Santa Clara guard Tess Heal drives against a Lincoln University (Oakland) defender during a Dec. 2, 2022 game. (Courtesy of Santa Clara University)
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Freshman Tess Heal scored 16 points, capped by two free throws with 1.8 seconds to play, and Santa Clara ended No. 17 Gonzaga’s 14-game winning streak with a 77-72 victory on Thursday night.
The Broncos, who snapped a seven-year losing streak in the series, trailed by 12 points in the first quarter but had a 64-50 lead on Heal’s 3-pointer with 7:20 to play. After Olivia Pollerd’s 3-pointer had Santa Clara up 69-61 with 3:43 to go, the Broncos only got off one more shot and had three turnovers.
Kaylynne Truong’s 3-pointer at 1:38 capped a 13-3 run that pulled Gonzaga within 69-66, but the Broncos made 8 of 10 free throws in the last 35 seconds.
Santa Clara coach Bill Carr said he expected a top-20 team like Gonzaga to make a run.
“Of course they’re going to come back,” Carr told the school’s website after the game. “You just hope you have enough down the stretch, and we did.”
Pollerd also had 16 points for the Broncos (14-10, 5-6 West Coast Conference), while Ashley Hiraki added 13 and Marya Hudgins 12.
Heal’s big night puts her in good position for a potential ninth WCC Freshman of the Week award this season.
Santa Clara, which came in shooting 32.6% from 3-point range, made 10 of 20 from behind the arc. The Broncos shot 53% overall and made 15 of 18 free throws. Gonzaga’s defense came into the game holding opponents to 39.2% shooting.
Yvonne Ejim scored 26 points for Gonzaga (21-3, 11-1), which dropped into a first-place tie with Portland (a three-point winner in overtime at San Francisco). Truong scored 16 points and Brynna Maxwell 12 with both hitting four 3-pointers.
Gonzaga, which travels to play San Francisco on Saturday, was 9 of 16 from distance but shot just 47% overall.
The Broncos host Portland on Saturday afternoon.
“We’ll get to enjoy this for about 12 hours, and a really good Portland team rolls in here on Saturday,” Carr said.
Originally published at Associated PressThe 3⃣s were
𝑅𝒶𝒾𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔
#StampedeTogether | #SCUBroncos pic.twitter.com/27TnHN2Qx4
— Santa Clara Women's Basketball (@Santaclarawbb) February 3, 2023