Nov. 29, 2008
CORAL GABLES, Fla. - The Santa Clara women's basketball team was named runner-up Saturday night as the Broncos fell 60-44 to the Hurricanes of Miami in the 2008 UM Thanksgiving Tournament. Senior Elizabeth Doran led SCU's scoring, while junior Sara Majors took control of the boards once again.
The Broncos displayed more of a balance attack as three players reached double figures in the championship game. Doran tallied a game-high 14 points; Lena Gipson added 13 points and Claire Goins chipped in with 11 points. Majors posted a game-high 11 rebounds, with four assists and two steals.
The score was tied 2-2 fairly fast but neither the Broncos nor the Hurricanes could take the lead as they both went scoreless for eight possessions. Then, at 16:14, Gipson gave SCU an edge with a layup, 4-2. Less than a minute later, Charmaine Clark tied the score with a jumper. Miami quickly gained the lead and made it a four-point game, 8-4, on a fast break by Ashley Sours. For the next minute, SCU and UM traded baskets once again.
Goins brought Santa Clara within one-point, 10-9, on a traditional three-point play. Although Diane Barnes responded for Miami to put the Hurricanes back up by three-points, redshirt freshman Rhianna Faithfull knocked down a three-pointer to knot the half, 12-12. Another trey, this time from senior Doran, gave the Broncos the advantage with 11:17 to play. However, the lead was short-lived as Miami posted a 23-7 run during the last 10 minutes to take a 35-22 lead going into half time. The rally began with a layup from Barnes and ended with three straight three-pointers from Vitalija Vasciunaite.
It was a quiet second half for Santa Clara. The Broncos scored five points during the first five minutes and were then held scoreless until the 7:56 mark. Gipson cut the lead to 12-points on a jumper and a free throw and Goins layup at 16:56 made it a 10-point game, 37-27. Miami then produced a 10-0 rally to take a 47-27 advantage.
The Broncos broke through the silence with a field goal from Doran, 47-29. Santa Clara tried to chip away at the lead with a trey by Doran, free throws by Gipson and a three-point play by Faithfull. The 8-2 run brought the Broncos within 14 points, 53-39, but that was they closest they would get as the Canes won the game 60-44.
For Miami, Lamese James and Vasciunaite had 12 points, while Johnson recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Santa Clara returns to the Golden State on Monday to face UC Davis before heading back to the Mission Campus. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Pavilion in Davis, Calif.
