SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Santa Clara women's basketball fell to BYU 68-63 on Thursday night in Leavey. Despite leading after each of the first three quarters, a difficult fourth quarter cost the Broncos.
In the fourth there were three ties and three lead changes in the final period with BYU taking the lead for good at 2:46 on a pair of free throws from Kalani Purcell.
"Tonight was a physical game like we expected," said Santa Clara head coach JR Payne. "Rebounding is purely effort and in the first half we were dominating that. In the second half clearly they had the advantage. That's what turned the game on us late. Every night in the WCC is a tough game and you have to be prepared to play for 40 minutes."
Santa Clara (12-4, 3-2 WCC) was led by 14 points from Kyla Martin who also added five assists. Lori Parkinson had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds while Dru Toleafoa scored 10 points, all in the first half.
BYU (11-4, 3-1 WCC) got 27 from Lexi Rydalch on 5 of 9 shooting from beyond the arc, including 20 in the second half. Purcell scored 17 and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.
"Lexi Rydalch is the best player in this conference," said Payne. "To hold her to seven points in the first half is great but you have to know she's still capable of going for 30."
The Cougars scored eight straight points from the free throw line to get on top 66-58 with under a minute to go in the game. The Broncos finally got back on the board when Taylor Berry grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back up but Santa Clara couldn't use the bucket to spark a come back.
Rydalch started the second half with five straight points and the Cougars scored the first seven to tie the game at 39-all. The Broncos didn't panic and instead went on a 6-0 run while BYU missed nine straight shots.
BYU started the first quarter with the advantage and got the lead to as much as 16-11 with 3:29 left in the opening period. The Broncos scored the final nine points, including a buzzer beater by Devin Hudson, to hold a 20-16 lead.
In the second quarter Santa Clara used an 8-0 run over a minute and a half to build a 28-21 lead at the 6:17 mark. The Cougars didn't score for nearly three minutes until Makenzi Pulsipher hit a baseline jumper.
Santa Clara returns to action Saturday at 2 p.m. vs. San Diego.

July 21, 2016
Women's Basketball Adds Two International Players

July 11, 2016
Former Women's Basketball Coach Ken Thompson Passes Away

June 2, 2016
Leavey Center Court Open for Business

April 15, 2016
Carr to Head Women's Basketball Program

March 28, 2016
Payne to Become Colorado Women’s Basketball Coach

March 15, 2016
Women's Basketball Takes On Fresno State in WNIT Friday

March 11, 2016
Leavey Center Getting a Facelift



March 1, 2016
Bertholdt and Parkinson Named First Team All-WCC

February 28, 2016
Women’s Basketball Seeded No. 4 in WCC Tournament

February 27, 2016
Women's Basketball Wins Season Finale at Pacific

February 26, 2016
Regular Season Wraps Up for Women's Basketball at Pacific

February 25, 2016
Women's Basketball Falls to Saint Mary's on Senior Day

February 22, 2016
Marie Bertholdt Named West Coast Conference Player of the Week

February 20, 2016
Bertholdt's Career Day Leads Women's Basketball Over Pepperdine

February 19, 2016
Women's Basketball Hosts Pepperdine Saturday

February 19, 2016
Three Women's Basketball Players Honored by WCC for Academic Work

February 18, 2016
Women's Basketball Rolls to 20th Win with 27-Point Victory

February 16, 2016
Women's Basketball Returns Home to Face LMU

February 13, 2016
Late Comeback Attempt Comes Up Short for Women's Basketball at BYU

February 12, 2016
Women's Basketball Picks Up Big Road Win at San Diego

February 12, 2016
Women's Basketball Travels to First Place BYU

February 9, 2016
Women's Basketball Starts Tough Road Trip at San Diego Thursday

February 5, 2016
Women's Basketball Wins Thriller at San Francisco

February 2, 2016
Women's Basketball Travels Up the Road to San Francisco Thursday

January 30, 2016
Women's Basketball Cruises by Pilots

January 29, 2016
Women's Basketball Takes Down Gonzaga for First Time in 10 Years

January 29, 2016
Women's Basketball Faces Portland Saturday to Finish Homestand

January 26, 2016
Women's Basketball Hosts Gonzaga Thursday at 6 p.m.

January 23, 2016
Fourth Quarter Runs Lift Women's Basketball Over San Francisco

January 16, 2016
Defensive Stand Lifts Women's Basketball Past Loyola Marymount

January 15, 2016
Women's Basketball Holds on at Pepperdine

January 15, 2016
Road Trip Wraps Up for Women's Basketball at LMU

January 12, 2016
Trip to Southern California Up Next for Women's Basketball

January 8, 2016
Tough Fourth Quarter Sinks Women's Basketball vs. BYU

January 8, 2016
Women's Basketball Returns to Action Saturday vs. San Diego

January 5, 2016
Women's Basketball Welcomes BYU to Leavey Thursday

December 31, 2015
Women's Basketball Beats Portland for 12th Straight Win

December 23, 2015
Seeking 12th Straight Win, Women's Basketball Heads to Portland

December 22, 2015
Women's Basketball Heads to Rival Saint Mary's Wednesday

December 21, 2015
Victory in WCC Opener Pushes Winning Streak to 10 For Women's Basketball

December 19, 2015
West Coast Conference Play Opens for Women's Basketball vs. Pacific


December 16, 2015
Nonconference Play Wraps Up for Women's Basketball with UC Santa Barbara

December 12, 2015
Women's Basketball Takes Down Texas Tech, 75-70

December 11, 2015
Morgan McGwire Receives National Jesuit Player of the Week Honors

December 10, 2015
Home Matchup with Texas Tech on Tap for Women's Basketball

December 6, 2015
Women's Basketball Faces Hope International Sunday Afternoon

December 6, 2015
Two Double-Doubles Lead Women's Basketball Over Hope International

December 5, 2015
Women’s Basketball Rolls Past Simpson, 112-34

December 2, 2015
Basketball Holiday Ticket Special Available Through Friday

November 30, 2015
Morgan McGwire Named West Coast Conference co-Player of the Week

November 30, 2015
Women's Basketball Back in Action for Three Games This Week


November 27, 2015
McGwire's Career Day Leads Women's Basketball to Third-Straight Win


November 24, 2015
Women's Basketball Knocks Off No. 13/10 Stanford on the Road

November 22, 2015
Women's Basketball Travels Up the Road to Stanford Monday

November 21, 2015
Women's Basketball Doubles Up Air Force for First Win of the Season

November 19, 2015
Meet the Future of Santa Clara Women's Basketball: Tamia Braggs


November 18, 2015
Meet the Future of Santa Clara Women's Basketball: Ashlyn Herhily

November 17, 2015
Meet the Future of Santa Clara Women's Basketball: Naomi Jimenez

November 16, 2015
Season-Opening Road Trip Ends with Loss at USC for Women's Basketball

November 14, 2015
Women's Basketball Falls in Opener at Washington

November 12, 2015
Women's Basketball Signs Three National Letters of Intent

November 12, 2015
Women's Basketball Opens Season with Pac 12 Road Swing

October 30, 2015
Santa Clara Basketball Tickets Now Available

October 28, 2015
Women's Basketball Set for 2015-16 Season; Exhibition Opener Friday

September 14, 2015
Women's Basketball Releases 2015-16 Schedule

August 26, 2015
Welcome the Future of Women's Basketball: Andraya Flor