SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The final game of the decade in Leavey Center turned into a shootout with Santa Clara women's basketball falling to Saint Mary's 95-87 Monday evening.

The difference in the game came at the free throw line and from beyond the arc. The Gaels (7-6, 2-0 WCC) knocked down 11 of 27 from deep with the Broncos (7-6, 1-1 WCC) going just 6 of 12. From the charity stripe Saint Mary's converted 20 times in 24 chances with Santa Clara going just 3-for-8.

With the game even at 82-all and 3:48 on the clock in the fourth, Madeline Holland and Emily Codding put the game away with a 9-2 run over a minute and a half. Holland scored six points with Codding adding an and-one during the stretch.

Holland led all scorers with 33 points on 10-for-14 shooting from the field and 10-for-13 from the free throw line. Codding added 28 points on 10-for-15 shooting from the field and 6-for-7 from the free throw line. Sam Simons chipped in 17 points as well.

Despite being down nine at the half, Santa Clara was able to cut the deficit to just one at the end of the third quarter on a 3-pointer by Merle Wiehl. The Broncos also scored the first four points of the fourth to get a 70-67 lead.

Tia Hay scored a team high 16 and added seven rebounds with Lindsey VanAllen scoring 15 and knocking down three from distance. Tamia Braggs scored 13 with Lauren Yearwood (11) and Lana Hollingsworth (10) also registering double figures.

Santa Clara went cold in the first, going 1-for-9 from the field during one stretch with Saint Mary's getting hot and going 9-for-11. The Gaels also went on a 7-0 run and got out on top 19-10 with 2:47 to go in the first.

A 15-0 run by the Broncos, led by three 3-pointers, got them back on top after being down 27-16 with a minute to go in the first. VanAllen's triple got the run going and Lexie Pritchard hit back-to-back from beyond the arc to open the second quarter with Braggs' layup at 6:19 in the second making it a 31-27 lead for Santa Clara.

HIGHLIGHTS

HIGHLIGHTS | The Broncos rattled off a 15-0 run in the first half of Monday's matchup against Saint Mary's!#StampedeTogether #SCUBroncos pic.twitter.com/1XmlTFwH1u

— Santa Clara Women's Basketball (@Santaclarawbb) December 31, 2019

NOTES

• Santa Clara is now 35-43 all-time against Saint Mary's.
• With one block, Lauren Yearwood now has 101 blocks in her career, good for fourth in Santa Clara history. Next up is Lindsey Leo (2010-13) with 113.
• Tamia Braggs was in the starting lineup for the third game in a row, the first three starts of her career.

UP NEXT
The Broncos head north to play at San Francisco Saturday at 2 p.m. in their first road conference game of the year.

Connect with the Broncos on Social Media
Athletics: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Snapchat
Women's Basketball: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram