Gonzaga Holds Off Santa Clara

Dan Dickau scored 29 points, and No. 18 Gonzaga survived a furious second-half comeback and a career-high 38 points by Steve Ross at Spokane, Wash., to defeat Santa Clara, 83-81, Friday night for its 11th consecutive victory.

Ross had 22 points in the second half for the Broncos (5-9, 0-1 West Coast Conference), who lost for the first time in five games. Gonzaga (14-2, 1-0), is off to its best start since the 1966-67 season.

Trailing by 12 points at halftime, Santa Clara mounted a strong comeback early in the second half.

Justin Holbrook’s three-point basket brought Santa Clara within 60-59. But Dickau responded with a pair of three-pointers to lift Gonzaga to a 66-59 lead.

The Bulldogs led, 77-69, with 3:22 left, and their full-court press slowed the Broncos’ attack as time ticked off the clock.

Kyle Bailey’s three-pointer for Santa Clara cut Gonzaga’s lead to 79-76 with 25 seconds left.

But the Broncos were forced to foul, and Blake Stepp made two free throws before Bailey made a jumper to make it 81-78 with 13 seconds left. Stepp then sank one of two free throws. Bailey’s three-point attempt bounced off the front of the rim to end Santa Clara’s hopes. Ross hit a final three-pointer for the Broncos as time expired.

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Kentucky unexpectedly granted a release to former basketball player Marvin Stone, allowing him to play for former Wildcat Coach Rick Pitino at archrival Louisville.

“Coach [Tubby] Smith and I met this morning, and Coach Smith has had a change of heart,” Kentucky Athletic Director Larry Ivy said. “He has agreed, and I also concurred, that we will release him to the University of Louisville.”

Stone, a 6-foot-10 junior and former McDonald’s All-American at Grissom High in Huntsville, Ala., can be offered a scholarship to play at Louisville after sitting out a season under NCAA transfer rules. He would have one full season of eligibility remaining.

Pitino, who coached at Kentucky from 1989-97, said he would talk with Stone about joining the program.

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Top 25 Women

Teana McKiver scored 15 points and No. 20 Tulane overcame a sluggish first half to defeat Memphis, 77-59, in Tennessee. Gwen Slaughter had 14 rebounds for Tulane (14-3, 2-0 Conference USA), which won for the 10th time in 12 games. The Green Wave shot 65.4% in the second half. Princess Swilley scored 16 for Memphis (7-8, 1-1).... Hamchetou Maiga had 21 points and nine rebounds as No. 25 Old Dominion defeated Delaware, 82-55, at Newark, N.J. The Lady Monarchs (8-5, 5-0 Colonial Athletic Assn.) were led by Okeisha Howard’s 19 points. Julie Sailer scored 16 for Delaware (8-4, 2-2), which had won 21 consecutive home games.