SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The Santa Clara University women's basketball team is a total of 1.5 seconds and two points away from being 3-0 in West Coast Conference play this season.
Saturday, the Broncos suffered their second shocking defeat in three WCC games. San Francisco hit a game-tying shot with 0.7 seconds left to send the game into overtime, then barely hung on with late free throws to beat Santa Clara, 80-79, at Leavey Center.
Santa Clara (10-6, 1-2 WCC) was still ahead by one with less than 90 seconds to play in overtime. But San Francisco (12-3, 2-1 WCC) went 5 for 6 from the free-throw line in the game's final 30 seconds to overtake the Broncos and hold on for the win. Meanwhile, the Broncos shot just 1 for 6 from the floor during the extra period before Ashley Hiraki's 3-pointer at the buzzer made it a one-point final score.
Hear from head @coachbillcarr following today's thrilling overtime game vs. San Francisco ��️#StampedeTogether | #SCUBroncos pic.twitter.com/85qFyeVwKZ
— Santa Clara Women's Basketball (@Santaclarawbb) January 1, 2023
San Francisco gritted out the final 100 seconds of regulation to get the game to overtime, and even had a chance to win it if not for a missed and-one free throw by Loren Christie. The Dons' final four points of the fourth quarter all came off of turnovers and offensive rebounds.
USF tied the game twice in the final minute, catching up to Santa Clara for the first time since midway through the second quarter. Christie's two free throws with 57 seconds left came off a Santa Clara turnover and made it 70-70. Then after Tess Heal scored the last of her 22 points to put Santa Clara back on top, 72-70, Christie tied it again on a 10-foot jump shot with only 0.7 seconds on the clock. The shot was USF's fourth of the possession after three consecutive offensive rebounds. Christie was fouled on the shot and had a chance to put the Dons ahead by one, but she missed her free throw, sending the game into extra time.
It was the second time in WCC play the Broncos had been burned with almost no time on the clock. Pepperdine beat the Broncos on Dec. 17 on a game-winning shot with only 0.8 seconds left, winning 75-74.
Santa Clara led by nine at halftime, by as much as 15 in the third quarter, and still led by four with 1:40 left to play in regulation. But San Francisco roared back with a 14-2 run to end the third quarter, making it a three-point game at 56-53. The Broncos made nine 3-pointers in the game's first three periods, shooting 32.1%. But they would finish the game going 1 for 7 (14.3%) from deep.
Q3, 7:51 | #Broncos 47, @USFDonsWBB 37
— Santa Clara Women's Basketball (@Santaclarawbb) December 31, 2022
Ashley Hiraki puts Santa Clara's lead back at 1️⃣0️⃣ with her 2nd 3-pointer of the game!#StampedeTogether | #SCUBroncos pic.twitter.com/rD85AYtGW9
Heal turned in her fifth 20-point game of the year and third in her last five games with her 22 points. She flirted with a triple-double, pulling down nine rebounds and dishing six assists. Hiraki had 12 points with three 3-pointers. Lara Edmanson and Ashlee Maldonado both chipped in 11 points.
San Francisco – the WCC's leading rebounding team coming into Saturday – outrebounded the Broncos 53-37. Santa Clara committed five fewer turnovers (17-12) than the Dons, but USF scored four more points (18-14) off turnovers than Santa Clara. Debora Dos Santos scored 24 points in just 27 minutes of playing time and also had eight rebounds. Christie finished with 14 points and seven rebounds, Ioanna Krimili scored 12, and Kia Vaalavirta poured in 10.
Santa Clara begins the new year on the road in the Pacific Northwest, traveling to Portland on Thursday and playing at No. 19/20 Gonzaga on Saturday. Fans can find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.
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