SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Josip Vrankic posted 17 points and 14 rebounds, and Miguel Tomley scored 15 in his first-career start to help lead Santa Clara men's basketball past Cal Poly for a come-from-behind 76-69 road victory on Wednesday.

Vrankic had 13 points and Keshawn Justice scored 12 of his 14 in the second half for the Broncos (5-0) who erased a 10-point halftime deficit in their first road game of the season.

Despite missing two starters, Santa Clara shot 53 percent from the floor (17 of 32) and held the Mustangs (1-2) to just 9-for-33 from the field in the final 20 minutes in recording its 10th-straight nonconference win.

Kobe Sanders and Alimamy Koroma led the Mustangs with 16 points apiece.

The Broncos scored the first nine points of the second half and pulled ahead 53-52, their first lead of the game, on Vrankic's layup with 9:49 remaining. That bucket was part of 13-2 run that pushed the advantage to 61-54 after Giordan Williams' jumper less than 2 minutes later.

Cal Poly, which led by as many as 15 in the opening half, was unable to get closer than four points the rest of the way.

Guglielmo Caruso's inside bucket with 2:02 left increased the lead to 71-61.  

The aggressiveness of the Broncos in the second half helped them score 22 of their 43 points in the paint.

Santa Clara shot a season-best 47.5 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Cal Poly, 42-36, including 24-19 in the final 20 minutes.

Camren Pierce registered 15 points and Keith Smith added 10 for the Mustangs who were 18-for-22 from the free-throw line.

NOTES
• Santa Clara leads the all-time series, 6-4, though Cal Poly captured three of the previous four meetings. The Mustangs won the two prior meetings at home.
• Cal Poly shot just 37.3 percent from the floor, but it was the highest mark this season against the Broncos who entered the game allowing opponents to shoot just 32.0 percent from the floor, the seventh-best mark in the NCAA.
• Santa Clara held a 36-18 scoring advantage in the paint and Cal Poly had a 34-19 edge in bench scoring.
• DJ Mitchell made his first start of the season and Miguel Tomley was in the starting lineup for the first time in his career. Trent Hudgens Jr. saw his first career action. The freshman suffered a leg injury and didn't play in the first four games. He tallied six points in six minutes off the bench.
• Starters Jalen Williams (foot) and Christian Carlyle (concussion protocol) were not available.
• Josip Vrankic (17 points/14 rebounds) recorded the 13th double-double of his career and second of the season. His rebounding total was one shy of his career high set against San Francisco (Feb. 9, 2019) and Nicholls (Nov. 28, 2020).
• Tomley entered the game with five points in 26 minutes of action in his previous three outings, but went 4-for-7 from the floor and made all five free throws in scoring a career-high 15 points in 34 minutes of action.
• Jaden Bediako had three of the team's six blocks and now has a team-high nine on the season.

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Check out the @HerculesTires Strong Plays of the Game from Wednesday's victory at Cal Poly!#TeamFirst #StampedeAhead pic.twitter.com/VNJy7rmRiT

— Santa Clara Men's Basketball (@SantaClaraHoops) December 11, 2020

��️ Hear from head coach @HerbSendek on tonight's victory over Cal Poly!

Postgame interview presented by @ROATweets.#TeamFirst #StampedeAhead pic.twitter.com/apyXQQnx8c

— Santa Clara Men's Basketball (@SantaClaraHoops) December 10, 2020

NEXT UP
The Broncos face Sacramento State on Saturday in Santa Cruz, California. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. in Kaiser Permanente Arena. However, fans will not be permitted in the facility.

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