Santa Clara University’s women’s basketball team secured an 84-70 victory over Lindenwood on Friday afternoon in Honolulu during the opening game of the American Savings Bank Rainbow Wahine Showdown. The Broncos improved their season record to 6-2, while Lindenwood fell to 4-2.
The contest remained close through the first half, with both teams exchanging 6-0 runs in the opening quarter. Santa Clara tied the score at the 5:02 mark and maintained a lead for the remainder of the game, ending the first period ahead 20-16. In the second quarter, Lindenwood managed to tie it at 24 before Kylee Fox hit a three-pointer that gave Santa Clara a permanent advantage. Another seven-point run by Santa Clara extended their lead to eight points, and they entered halftime up 39-24.
Midway through the third quarter, Santa Clara executed a quick 6-0 run to push their lead into double digits and closed out the period with another seven consecutive points for a 63-47 margin. Early in the fourth quarter, a further seven-point run gave them their largest lead of 25 points. Although Lindenwood responded with an 18-7 stretch to finish out the game, it was not enough to overcome Santa Clara’s advantage.
Santa Clara shot nearly 46 percent from the field and made eight three-pointers out of twenty-seven attempts. The Broncos were also effective from the free throw line, converting ten of eleven opportunities. Sophie Glancey led Santa Clara with a season-high 24 points on efficient shooting and added six rebounds. Aniyah Hooker contributed twelve points; Ashley Hawkins had ten points along with five assists; Ava Schmidt finished just shy of a double-double with nine points and a career-best twelve rebounds; Tyler Gildersleeve-Stiles scored eight points and collected seven rebounds in limited minutes.
Lindenwood was held to under thirty-six percent shooting but managed ten three-pointers. Aleshia Jones led all scorers with twenty-five points for Lindenwood.
Santa Clara dominated rebounding, finishing with fifty-one boards compared to thirty-two for Lindenwood and converted fifteen offensive rebounds into seventeen second-chance points. The Broncos’ bench also outscored Lindenwood’s reserves by seventeen points.
Santa Clara will face Vermont next, with tipoff scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m. Pacific time.
