SAN DIEGO – Santa Clara men's basketball started slow for the second-straight game, but Sunday's West Coast Conference meeting with San Diego ended with a road win.

Jalen Williams scored a season-high 15 and dished out a season-best five assists, Josip Vrankic (15 points/12 rebounds) and Guglielmo Caruso (11 points/10 rebounds) each had double-doubles, and the Broncos rode their hot shooting from behind the 3-point line to post a 69-63 comeback win over San Diego.

Vladimir Pinchuk also had a double-double with a game-high 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Toreros (1-5, 0-2) who were playing their first game since Dec. 31 because of a pause in team activities due to COVID-19 protocols.

Finn Sullivan scored 13 and Jared Rodriguez added 11 points for short-handed San Diego which was missing two starters and dressed only nine players.

Vrankic's bucket with 5:33 left pushed the Santa Clara (8-3, 2-1) lead to 65-53, but the Toreros scored six of the next seven, including back-to-back baskets from Rodriguez.

San Diego pulled within 67-62 on two free throws from Josh Parrish, but the Broncos were able to do just enough at the line (only 2-for-5 in the final 1:01) and the Toreros missed their final three shots from the floor.

The Broncos, who surrendered the first 14 points in Thursday's road loss to Pacific, shot only 38 percent from the floor in the game, but were a season-best 55 percent (11-for-20) from behind the 3-point line and held the Toreros to 35 percent from the field.

"It was great to finally shoot like we are capable of we are shooting (on 3-pointers) and see the ball go in," Santa Clara head coach Herb Sendek said.

San Diego scored the first 10 points of the game and led 17-7 as the Broncos turned the ball over eight times in the opening 8 minutes.

Back to back 3-pointers from DJ Mitchell and Williams helped spark a 28-9 run that pushed Santa Clara into a 35-26 lead with 3:14 left in the opening half. Williams had all 12 of his first half points in that flurry.

"To our guys credit, they took the punch out of the gates and really played well for a prolonged period," Sendek said. "And then had a stretch where we not only did we turn it over but we took some really quick shots and allowed them to get right back in it. Nonetheless a good road win."

The second-half lead grew to 55-40 with 13 minutes left on a 3-pointer from Keshawn Justice who had nine points, all on 3-pointers, and six rebounds.

Santa Clara led by at least five points for the final 23 minutes of the game.

Mitchell and Christian had eight points, six rebounds and four assists off the bench. Vrankic had 10 points in the second half.

☎️ ������������ ��ℕ FROM DISTANCE ☎️@SantaClaraHoops made 11 3-pointers and shot 55 percent from beyond the arc, both season-best marks, in Sunday's @WCCSports victory at San Diego!#TeamFirst #StampedeAhead #WCCHoops pic.twitter.com/J9C3xL5TYD

— Santa Clara Broncos (@SCUBroncos) January 21, 2021

NOTES
• Today's game was originally scheduled for Saturday, but was postponed due to COVID-19 protocol.
• In a series that began in 1953, Santa Clara leads, 51-38, with wins in 12 of the last 17 meetings. The Broncos have won five of the last eight at San Diego.
• San Diego played without starters Joey Calceterra and Yauhen Massalski and only seven players saw action. Santa Clara had nine players see the floor but four - Josip Vrankic, Keshawn Justice, Christian Carlyle and Jalen Williams - each played 34 or more minutes.
• After matching their season-best of 77.8 percent (14 of 18) from the free-throw line in each of the previous two games, the Broncos went 16 of 26 (61.5 percent), including 4-for-10 in the final 2:27.
• In addition to connecting on a season-high 55 percent from behind the 3-point line, Santa Clara's 11 makes were a season-best, eclipsing the eight against Fresno Pacific (Dec. 15).
• Vrankic (15 points/12 rebounds) recorded his 15th career double-double, including fourth this season. He entered the game tied for second in the WCC in that category. Guglielmo Caruso (11 points/10 rebounds) logged his fourth career double-double and first of the season.
• Vrankic moved from 23rd into a tie for 22nd in the school's all-time scoring list. He now has 1,280 points, along with Ralph Ogden (1967-70).
• The second-leading rebounder in the WCC (8.2 per game), Vrankic led the team in rebounds (12) for the seventh time this season, including fifth in a row.

NEXT UP
The Broncos will play San Francisco on Thursday in Santa Cruz. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Fans will not be permitted in Kaiser Permanente Arena.

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