SAN BRUNO, Calif. – Jared Brownridge was rewarded for his impressive performance before a throng of family and friends in Thursday's win at Valparaiso.
The senior guard was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Week on Monday after lifting the Broncos to an 87-80 double-overtime upset against the Crusaders, who had won 38 of its previous 40 home games and reached the postseason the last six years. He scored 30 points on 10 of 19 shooting from the floor, including 6-for-11 from behind the 3-point line. Brownridge, who played at Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora, Illinois, located 80 miles from Valparaiso, was clutch in extra time, scoring eight points in overtime, including the go-ahead basket in Santa Clara's third win in its last four games.
Brownridge, who had five assists and only one turnover, snapped a 78-all tie with 1:11 left in the second overtime on a driving layup. After Valpo's Shane Hammink scored on a layup with 24 seconds left to cut the deficit to two, Brownridge followed with a pair of free throws. The Broncos closed it out with three free throws following a turnover by the Crusaders whose only other losses this season were to Oregon and Kentucky, a pair of top 10 teams.
Brownridge posted his 10th-career game with 30 or more points, extending his own school record, and moved to 12th on the West Coast Conference career-scoring list, passing Jose Slaughter of Portland (1978-82/1,940). Brownridge now has 1,965 career points and this week is in line to become just the 11th played in WCC history to reach 2,000.
The Broncos (6-7) play at BYU Thursday (6 p.m. Pacific) in the West Coast Conference opener for both teams. Santa Clara faces San Francisco at 3 p.m. Saturday in its league home opener.
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