Dower's 3 lifts Gonzaga past Santa Clara 54-52

Published Jan. 30, 2014 1:35 a.m. ET

foxsports

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) Sam Dower Jr. made a game-winning 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds left and finished with 12 points as Gonzaga avoided its first loss at Santa Clara since 2011, with a 54-52 win on Wednesday night.spw

Jared Brownridge's half-court shot went off the side of the rim at the buzzer and Santa Clara lost its fifth straight.

It was Dower's only shot attempt of the second half.

Gary Bell Jr. scored 15 points, highlighted by making three 3-pointers in a little over 5 minutes late in the second half, for Gonzaga (19-3, 9-1 West Coast Conference).

Evan Roquemore scored 15 points for Santa Clara (10-13, 3-7), seven coming in the final 4 minutes. His second 3-pointer, in the Broncos late 13-2 run, pulled his team to within 51-50 with 1:23 left. After a Pangos miss, Brandon Clark made a runner over Przemek Karnowski for a 52-51 lead with 28 seconds left.