(Santa Clara) (March 2) - Santa Clara opened the game with a 27-9 run and never looked back in cruising to a 74-56 victory against San Francisco in the first round of the West Coast Conference Women's Basketball Championships March 2 at Toso Pavilion on the Santa Clara campus.

After enjoying a 21-point advantage at the break, 44-23, the Broncos increased their lead to as many as 24 with a three-pointer by Stephanie Rogers that made the score 51-27 with 16:12 to play.

Rogers paced the Broncos with 18 points while Annie Garrison posted her seventh double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Katie Pursley also added 12 in the winning effort. Becki Ashbaugh dished off a career-high 10 assists, which eqauls the most in the conference this season.

Melanie Turner had a game-high 19 points, including five-of-seven shooting from three-point range, to lead San Francisco. Sarah Wanless posted 11 and nine rebounds.

Wanless' nine rebounds gave her 703 boards in her career and she became just the fifth Lady Don to surpass 700 career points and rebounds. Wanless ends her storied career on the Hilltop with 1,086 points and ranks 12th in career scoring, 7th in rebounding.

USF completes the season with a final 1999-2000 record of 12-16 with a 5-9 mark in WCC play.

The win is Santa Clara's eighth straight on the season and fifth in a row against the Lady Dons.