By James Davis
By: BYU Athletic Communications
The No. 22 BYU women''s basketball team sought redemption against Santa Clara Wednesday night, (Nov. 22, 2006) at the Marriott Center after two tough road losses, defeating the Broncos 77-63.
The Broncos put up a good fight, but in the end they were not able to withstand the Cougar onslaught as Shawnee Slade recorded her second double double of the season with 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead all scores in the game.
'Slade really came ready to play,' BYU head coach Jeff Judkins said. 'She was a force. She was aggressive and went to the basket.'
Nine minutes into the game the three point shot was clearly the difference maker. The Broncos were five for eight and the Cougars were two for four and SCU had a two-point lead, 19-21. Keele hit another three with 10:30 left in the half to put the Cougars up by one and, although the Broncos kept the game close, the Cougars did not allow Santa Clara to lead again the rest of the half.
With the game tied at 29 with three minutes to go in the first, Slade stole the ball from SC''s Graham and scored a fast break lay-up to give the Cougars the lead again at 31-29. Graham would not be denied, though, and hit a deep three to tie the game at 32 before BYU''s Mallary Gillespie answered right back with a three of her own. Those three points were the last of the half as the Cougars took the lead into the locker room, 35-32. Both teams stepped away from the three point shot in the second half as BYU had not shot a single one more than six minutes into the half and SC was only 0-1 from behind the arc. Instead of both teams racking up threes, they were racking up fouls. After not going to the line at all in the first half, 10 of the Cougars'' first 12 points in the second half came from free throws as they went 10 for 12 and by 13 minutes to go in the game both teams were already in the bonus. BYU''s Cassie King had five of those points in the first eight minutes of the half.
The Broncos decided to go back to the all-important trey and tied the game at 53-53 with a long-range jumper from Martin. At 55-55 with 6:31 to go, the Cougars put up their first three of the game as Johnsen knocked one down from the wing and was fouled on the play. After hitting her free throw BYU took the lead at 59-55. Johnsen took the outlet pass on a fast break the next play and gave the Cougars a six point lead before the Broncos took another time out to regroup.
The Broncos'' leading scorer, Cronk, came into the game averaging 20 points a game, but was held to only seven against the Cougars. After allowing seven threes in the first half, the Broncos were held to only three in the second.
By the end of the night, the Cougars shining star was Slade with 22 points, 10 rebounds, 10 for 11 from the line and her second double double of the season. In all, the Cougars had four players in double figures for the first time this season: Slade, 22; Gillespie, 14; Keele, 12; and Johnsen, 10. The Cougars are 2-0 at home, when leading at the half and when leading in rebounds.
'Sometimes when you lose games, you have a hard time getting on track,' Judkins said. 'We played hard and executed well... It''s a dang good team we played tonight and we hope to build on this.'
The 3-2 Cougar team goes on another grueling three-game road trip beginning Nov. 29 at Harvard, then at Hartford on Dec. 2 and at New Mexico State on Dec. 6. BYU returns home on Dec. 9, 2006 hosting Cal State Northridge.