CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Junior Alyssa Waldon (Sun Prairie, Wis.) produced a game-high 16 points and a career-best seven steals, but Santa Clara captured a close 52-48 win over Chicago State Friday evening in the Miami Thanksgiving Tournament at UM’s BankUnited Center in Coral Gables, Fla. The Broncos improved to 1-4 this season while the Cougars saw their season ledger drop to 2-4.
Santa Clara broke an early 7-7 tie at the 14:13 mark by scoring 11 of the next 17 points during a nine-minute stretch to capture an 18-13 advantage at 5:56 on a jumper from sophomore Kathy Willinsky. Layups from junior Nicole Clark (West Bloomfield, Mich.) and freshman Jael Peña (Harlem, N.Y.) triggered a 17-0 scoring run in the final 5:14 of the half that included seven points from Waldon that propelled CSU to a 30-18 lead entering the half.
The Broncos scored the first four points of the second half to close to within 30-22 at the 18:22 mark before Waldon canned a pair of triples during a 6-2 run which hiked CSU’s lead back to double digits at 36-24 with 15:59 left in the game. SCU later came back with a 12-2 scoring drive that sliced the Cougars’ leading margin to 38-36 after a pair of free throws from sophomore Lena Gipson at 7:36, but another Waldon three just 14 seconds later stopped the run and brought CSU a 41-36 advantage. A 7-3 scoring run helped the Broncos post a slim 46-45 lead on a pair of free throws from Willinsky at 4:59. After Peña knotted the game at 46-all with a free throw at 3:35, senior Elizabeth Doran drained a jumper at the 1:09 mark to start a personal 6-2 run as Santa Clara captured the lead for good.
Clark nearly posted a double-double on the day as she finished with nine points and nine rebounds, while Peña recorded six points, three assists and three steals.
Senior Elizabeth Doran led Santa Clara with 13 points, while sophomore Lena Gipson recorded a double-double of 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Willinsky finished with nine points, senior Sara Majors contributed 10 boards and freshman Rhianna Faithfull posted three assists.
The Cougars will now face Austin Peay Saturday evening in the consolation game of the Miami Thanksgiving Tournament with a start time of 7 p.m.
~ CSU ~