WATCH | EYEBRONCO's Highlights from the Game
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Jared Brownridge became the 33rd player in Santa Clara history to score 1,000 career points when he nailed a three pointer with 9:01 left in the first half and finished with a game-high 18 points but the occasion was spoiled by the Pacific Tigers in a 64-57 loss Thursday at the Leavey Center.
Santa Clara falls to 12-17 overall and 6-11 in the West Coast Conference while Pacific improves to the same numbers. The Broncos conclude the regular season Saturday, Feb. 28, with Senior Day against St. Mary's. Game time is set for 5:00 p.m. at the Leavey Center.
The Broncos shot 55.6 percent in the second half and made a push to overcome a disastrous first half stretch that saw them go without a point for over eight minutes.
The Broncos shot 43.4 percent from the field (23 of 53), including 26.1 percent from beyond the arc (6 of 23). The Broncos added 62.5 percent from the foul line (5 of 8). They corralled 30 rebounds, 10 assists, 7 steals, 4 blocks and 11 turnovers.
Denzel Johnson reached double-figures for a third straight game to match a career-long streak with 12 points and Brandon Clark scored 10. Nate Kratch had a game-high nine rebounds and finished with four points.
Pacific shot 40.4 percent from the field (21 of 52), including 15.4 percent from three (2 of 13). From the foul line, they shot 66.7 percent (20 of 30). They tallied 42 rebounds, 15 assists, 9 steals, 4 blocks and 14 turnovers.
Eric Thompson and Ray Bowles both accumulated their team-high scoring total of 11 in the second half. Gabriel Aguirre and T.J. Wallace both scored 10 points to pace the Tigers.
Trailing by three at halftime, the Broncos could never close the gap and had their rallies thwarted by the Tigers.
Down 39-32, Brownridge hit an elbow jumper and Hubbard was credited with a basket on a goaltending call to get the Broncos within 39-36 with 11:10 left in the half but Thompson responded for UOP.
A corner three from Brownridge, his fourth of the game, kept the Broncos within five at 47-42, but again the Tigers replied with consecutive buckets to extend the lead to nine with 5:22 left.
The game got off to a rough start on both sides as the teams combined to make just five of their first 27 shots and didn't reach double figures until the midway point in the half when Dulani Robinson hit two free throws to give Pacific an 8-2 lead at 10:40.
The Broncos missed 15 of their first 16 field goals and went 8:15 without a point after Nate Kratch tied the game at 2-2 with a putback at 18:35.
Santa Clara then went cold missing 10 consecutive shots and didn't score until Brownridge scored seven straight over a 1:20 to tie the game at 10-10. He capped the spurt with a three-pointer for his 1,000th career point.
NOTES: Starters for the Broncos (career starts): Brandon Clark (66), Nate Kratch (22), Denzel Johnson (40), Jared Brownridge (62) and Jarvis Pugh (13).