Kaylynne Truong scores career-high 18 points to lead Gonzaga women past Santa Clara 72-55

From staff reports

Kaylynne Truong came off the bench to score a career-high 18 points, and Kayleigh Truong added 14 as Gonzaga defeated host Santa Clara 72-55 Thursday night in a West Coast Conference game played in California.

Yvonne Ejim joined the Truong sisters in double digits, scoring 12 points and grabbing a team-high six rebounds for the Bulldogs (19-5 overall, 10-1 WCC). Ejim also came on in a reserve role.

Gonzaga has rebounded from its lone conference defeat, 62-50 at home last Saturday against No. 16 BYU, by beating San Francisco 55-49 on Monday and then traveling to the Bay Area to face the Broncos (11-11, 5-7), who they defeated for the 11th consecutive time dating to 2016.

Lindsey VanAllen led Santa Clara with 17 points, and Lana Hollingsworth added 16, but no other Broncos player scored more than seven.

The Bulldogs used an 11-0 run in the second quarter to take a 33-22 halftime lead.

Santa Clara rallied to tie the score at 39-all with four minutes remaining in the third quarter.

A jumper by Kayleigh Truong broke the tie and Gonzaga took a 49-45 lead into the final quarter.

GU outscored the hosts 23-10 in the fourth to pull away, closing with an 18-3 run over the final five minutes.

Gonzaga shot 44.8% from the field (26 of 58) and was 7 of 20 from beyond the 3-point line. The Bulldogs limited Santa Clara to 36.4% shooting (20 of 55).

The Zags forced 16 turnovers, turning those into 20 points. GU also had a 36-29 rebounding edge and got 35 points from its bench.