SANTA CLARA, Calif. - It wasn't always pretty, but Santa Clara men's basketball got the victory on Wednesday night, holding off a fiesty Menlo College team for a 64-51 win inside the Leavey Center. The Broncos shot 51.6 percent in the second half and closed the game with a 13-4 run to prevent the upset.
Keshawn Justice had his best game of the year, looking like the preseason All-WCC selection that he was tabbed to be. The graduate forward scored a game-high 17 points and was 5-of-9 from 3-point range. He also dished out a season-best five assists and had a pair of steals. Brandin Podziemski and Jaden Bediako also put some impressive numbers in the winning effort. Podziemski pulled down a career-high 18 rebounds (15 defensive) to go with 11 points for his third double-double of the season while Bediako tallied a season-high four blocks and five rebounds to go with a perfect 5-for-5 shooting night for 11 points.
Despite ultimately finishing with a 13-point victory, it was hardly an easy effort for the Broncos as Menlo College gave the home squad all they could handle. The Oaks (7-3) jumped out to an early 7-2 lead and continued to lead at 17-16 with just over five minutes remaining in the first half. Jacob Holt converted on a 3-point play and Podziemski buried a triple to give the Broncos the lead back, but Menlo's Kaito Williams knocked down two triples of his own in the final 2:32 as part of a 7-2 run to close the half. The score was tied at 24-24 with the teams posting near-identical shooting percentages at 10-of-36 for the Broncos and 10-of-34 for Menlo.
Santa Clara (4-2) came out of the break with a purpose with Justice scoring a quick five points to give the Broncos the lead. The Oaks punched back and tied the game once again at 33-33 and again at 37-37 with 13:41 remaining. SCU had an answer however, using a mini 7-0 run to build a 44-37 advantage. Menlo chipped the deficit to two at 49-47 with 8:31 to play, but that's as close as the Broncos would allow. Santa Clara took charge and scored the next 12 points and finished the game on a 14-4 run to put any hopes of an upset to rest.
The Broncos finished the game with a 38.8 percent scoring clip (26-of-67) while holding Menlo to 32.4 percent (22-of-68). SCU also won the boards with a 50-36 advantage and dished out 20 assists to Menlo's nine.
Corey Le'aupepe led the Oaks with a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds.
The Broncos return to action on Saturday, Nov. 26, with a neutral site contest against Iona in Las Vegas.
POSTGAME INTERVIEW
Coach Sendek sat down with @BenRossTweets to recap tonight's game. #StampedeAhead pic.twitter.com/cMay2gvL76
— Santa Clara Men's Basketball (@SantaClaraHoops) November 24, 2022
GAME NOTES
- Podziemski's 18 rebounds are the most by a Bronco since Josh Martin's 18 vs. Southern California on Dec. 18, 2018.
- Justice scored 14 of his 17 points in the second half, knocking down 4-of-5 from distance.
- The Broncos are 3-0 at home and are 17-4 inside the Leavey Center dating back to the start of the 2021-22 season.
- Brenton Knapper finished with six points and a career-high five assists.
