PORTLAND, Ore. (Interstat) — The Santa Clara Broncos, fueled by a dominant fourth-quarter surge and a game-high 21 points from Delainey Miller, avenged an earlier loss to the Portland Pilots with a 77-66 victory in a West Coast Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Chiles Center.

In a contest defined by defense and paint dominance, Santa Clara (20-7, 8-4 WCC) erased a five-point deficit entering the final period by outscoring Portland 28-14 in the fourth quarter. The Broncos turned a 52-47 edge for the Pilots after three quarters into a decisive double-digit win, holding Portland to just five made field goals in the final 10 minutes.

The most critical sequence of the game came early in the fourth quarter, with Santa Clara trailing by five. The Broncos unleashed a 13-2 run over a four-minute span to seize control. The run was powered entirely in the paint or at the free-throw line, highlighting Santa Clara’s physical advantage. Ashley Hawkins, who finished with 13 points and seven assists, ignited the burst with a driving layup. Miller, the sophomore from Aurora, Colorado, then scored five quick points, and Maia Jones added a layup off a Hawkins assist. When Ava Schmidt converted a layup with 7:26 remaining, Santa Clara led 60-54, forcing a Portland timeout. The Pilots never recovered, getting no closer than four points the rest of the way.

Portland (15-11, 7-5), which had defeated Santa Clara 73-66 at home just over a month ago, was led by Lainey Spear’s 20 points and four assists. The Pilots held a 37-33 halftime lead behind efficient three-point shooting, connecting on 8 of 20 from deep for the game. However, their offense stagnated in the second half against a tenacious Santa Clara defense that generated 10 steals and forced 16 total turnovers.

The Broncos’ victory was built on interior superiority and capitalizing on mistakes. Santa Clara scored 48 points in the paint compared to Portland’s 28 and converted 16 Pilots turnovers into 14 points. While struggling from beyond the arc, making only 4 of 21 attempts, the Broncos compensated by hitting 15 of 19 free throws and winning the possession battle with only 12 turnovers of their own.

Miller’s 21-point performance on 8-of-15 shooting was complemented by 19 points from Maia Jones of Tasman, New Zealand. Rhyan Mogel of Happy Valley, Oregon, provided a spark for Portland with 10 points, four assists and two blocks.

Santa Clara’s defensive intensity in the fourth quarter was the ultimate difference. After Portland shot 44% through three quarters, the Broncos clamped down, holding the Pilots to 5-of-17 shooting in the final period while committing just two turnovers of their own to salt the game away at the foul line in the final minute.

The win moves Santa Clara into a stronger position in the conference standings, while Portland drops its second game in three outings. An announced crowd of 881 saw the game.