Feb. 9, 2002

Box Score

SPOKANE, Wash. - In what could have been the biggest upset of the season the West Coast Conference No. 8 Gonzaga University Bulldogs (11-13, 2-8) lost to the No. 2 WCC Santa Clara University Broncos 81-75 (17-6, 7-3) in the last 1:30 of play Saturday night at the Kennel.

Senior Jessica Malone led the Bulldogs with a game-high 18 points and helped build the Bulldogs early lead by putting the first five points up for the Zags, hitting eight in the first five minutes. Gonzaga built a seven-point lead only to loose it two times and tie Santa Clara twice in the first half. The fast paced Santa Clara offense took the lead in the last six minutes to leave for the locker room with a 35-31 half-time advantage.

The Broncos returned to the court to pull away 48-35 with a 13-4 point run led by Becki Ashbaugh with 18:03 remaining. Ziya Muhammad sparked the Bulldogs come back with a 3-pointer at 16:50 to bring the Zags to within 10 points 38-48.

A steal by Juliann Laney with 14:00 led to a four point gain to bring the Bulldogs up within six points 44-50. Malone's last second jumper gave the Zags the 51-46 hope and Ashley Burke tossed up two to bring the Bulldogs within three points. Burke sank two more good free throws, bringing the Bulldogs with one 52-53.

The two teams kicked up their defense not allowing a bucket for over two minutes before Bernice Stime gave the Bulldogs their first second-half lead with a jumper to give Gonzaga the 54-53 lead with 8:11 remaining. Although the Broncos would quickly answer, the Bulldogs regained the lead with a Shannon Mathew's lay-up with 7:22 left.

The Zags would pull away by as many seven points aided by eight late-half points from Raeanna Jewell before the Broncos chipped away to tie the game with 1:30 remaining.

Malone made a 3-pointer only to have it called no good as Ashley Burke was called for her fifth foul with 39.8 seconds left.

Caroline Gruening went to the line to sink two good free throws giving the Broncos the 77-75 lead with 35 seconds left. Stime fouled Tammy Annas to send them back to the free throw line. The Broncos scored six free-throw points in the last 30 seconds to give them the 81-75 final.

Burke, Stime, Malone and Jewell all collected double figures for the Bulldogs.

The Zags finished shooting 44.3 percent from the field, 27.3 percent from 3-point range and 70 percent from the free throw line.

Gonzaga hits the road next week for its last pair of regular season road games against Loyola Marymount Friday at 7 p.m. and Pepperdine Saturday at 7 p.m.