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Balanced Offensive Attack Leads Men’s Basketball Past Boston College, 62-45, in Sunday’s Wooden Legacy Finale

Balanced Offensive Attack Leads Men’s Basketball Past Boston College, 62-45, in Sunday’s Wooden Legacy Finale

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Sophomore guard Kai Healy came off the bench to score a career-high 14 points and junior forward Nate Kratch added a double-double (12 points/10 rebounds) to lead a balanced scoring attack in a 62-45 victory for Santa Clara men's basketball over Boston College on Sunday, during the final day of the DIRECTV Wooden Legacy at Honda Center.

Leading scorer Jared Brownridge was held to nine points, but he was among seven Broncos to score six or more in the seventh-place game, which Santa Clara (1-7) took control of with a 12-0 run to close the first half.

The Broncos, who held the Eagles (3-3) to 28 percent shooting from the floor, extended a 12-point halftime lead to 44-26 with 13:29 left in the game on a KJ Feagin layup.

Healy, who was 4-for-8 from the floor, including 2 of 3 on 3-pointers, scored on a backdoor layup off an Evan Wardlow feed to extend the lead to 57-33 with 6:46 on the clock.

A Brownridge 3-pointer from the top of the key at 4:48 extended the lead to a game-high 25, but the final margin of 17 was as close as Boston College got in the final 11 minutes and the Broncos pulled out their first win of the season.

"I'm really proud and happy for our kids," Santa Clara head coach Kerry Keating said. "It's been a rough month for us for obvious reasons, but I know we've been getting better."

Senior guard Eli Carter, a transfer from Florida, scored a game-high 16 points for Boston College, which was just 4-for-26 from the beyond the 3-point line and was out-rebounded 39 to 34.

Healy had a career-best seven rebounds and Kratch posted his second double-double of the season.

Jadersten had eight points, while Feagin, Matt Hubbard and Matt Hauser chipped in six apiece.

"We got production from three guys that needed it; Henrik, Matt and Kai off the bench," Keating said. "Those guys were producing well for us in practice and haven't so much in the games. They really came in and gave us a spark, put the ball in the basket and rebounded the ball."

Jadersten hit back-to-back 3-pointers in a 32-second span to give the Broncos a 29-21 lead with 3:08 left in the first half.

Boston College hit only 1 of its last 12 field goals in the first half and was held scoreless for final 5:58.

The Broncos kept the pressure on early in the second half, attacking the basket on the break and in the halfcourt.

Kratch had a pair of baskets in the paint and Brownridge scored in transition in the opening three minutes.

"We want to be aggressive on the offensive and defensive ends," Kratch said. "The games before we were kind of hesitant, not really pushing the issue."

Santa Clara held the Eagles to just two made field goals in the opening six-plus minutes of the second half.

"We had the communication going on transition defense, then we were finishing plays, boxing out and rebounding the ball." Kratch said. "Once we got the ball, we were pushing it in transition and getting good looks."

The Broncos pushed No. 11/10 Arizona to overtime in the opening round of the eight-team tournament on Thursday, before falling 75-73. Then on Friday in a consolation-round matchup, Evansville outlasted Santa Clara, 69-57. Both of those games were played at Cal State Fullerton.

After five straight games away from home, the Broncos are finally back in Leavey Center Saturday when they play host to San Jose State. The game will tip off at 7 p.m.

Notes: Santa Clara and Boston College met for the second time. The Eagles knocked off Santa Clara, 62-45, on Dec. 29, 1991, in the Cable Car Classic … Jared Brownridge needs one more 3-pointer to move from seventh to sixth on the school's career list. He has 204 and Evan Roquemore posted 205 (2010-14) … Kratch recorded his only other career double-double earlier this season vs. UC Riverside (Nov. 19) when he posted 22 points and 12 rebounds ... the Eagles shooting percentage (28.3) was the lowest of any Santa Clara opponent this season.