Jan. 7, 2006
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - John Bryant had 15 points and 13 rebounds while Travis Niesen added 19 points and 10 boards to lead Santa Clara to an 87-77 victory over Portland on Saturday night.
Four Broncos scored in double-figures in the game as the Broncos (8-5, 1-0 West Coast Conference) won their third straight and fourth in their last five outings. Santa Clara made 35 of its 41 free throw attempts in the game and outrebounded the Pilots by 20, 43-23. SCU's 35 free throws marked equaled the fourth-most in a single game in Broncos basketball history.
Brody Angley added 17 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, while Brandon Rohe had a season-high 14. and shot 3-of-4 from behind the three-point arc.
Eugene Jeter scored a season-high 29 points to lead the Pilots (6-9, 0-1), who lost at Santa Clara for the 29th time in 35 games. Donald Wilson added 12 and Darren Cooper had 11.
Santa Clara, the WCC's leading defensive team, allowed its second most points of the season and its most at home since losing to Gonzaga in last year's conference opener.
It was also Portland's best offensive night on the road. The Pilots had averaged 56.6 points in six previous road games.
A 13-0 run that bridged both halves put the Broncos ahead 45-36 early in the second. Santa Clara never lost the lead but could not shake the Pilots, who have won just once in seven road games.
Jeter scored 17 of his team's 22 points during a 6:30 stretch that brought Portland within 73-69 with 3:47 remaining to play.
Calvin Johnson hit a key 3-pointer with 2:01 left to put Santa Clara up 80-71 and the Broncos were able to hang on the rest of the way.
Rohe made four of his first six shots, including 3-of-4 from long range, for 11 first-half points. He had made just four of his previous 24 3-point attempts.
The Broncos scored the last seven points of the first half to take a 39-36 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Santa Clara hosts Gonzaga Monday night at 9 p.m. in the Leavey Center. The game is sold-out but will be televised on ESPN2 and live Internet coverage is available via Broncos All-Access.
