Jill Barta’s late free throws lift Gonzaga women over Santa Clara for 500th program win

Jill Barta made a pair of free throws with two seconds left, then Chandler Smith blocked Morgan McGwire’s last second effort and Gonzaga escaped with a 50-49 win over Santa Clara in West Coast Conference play in Santa Clara, California, on Saturday.

With the win, the Zags won their 500th game in program history (500-387) and retained their one-game lead in the conference over St. Mary’s, which beat San Diego 77-65 on Saturday.

The Zags (19-4, 10-2) led by 13 at halftime, but went cold in the second half – scoring just 13 points. Barta regained the lead after Santa Clara had stolen it with a 3-pointer by Emily Wolff with 1:12 remaining.

Barta got the ball on an inbound pass and was fouled on the shot, calmly converting both free throws.

A jump ball ensued on the Santa Clara inbound – possession remained with the Broncos – and Smith blocked the Broncos’ last-second attempt.

Barta led the Zags with 13 points and seven rebounds and Smith was a spark off the bench with four 3-pointers for 12 points.

Kiara Kudron finished with 10 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Kudron scored six straight points to start the second quarter and Gonzaga built a 21-14 lead three minutes in. Zhané Templeton drilled a corner 3-pointer with two minutes left in the second quarter to increase the lead to 34-24. Smith found one more from long range, finishing with nine points in the half, and the Bulldogs led 37-24 at intermission.

Barta led all scorers at halftime with 11 points and Gonzaga finished 5 of 16 from 3.

The teams combined for four turnovers to start the second half, but Smith broke the drought with her fourth three, and the Zags eventually led 42-35 after three quarters.

Laura Stockton hit a circus shot to beat the shot clock with 8:15 left in the fourth quarter to regain a 10-point lead but Santa Clara scored six straight in response to trim its deficit to four at 45-41.

A loose ball put-back and foul from Emma Wolfram extended the lead back to seven. Santa Clara came back with eight in a row, concluding with Wolff’s 3-pointer with 1:12 left, to take a 49-48 lead. After a four-minute Zags’ drought, Barta was fouled with two seconds left, and made both foul shots.

“It is not always pretty,” Gonzaga head coach Lisa Fortier said. “Today we just had to find a way to get it done, and we did.”

Wolff paced Santa Clara with 15 points.

The Zags are at home all next week with Loyola Marymount coming to town on Thursday at 6 p.m.