clara with eight minutes remaining in the half.
With the Broncos up 27-18 Humboldt State tried to mount a come back when Megan Shields hit a three. Santa Clara answered with a layup but Gaumer went back down the floor and made a three of her own at the 6:34 mark to get the Jacks within five at 29-24.
Wiggins knocked down two free throws to make it a three point game but Ricki Radanovich hit a three with five and a half minutes remaining and Paine scored a tough layup on a fast break to get the Broncos back out on top by eight with under five minutes remaining.
Radanovich made a steal just before the three-minute mark to start a fast break that was finished by Leo and stretched the lead to double digits at 39-29. Leo followed it up with a pair of free throws on a one-and-one.
The Jacks scored five consecutive points before Gallaway made two free throws with under 10 seconds remaining in the half. Humboldt State was unable to score in the final sevens seconds and the Broncos took a 46-37 lead into the locker room.
Santa Clara shot 45.7% (16-35) from the field and 21.4% (3-14) from three in the first half. The Broncos had 22 rebounds, nine turnovers, two blocks and three steals. Paine led the offense with 13 points on 5-6 shooting from the field while adding four assists. Leo and Gallaway each added eight points while Leo had eight boards.
Humboldt State shot 38.7% (12-31) from the field and 28.6% (4-14) from deep in the first half. The Jacks had 17 rebounds, 13 turnovers, three blocks and two steals. Wiggins led the offense with 10 points on 4-5 shooting. Kime added eight points while Shields had six and four rebounds.
Hawkins nailed a three with 16:44 remaining in the half to put Santa Clara up 51-37. At the first media timeout the Broncos held a 55-43 lead.
Raquel Avila made a nice steal and sent an outlet pass to Leo down the court for an easy lay in that put Santa Clara up 15 with 15 minutes remaining in the half. Gaumer answered at the other end with a three to make the score 58-46.
With Santa Clara up 16, Arteivia Lilomaiava made a steal and on the other end of the floor Montana Walters knocked down a three to put the score at 67-48 with 11 minutes remaining.
Santa Clara got out on top 22 points with a layup inside from Leo at 9:14. The Broncos took a 74-51 lead into the under eight minute timeout.
Courtney Lisowski knocked down a three with just over seven minutes remaining in the game to make the score 77-52. It was her first basket as a Bronco.
The teams traded baskets throughout the final seven minutes of the game and Santa Clara came away with the 94-68 win.
Game Notes: Attendance was 370 … Vanessa Leo fouled out with 8:40 remaining in the second half … For the second consecutive game, all six freshmen saw action for the Broncos.