SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The Santa Clara University women's basketball team's offense has been getting closer and closer to going off.
Tuesday, it did.
And in a big way.
The Broncos scored their most points in a game since 2019, sank their second-most 3-pointers in program history for a single game, and shot over 50% for the first time this season in a 95-60 routing of Kansas City at Leavey Center.
Santa Clara (3-3) went over 90 points for the first time in 2022-23, and scored at least 95 points for the first time in more than 3 1/2 years. That was largely due to its lights-out shooting from 3-point range Tuesday. The Broncos made 15 3-pointers against the Roos (2-3) at a 55.6% clip (15 for 27). It was second-most ever by a Santa Clara team and something that hadn't been done in more than 15 years. SCU last hit at least 15 treys in a game on Feb. 8, 2007, versus Portland.
Time to hear from head @coachbillcarr and freshman Tess Heal after tonight's ������ win over Kansas City! ����#StampedeTogether | #SCUBroncos pic.twitter.com/2XKRlhpq6A
— Santa Clara Women's Basketball (@Santaclarawbb) November 23, 2022
Santa Clara shot 59.4% from the floor Tuesday while scoring 95 points – the most it's scored since Feb. 23, 2019, when it scored 106 on the road at Portland. The Broncos' 38 made field goals were the most they've made since the 2019-20 season opener versus UC Santa Cruz (44 on Nov. 5, 2019). The team also had 23 assists – the most it's had against an NCAA Division I opponent since dishing 24 helpers versus Portland on Jan. 16, 2021 two seasons ago.
It has been an ascending trend over the past four games for the Santa Clara offense, with more and more players getting involved each game. Four games ago and eight days ago, seven players scored points in a 10-point loss at home to Sacramento State. Then, nine players chipped in Thursday during a 66-62 win over CSUN on the road. 10 players got involved on Saturday at Cal Baptist in what was the Broncos' second-best shooting and scoring performance at the time.
Tuesday, 12 players scored at least two points, 11 grabbed at least one rebound and nine dished at least one assist. Ayzhiana Basallo led the Broncos with 17 points, including three 3s. Tess Heal was right behind her with 16 points, adding six rebounds and three assists as well. Olivia Pollerd was Santa Clara's third player in double figures with 10 points, four rebounds and four assists.
Q2, 6:16 | #Broncos 36, @KCRoosWBB 16
— Santa Clara Women's Basketball (@Santaclarawbb) November 23, 2022
Ayzhiana Basallo hits Santa Clara's 7️⃣th 3-pointer of the game to put the Broncos up by 2️⃣0️⃣! ��#StampedeTogether | #SCUBroncos pic.twitter.com/O2SiKBb3us
The Santa Clara bench scored 38 points. The Broncos took advantage of Kansas City's 16 turnovers, scoring 20 points off of them. They also won the rebounding battle, 35-26.
Kansas City's E'Lease Stafford led all players with 19 points. She also grabbed six rebounds and handed out three assists. Jocelyn Ewell scored 11 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting performance.
Ewell and the Roos scored the first basket of the game 13 seconds in to take a 2-0 lead – but that was the last time they'd be ahead. Santa Clara responded with a 10-0 run, bookended by 3-pointers from Basallo and Heal, and they were off. Santa Clara led 44-27 at halftime, then scored 31 points in the third quarter and led 75-46 through three. It was the first time it had scored at least 30 points in a quarter since the first round of last season's West Coast Conference Tournament (March 3, 2022) when it scored 30 in the third period against Pacific in Las Vegas. Santa Clara held their largest lead Tuesday at 41 points (95-54) with 2:17 left in the fourth quarter.
The Broncos next travel to the Las Vegas Holiday Classic, where they'll face 2022 Sweet 16 team South Dakota and Pac-12 Conference member Washington at the Orleans Arena – site of the 2023 WCC Tournament.
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