SANTA CLARA, Calif. — It had been quite an offensive display Saturday afternoon through three quarters, as Pepperdine and the Santa Clara University women's basketball team jostled to be the one who got to put a good foot forward in both team's West Coast Conference opener.
Then it came to a screeching halt.
The teams combined for only six made baskets in the fourth quarter after totaling 50 in the first three periods.
But it was the last basket that made all the difference.
Pepperdine got a last-second layup from Theresa Grace Mbanefo with only 0.8 seconds on the clock, giving the Waves a thrilling WCC-opening, 75-74, win over Santa Clara at Leavey Center.
Listen in on head @coachbillcarr's postgame thoughts following today's @WCChoops opener vs. Pepperdine ��#StampedeTogether | #SCUBroncos pic.twitter.com/ShXlJQxQVZ
— Santa Clara Women's Basketball (@Santaclarawbb) December 18, 2022
Mbanefo was double teamed with four arms up in the air trying to block her shot, but it didn't matter. She leaped to receive a cross-court inbounds from Marly Walls, who was on the other sideline and threw a perfect pass to Mbanefo's hands. Mbanefo dribbled once and threw the ball up towards the rim – and it went in.
Santa Clara (9-5, 0-1 WCC) was ahead in those final seconds because Ashley Hiraki came up clutch at the free-throw line. She made two free throws to give the Broncos a 74-73 lead with only 3.6 seconds to play. Pepperdine called a 30-second timeout, then came back on the floor and ran its game-winning play.
Q4, 38.0 | #Broncos 72, @WavesHoops 72
— Santa Clara Women's Basketball (@Santaclarawbb) December 17, 2022
***WHAT A STEAL BY ASHLEY HIRAKI!!!***
She gets the ball back for the Broncos with 38 seconds left in a tie game!#StampedeTogether | #SCUBroncos pic.twitter.com/Iz3q9U1GIg
The Santa Clara defense that had held opponents to a WCC third-best 60.4 points per game finally came alive in the fourth quarter. Pepperdine (6-5, 1-0 WCC) shot 55.6% through the first three frames but went 4 for 11 (36.4%) in the final 10 minutes. The Waves didn't make a basket for nearly seven minutes between Brumfield's game-tying 3-pointer at the 6:41 mark that made it 68-68, and Mbanefo's game-winning lay-in.
But the Broncos struggled, too, at the end. Santa Clara entered the fourth quarter shooting 50% (25 for 50) in the game, but went just 2 for 14 (14.3%) in those last 10 minutes. Both baskets came from Tess Heal, who twice tied the game in the fourth quarter with layups at 70-70 and 72-72.
Heal would finish with a team-high 16 points, one of four Broncos to score in double figures. She also had five assists and three rebounds. Olivia Pollerd scored 12 points, grabbed eight rebounds and had two blocks off the bench in her return. Lara Edmanson and Marya Hudgins both scored 11 points and pulled down six rebounds.
Q4, 1:25 | #Broncos 72, @WavesHoops 72
— Santa Clara Women's Basketball (@Santaclarawbb) December 17, 2022
Tess Heal spins in the lane and puts it in to tie the game at 7️⃣2️⃣-all!#StampedeTogether | #SCUBroncos pic.twitter.com/ksHFaxmbEl
Pepperdine got more than a third of its points from Walls. She scored 26 on 10-for-14 shooting and added five assists – including one on the game-winning basket. Mbanefo totaled 17 points with her game-winning layup and Ally Stedman scored 10 points with four assists, three rebounds and a steal.
The Broncos' opening WCC slate continues at 2 p.m. Monday when they host LMU, 68-59 winners at San Francisco on Saturday. Fans can purchase tickets and find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.
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