Box Score

SANTA CLARA, Calif. --- The Santa Clara Broncos overcame 20 points by Cassandra Brown and an 11-point halftime deficit to defeat the Portland Pilots 78-63 in a West Coast Conference women’s basketball game played on Thursday night at the Leavey Center. It’s a career-high outburst for Brown, a sophomore guard.
 
The Pilots (7-10, 0-3 WCC) were in command during the first half when Brown scored 15 of her 20 points. Portland senior Natalie Day had 16 at the break to help the Pilots to a 43-32 lead.
 
But the second half was a different story as the Broncos (8-7, 1-1 WCC) ramped up on defense and starting knocking down their shots. Santa Clara took its first lead of the second stanza at 55-53, and the lead would soon stretch to double figures with seven minutes left to play.
 
The Pilots briefly climbed within single digits moments later when freshman Kari Luttinen buried a three-pointer, but Santa Clara responded and would soon lead by 17 points en-route to the win.
 
Brown and Luttinen each hit two three’s for the Pilots, who shot 59 percent in the first half and just 23 percent after the break. Day finished with her third double-double of the year, grabbing 10 boards to go along with her 16 points. Luttinen chipped in with eight points.
 
Alyssa Shoji led four Broncos in double figures with 19 points. Santa Clara upped its field goal percentage from 39 percent in the first half to 58 percent in the second. The Broncos also claimed a sizable 43-29 advantage in rebounds.
 
The Pilots next head south for a WCC game against the Pepperdine Waves on Saturday afternoon in Malibu, Calif. Tip-off at Firestone Fieldhouse is set for 2 p.m.