SPOKANE, Wash. — A huge first quarter Saturday helped carry No. 20/20 Gonzaga to a big West Coast Conference win over the Santa Clara University women's basketball team, as the Bulldogs stayed steady over the final three quarters to down the Broncos, 78-61, inside the McCarthey Athletic Center.
No. 20/20 Gonzaga (16-2, 6-0 WCC) outscored Santa Clara (10-8, 1-4 WCC) 24-10 in the game's first 10 minutes. That run was powered by 6 of 8 3-pointers made in the quarter by the Bulldogs, including each of their first four made shots in the game. The Bulldogs started the game 5 for 5 from 3-point range. Meanwhile, the Broncos went 0 for 6 from deep to start and shot 33.3% overall (5 for 15) in the first quarter compared to Gonzaga's 60% (9 for 15).
That first-quarter disparity is what carried the Bulldogs through the rest of the game. Santa Clara won the second quarter, 18-17, and was only behind Gonzaga in the second half by four points. Santa Clara shot 40% from the floor and 31.2% from beyond the arc in the game's remaining three quarters. It was the 14-point first-quarter gap that lent heavily to the Bulldogs' 17-point winning margin.
Tess Heal scored a team-leading 14 points with four rebounds and an assist. Olivia Pollerd was the Broncos' other double-digit scorer with 10 points, four rebounds and an assist. Lexie Pritchard scored eight points and had a team-high three assists.
Gonzaga featured four double-figure scorers, led by Brynna Maxwell's 17 points. Yvonne Ejim logged a double-double with 16 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Kaylynne Truong hit three 3-pointers and scored 15 points with seven assists and four rebounds. McKayla Williams chipped in 13 and added five assists.
Santa Clara went on a 14-4 run to start the second quarter that got it within seven of Gonzaga, but the Bulldogs answered with a 10-4 run of their own to close the half with a 13-point halftime advantage at 41-28. Santa Clara would not get within single digits again, as the Bulldogs' lead grew to as large as 19 points with two minutes to play in the third.
Santa Clara returns home next week for two home games, hosting East Bay rival Saint Mary's on Thursday and Pacific on Saturday. Fans can purchase tickets and find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.
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