Ticket Information | VIDEO: Brownridge Hits Game-Winning 3-Pointer vs. LMU | VIDEO: Highlights/Interviews | Men's Basketball Defeats LMU | AUDIO: Sendek Postgame Interview | AUDIO: Brownridge Postgame Interview
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Another close matchup for Santa Clara men's basketball … another game-winning shot from Jared Brownridge.
Brownridge scored a game-high 25 points, including a 3-pointer with 2.7 seconds left, to lift the Broncos to a thrilling 64-63 victory over Loyola Marymount on Saturday afternoon
Buay Tuach scored a team-high 13 points and Brandon Brown added 12, including the final four, for LMU (9-10, 2-6), which defeated the Broncos just two weeks ago in Los Angeles.
Brown's 3-pointer from the right wing with 1:49 left gave the Lions a 62-61 lead, their first in more than 12 minutes of action.
After a turnover and missed 3-pointer from Santa Clara's KJ Feagin, Brown was fouled with 22.9 seconds left and went to the free-throw line where he was only able to convert 1 of 2 for a two-point LMU advantage.
Matt Hauser was the only other Santa Clara (11-10, 5-3) player in double figures, tallying 10 points and five assists, with his final one setting up Brownridge's heroics.
Brownridge, who had 17 of the team's 28 second-half points, came off a screen on the right side and Hauser fed him with roughly 6 seconds left. Brownridge maneuvered near the top of the key for a step-back 3-pointer, which swished through the net (AUDIO: Call of Brownridge Game-Winner).
"I told Jared and the whole team that I stand in awe in his ability to play with poise and composure under pressure and more than that, perform under pressure, and more than that to move onto the next play," Santa Clara head coach Herb Sendek said. "He has this even keel about him—he doesn't get too high, he doesn't get too low, and I'm in awe of people like that. That shot tonight epitomizes what he has meant to this program"
VIDEO | @23jbrown on Game-Winner/Saturday's Atmosphere in Leavey @SantaClaraHoops #StampedeAhead #SCUBroncos https://t.co/7alMEBTXhI pic.twitter.com/aNLDieHKb7
— Santa Clara Broncos (@SCUBroncos) January 22, 2017
Each team turned the ball over 16 times, but the final one for the Lions proved costly.
Kelvin Amayo threw away the inbounds pass after Brownridge's basket. Santa Clara's Emmanuel Ndumanya was fouled on the inbounds play, but missed the front end of a one-and-one. LMU's Steven Haney got the rebound and fed Brown who launched a desperate attempt in the backcourt, which was well off target.
Brownridge had five of the team's nine second-half field goals and assisted on three of the other four.
"I didn't know it was in, but I had full confidence in myself and I know my teammates did as well," Brownridge said of his game-winner. "We talked about it in the huddle and they have all seen me do it before because they've been here and they all trusted me."
Brownridge now has the game-winning or go-ahead points in three of Santa Clara's last five victories. He had the game-winning layup in last week's 59-57 triumph over San Diego and the go-ahead basket and a pair of insurance free throws in an 87-80 double-overtime victory at Valparaiso (Dec. 22).
The senior guard also registered his fourth-career game-winning shot with seven seconds or less on the clock:
• Jan. 19, 2014: 3-pointer with 2 seconds left in 57-55 win vs. Saint Mary's
• Feb. 28, 2015: layup with 7 seconds left in 71-70 vs. Saint Mary's
• Jan. 14, 2016: 3-pointer with 1 second left in 62-60 win vs. Pepperdine
He almost didn't have a chance at a game-winning shot as the Broncos went more than six minutes without a field goal after Nate Kratch's layup gave Santa Clara a 58-53 lead with 6:47 left.
Tuach's steal off Brownridge and breakaway dunk with 2:39 left tied the game at 59-all, but Brownridge hit a pair of free throws on the next possession, setting up Brown's go-ahead 3-pointer.
VIDEO | @23jbrown's game-winning three-pointer with 2.7 seconds to play! @SantaClaraHoops #StampedeAhead #SCUBroncos https://t.co/JbUtPJgMq1 pic.twitter.com/Zw27KsZNJw
— Santa Clara Broncos (@SCUBroncos) January 22, 2017
Santa Clara led for the first 19 minutes of the first half, but never by more than six points. The Broncos led only 36-35 after the opening 20 minutes, despite shooting a one-half season-best 63 percent from the floor.
But the Lions, which were in a full-court press for much of the game, forced Santa Clara into seven turnovers in the first half and connected on 9 of 12 from the free-throw line.
The Broncos continue their four-game homestand Thursday when BYU visits Leavey Center. The game between the Broncos and Cougars is set for 8 p.m.
Team Notes: Today's game was the 149th in the series, one that began in 1937. The Broncos now hold a 90-59 lead. Santa Clara has won six of the last nine, including all three meetings in 2015-16. The Lions were victorious 66-56 when the teams met earlier this season … Santa Clara recorded nine steals, its second-best mark of the season ... Loyola Marymount entered the game leading the league in turnovers forced per game at 13.89 and the Broncos had 16, tied for their second-most this season. They had 17 vs. UC Davis (Nov. 12) and 16 at San Jose State (Dec. 3), both Santa Clara losses … the Broncos eclipsed their best shooting half of the season in the opening 20 minutes (62.5 percent). They connected on 60 percent (18 of 30) shooting from the field in the second half vs. Pepperdine (Jan. 14) and shot 60 percent (15 of 25) in the final 20 minutes vs. Sacred Heart (Nov. 21).
Individual Notes: Brownridge (25 points) has scored 20 or more in the last four games ... Brownridge started his 117th career game, which places him alone in second on the school's all-time list. He snapped a tie with Brian Jones (1996-01) and trails only all-time leader Kevin Foster (125/2008-13) … Feagin dished out five assists in the first half and finished the game with a season-high tying seven (four times). However, he also turned the ball over four times after only having a total of three in the last three games ... Hauser (five) had his 10th game this year with five or more assists ... Hauser matched his career high with three steals … Kratch, Ndumanya, Hauser and Brownridge played the entire second half. Evan Wardlow was the only sub in the second half, playing three minutes for Feagin, who was in foul trouble and ended up disqualified in the final minute of play.
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