SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara men's basketball capped off a three-game homestand with one of its most impressive wins of the season.

Josip Vrankic posted 26 points, Jalen Williams scored 17, including 13 in the second half, and Christian Carlyle added 16, along with a key defensive play, for the Broncos who posted a hard-fought 86-82 win over Pepperdine on Saturday afternoon.

Colbey Ross had 26 points on 9 of 14 shooting from the floor and Jan Zidek scored a career-high 18 for the Waves (10-9, 6-4) who despite leading for only 41 seconds of the second half had a chance to tie or take the lead in the final 20 seconds.

With Santa Clara ahead 84-82, Carlyle drew a charge on a potential game-tying basket by Ross with 8.3 seconds left. Williams was fouled on the subsequent inbounds play and sank both free throws for the final margin of victory.

Giordan Williams, who had 10 points, nailed a short jumper over Ross with 20 seconds left for an 84-79 lead. However, Ross raced down court and converted a 3-point play and then Santa Clara's Jaden Bediako missed a pair of free throws with 16 seconds left to set up the final sequence.

The Broncos (10-6, 4-4), who had lost the first two games of the homestand to LMU on Tuesday and San Diego on Thursday, set season-highs free throws attempted (36) and made (27), including an 8-for-9 effort from Vrankic and 7 of 8 by Jalen Williams.

The game turned midway through the second half when Santa Clara went on a 13-2 spurt.

Vrankic and Miguel Tomley each nailed shots behind the 3-point line before Giordan Williams' 3-pointer made the score 70-60 with 9 minutes left.

But Pepperdine, which had won its last three and four of five, was back within five points less than 2 minutes later.

Santa Clara also set a season-high with 16 assists, including a career-best six by Tomley and a season-best five from Carlyle.

The Broncos scored 12 of the first 14 points of the game, including 10 from Vrankic who missed his seventh double-double of the season by one rebound.

That advantage was erased with a 13-0 run, including seven straight points by Ross, as Pepperdine took a 21-17 lead midway through the opening half.

Neither team shot the ball well in the opening half as they combined to go only 2 of 14 from beyond the 3-point line.

Santa Clara shot 49 percent from the floor in the game, including 57 percent in the second half. Pepperdine connected on 47 percent overall, including 57 percent in the second half.

The Waves, the top free-throw shooting team in the league entering the game (78 percent), were only 21-for-30 (67 percent).

For the third-straight game, Santa Clara played without second-leading scorer Keshawn Justice due to concussion protocol.

Check out the @HerculesTires Strong Plays of the Game from Saturday's victory over Pepperdine!#TeamFirst #StampedeAhead #WCCHoops pic.twitter.com/JPbRo8ZXkC

— Santa Clara Men's Basketball (@SantaClaraHoops) February 21, 2021

NOTES
• Santa Clara holds an 80-62 lead, including wins in seven of the last 10, in a series that began in 1956. Pepperdine had won the last two and three of the last five. The Broncos have captured seven of the last eight regular season meetings.
• Santa Clara's point total was its highest during a non-overtime WCC game since a 106-55 home win over Pepperdine on Feb. 16, 2017.
• Santa Clara was tagged with 25 fouls, the most this season, and fourth-straight game with more than 20.
• The Waves were whistled for 28 fouls, second-most against them this season (29 vs. UCLA, Nov. 27).
• With 26 points, Josip Vrankic moved from 22nd into 20th on the school's all-time scoring list, passing Marlon Garnett (1993-97/1,346) and Jens Gordon (1985-89/1,356). Vrankic now has 1,369 points. Vrankic recorded his fifth 20-point outing of the season
• Jalen Williams (17 points) had scored in double figures in four of the last five games.
• Jaden Bediako had his most productive game in conference play with eight points and four rebounds. A 46-percent free-throw shooter this season he made his first four attempts at the line before missing a pair with 16 seconds left in the game.
• Giordan Williams earned his first-career start in place of an injured Keshawn Justice and posted his second double-digit scoring game of the season with 10 points. He went 2-for-4 from behind the 3-point line.
• Christian Carlyle (16 points) registered his fifth double-digit scoring game of the season and was one shy of his season-high (vs. Colorado State, Dec. 22).  

��️ Hear from Coach @HerbSendek on today's victory over Pepperdine!

Postgame interview presented by @ROATweets.#TeamFirst #StampedeAhead #WCCHoops pic.twitter.com/BxJmzVe8KU

— Santa Clara Men's Basketball (@SantaClaraHoops) February 21, 2021

��️ Here's @JdubPSCEO on today's victory over Pepperdine!

Postgame interview presented by @ROATweets. #TeamFirst #StampedeAhead #WCCHoops pic.twitter.com/ibpwYvazYL

— Santa Clara Men's Basketball (@SantaClaraHoops) February 21, 2021

NEXT UP
The Broncos finish the regular season next week with games at top-ranked Gonzaga on Thursday and Portland at home on Saturday.

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