No. 6 Stanford scores 96 in victory over Broncos
By Cecile Nguyen
The women's basketball team fell 96-74 to No. 6 Stanford on Tuesday night. With the loss, the Broncos fell to 16-6 overall and remain 5-2 in conference play.
The Broncos were met with news before the game that leading scorer Chandice Cronk would be unavailable for not only the game but the remainder of the season due to a career-ending knee injury. According to Head Coach Michelle Bento-Jackson, Cronk could go into surgery as early as next Tuesday.
"Obviously it was tough the last 24 hours," Bento-Jackson said. "We got the news last night after practice. Our hearts go out to Chandice."
Cronk tore her ACL, MCL and fractured her leg when she went up for a lay-up during Saturday's loss to Gonzaga.
Gottschalk opened Tuesday's game with a free-throw after being fouled. The early free-throw point would be the Broncos' only lead of the game, as Stanford dominated the rest of the contest in both halves of play.
Gottschalk finished the game with 14 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Stanford star and reigning Pac-10 player of the week, Candice Wiggins, followed the Broncos' early foul shot with a shot of her own from beyond the three-point line for the game's first and only lead change.
Wiggins, arguably the best female player in the country, finished the game with 20 points, two rebounds and two assists.
"We saw this game as an opportunity and a challenge," Wiggins said. "They (Santa Clara) have threats from all positions."
The Cardinal (20-3) extended their winning streak to eight straight games and showed why they are No. 6 in the nation when they went on a 22-6 run with less than seven minutes left in the first half to extend their lead to 47-25.
Turnovers and fouls didn't help the Broncos' cause as the Cardinal scored 12 points off turnovers in the first half alone.
Bronco guard Tracey Walker picked up her third foul just 13 minutes into the game and sat on the bench for the rest of the first half.
But Walker scored 17 of her game-leading 23 points in the second half; Walker's second-half performance was the lone bright spot in the Broncos' loss.
"I was upset in the first half with those three fouls," said Walker. "I just got back at them in the second."
Santa Clara tried to close out the first half strong, going on an 11-6 run in the final two minutes of play. The run was highlighted by five points from Gottschalk to cut down the Cardinal's lead to 56-38 as both teams headed to the locker rooms.
Bronco Maggie Goldenberger, who replaced Cronk in the lineup, opened the second half with a deep two. However, the Cardinal's JJ Hones scored from downtown on the ensuing possession.
Hones finished the game with a career-high 20 points, one rebound and three assists in 31 minutes of play.
The second half, though, was eerily similar to the first. The Broncos improved their defense and were able to force the four turnovers in the first nine minutes of the second half.
Gottschalk was forced to sit on the bench after receiving her fourth foul of the game, and the Broncos had trouble collecting rebounds during her absence.
Stanford shot an impressive 62.1 percent from the field and made a season-high 13 three-point baskets.
Santa Clara will take on Saint Mary's on the road this Saturday at 7 p.m. The Gaels are currently 2-5 in conference play.
Contact Cecile Nguyen at (408) 551-1918 or cnguyen5@scu.edu.