Feb. 5, 2009
SAN DIEGO- Leading Santa Clara to its fifth straight win, Bronco senior John Bryant had 23 points and 20 rebounds as Santa Clara rallied to defeat San Diego 64-62 in overtime Thursday. It was Bryant's fourth 20+ points/20+ rebound game of the year.
Santa Clara hosts Saint Mary's on Sat., Feb. 7 at 8 pm on COMCAST at the Leavey Center. The game is a sell out.
In addition to leading the country in total rebounds with 343 rebounds this season, Bryant is No. 2 nationally with 18 double-doubles. Bryant also topped the 1,500 career point mark in the win.
Santa Clara (12-13, 4-4) took a 55-52 lead with 13.1 seconds left in the second half after Kevin Foster hit a 3. Johnson made the first of two free throws with 8.2 seconds remaining, intentionally missed the second and teammate Gyno Pomare put back a rebound to tie the game and force an overtime.
San Diego (12-10, 4-4 West Coast Conference), which rallied in the final seconds of the second half to force the extra period, had a chance to tie the game at the buzzer but Trumaine Johnson's shot rimmed out. Johnson led San Diego with 22 points.
Santa Clara shot 47.8% in the game and hit 18 of its 24 free throws. The Broncos outrebounded USD 39-32.
SCU is 2-0 in overtime games this year.