HIGHLIGHTS: Men's Basketball Defeats Cal | AUDIO: Justice Halftime Interview on KTRB
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara men's basketball had one of its best defensive performances of the season following one of its worst.
Guglielmo Caruso posted a game-high 16 points and pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds to help the Broncos power past California, 71-52, on Saturday to remain undefeated at home on the season.
In the first meeting at Santa Clara between the Bay Area schools since 1992, the Broncos (9-2) nearly led the entire game, trailing just once by a single point midway through the opening half.
Junior DJ Mitchell scored 13 off the bench, freshman Jalen Williams, who made his first career start, added 12 and Trey Wertz chipped in 10 for the Broncos who held the Bears to 29 percent shooting from the floor, the lowest by an opponent this season.
Matt Bradley was the lone Cal scorer in double figures with 14 points but on 4-for-15 shooting.
Santa Clara, which is 9-0 in Leavey Center this season, held a double-digit halftime lead but Cal (5-4) cut it to 43-35 to open the second on five straight points by Kareem South who had nine in the game. Cal took advantage of sloppy play by the Broncos (9-2) who had four turnovers and five fouls in the opening 5 minutes of the second half.
However, Williams and Mitchell combined to score the next 10 Bronco points to push the lead back out to double digits at 53-37, where it remained for the rest of the game.
Mitchell put an exclamation mark with a thunderous dunk followed by a 3-pointer to give the Broncos their biggest lead of the game - 19 points - with three minutes remaining. The Bears were held without a field goal for the final 6 minutes, 28 seconds
The Broncos, who overcame 20 turnovers, shot 43 percent from the field and held the Bears to their lowest shooting percentage of the season.
That performance came three days after allowing Nevada to shoot 53 percent from the field (most by an opponent this season) in a 98-67 win in Reno.
Caruso had success underneath the basket and scored 13 of the team's first 21 points as the Broncos led by as many as five through the opening 14 minutes before extending the advantage. The sophomore made all five of his shots from the floor in the half along with collecting seven rebounds.
Josip Vrankic helped pushed the lead to double digits. He helped account for 13 points during a 15-2 run that built a 39-22 advantage, for the biggest lead of the half. In addition to his three baskets, including a pair of 3-pointers, Vrankic assisted on two buckets, including a 3-pointer from Williams.
Cal did score six of the final seven points to trim the halftime lead to 40-28.
Santa Clara was 8-for-17 from the behind the 3-point line in the game and Cal was only 3 of 13.
The margin of victory was the second-most in the series with Cal. The Broncos won 44-23 on Jan. 27, 1931.
SUCCESS AGAINST THE PAC-12
The Broncos won for the second time this season against a Pac-12 team, following being victorious twice against teams from the league last year. Santa Clara had never posted two wins against school from the conference in back-to-back years. The Broncos knocked off Washington State last month and defeated USC and the Cougars last season. Santa Clara went 2-1 against the Pac-12 this season and last.
HIGHLIGHTS | That's ✌️ victories over Pac-12 opponents this season - here are the best plays from today's win against Cal!#TeamFirst #StampedeAhead #SCUBroncos pic.twitter.com/XBCHV6ZoLJ
— Santa Clara Men's Basketball (@SantaClaraHoops) December 8, 2019
DOUBLING UP
Guglielmo Caruso notched his third double-double of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds. That total is tied for first in the WCC this season. He posted first career double-double vs Cal Poly (Nov. 8) when he pulled down a then career-high 10 boards to go along with 15 points. The sophomore followed up with another double-double vs Washington State (Nov. 12) with a career-best 22 points and 10 rebounds.
HOME COOKING
Santa Clara has won 15 of its last 16 nonconference home games. The Broncos have won their last 11 home games overall, dating to last season. That mark is tied for the third-longest stretch in the history of Toso Pavilion/Leavey Center (since 1975-76). The record is 14 in a row, which began with a 79-72 win over Marquette (Dec. 29, 1996) and ended with an 85-75 loss to San Francisco (Jan. 25, 1998).
INTERVIEW | In the postgame interview presented by @ROATweets, head coach @HerbSendek breaks down the victory over @CalMBBall#TeamFirst | #StampedeAhead | #WCCHoops pic.twitter.com/U1mT4cBRwQ
— Santa Clara Men's Basketball (@SantaClaraHoops) December 8, 2019
NOTES
• The Bears lead the all-time series 45-29, but the teams met for just the second time in the last 13 years. Cal defeated the Broncos, 78-66, last year at home. The Bears, who had won six of the previous seven meetings, made their first trip to Santa Clara since Dec. 20, 1992.
• Coach Herb Sendek shook up the starting lineup with Keshawn Justice and Jalen Williams getting the nod over Tahj Eaddy and DJ Mitchell. Justice made his second-career start and first of the season and Williams, a freshman, earned his first.
• Santa Clara scored 18 of its first 24 points of the game in the paint.
• Cal's leading scorer Matt Bradley made only one of his first eight attempts from the floor.
• The Broncos improved to 9-0 this season when scoring at least 70 points.
• Cal shot 28.6 percent from the floor which was the lowest mark by an opponent since Boston College was held to 28.3 in a 62-45 Santa Clara victory on Nov. 29, 2015, in the finale of the Wooden Legacy.
INTERVIEWS | Jalen Williams and Guglielmo Caruso on tonight's victory over Cal!#TeamFirst #StampedeAhead #SCUBroncos pic.twitter.com/Ukg4McW2WO
— Santa Clara Men's Basketball (@SantaClaraHoops) December 8, 2019
NEXT UP
Continuing a six-game homestand that began against Cal, the Broncos face Sacramento State on Saturday. Tipoff is 2 p.m. from Leavey Center.
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