March 6, 2005
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SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Michelle Cozad scored 22 points and Santa Clara beat Gonzaga 77-66 on Sunday, snapping the nation's longest winning streak at 23 games and winning the West Coast Conference tournament.
Gonzaga was trying to become the first team to go unbeaten in the WCC regular season and tournament, but now the No. 24 Bulldogs will have to hope to be invited to their first NCAA tournament. The men's team has gotten that far every year since 1999.
The Bulldogs trailed by as many as 25 before making a late run against the Broncos.
Santa Clara (17-13), the conference tournament host, will be making its first NCAA appearance since 2002 when it lost in the first round. It is the Broncos' third WCC title and first since 1998.
Ashley Graham had 17 points, all in the first half, and Quinn Thomas added 14 points and six rebounds for Santa Clara, which tied a school record with 14 3-pointers. It is the fourth time this season the Broncos have made 14 3s in a game.
Ashley Burke scored 28 points and had eight rebounds for Gonzaga (27-3), which didn't have WCC player of the year Shannon Mathews in the starting lineup because of a right ankle sprain.
The point guard was injured Saturday midway through the first half of Gonzaga's 58-40 semifinal win over Pepperdine. Mathews, whose scoring average of 11.6 points ranks second on the team, didn't return against the Waves and wasn't expected to play against the Broncos. But she checked in at 15:27 of the first half.
Mathews scored just six points and wasn't a factor in the game, spending much of her time riding a stationary bicycle behind the Gonzaga bench.
Santa Clara led by 14 at halftime then opened the second half with a 20-9 run to take control for good. Thomas made three 3-pointers during the stretch and the Broncos opened a 66-41 lead.
Santa Clara stretched the advantage to 71-48 before going scoreless the next six minutes. Gonzaga responded with a 14-0 run to pull within nine points, but couldn't get closer.
Graham hadn't reached double figures since Jan. 8 but she had three 3-pointers and made three free throws during a 21-9 run in the first half that gave the Broncos a 37-26 lead.
All-Tournament
MVP - Michelle Cozad, Santa Clara, Jr., Guard
Ashley Burke, Gonzaga, Sr., Forward
Jennifer Lacy, Pepperdine, Sr., Forward
Ashley Graham, Santa Clara, So., Guard
Kayla Huss, Santa Clara, Jr., Guard