SANTA CLARA, Calif. (Interstat) — In a tense West Coast Conference clash defined by critical plays in the final minute, the Santa Clara Broncos edged the Gonzaga Bulldogs 77-73 in women’s basketball on Sunday at Leavey Center.

The game, witnessed by 376 fans, saw the Broncos improve to 13-4 overall, while Gonzaga fell to 11-6.

The most important part of the game unfolded in the closing 30 seconds with Santa Clara clinging to a 74-72 lead. Gonzaga’s Lauren Whittaker committed an offensive foul, turning the ball over with 16 seconds remaining. Santa Clara’s Ashley Hawkins was fouled and calmly sank two free throws to push the lead to four.

After a Gonzaga layup by Zeryhia Aokuso cut the deficit to 76-74 with eight seconds left, Santa Clara’s Maia Jones was fouled. She missed both free throws, but a scramble for the rebound resulted in a foul on Gonzaga’s Ines Bettencourt with four seconds on the clock. Santa Clara’s Ava Schmidt made the first of two free throws for a crucial three-point lead and, after missing the second, the Broncos secured the defensive stop as Gonzaga’s last-second three-point attempt missed, sealing the victory.

The contest was a back-and-forth affair throughout. Santa Clara held a narrow 39-34 halftime advantage, but Gonzaga chipped away, leveraging a dominant inside presence that resulted in 38 points in the paint. The Bulldogs’ effort was led by Lauren Whittaker of Christchurch, New Zealand, who posted a double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds. Zeryhia Aokuso of Amarillo, Texas, added 15 points and seven rebounds, while Allie Turner of St. Louis contributed 13 points.

Santa Clara countered with balanced scoring and superior efficiency off turnovers, converting 17 points from Gonzaga’s mistakes. Sophie Glancey of Boise, Idaho, led the Broncos with 17 points and eight rebounds. Point guard Ashley Hawkins of Long Beach, California, orchestrated the offense with a double-double of 16 points and 11 assists. Kylee Fox of Richland, Washington, and Maia Jones of Tasman, New Zealand, each scored 17 and 15 points, respectively.

Interstat’s ELO system had projected Gonzaga with a 72.10 percent probability to win, making the Broncos’ victory a notable upset. The win gives Santa Clara momentum heading into a road game at San Francisco on Thursday. Gonzaga looks to rebound at home against Portland next Saturday.