SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Five Broncos scored in double figures as Santa Clara shot 53.7 percent from the floor en route to a 79-60 victory over LMU on Thursday night inside the Leavey Center.
Josip Vrankic and Keshawn Justice led the way with 13 points apiece while Jalen Williams and Carlos Stewart finished with 12 points. PJ Pipes was the Broncos' fifth scorer in double figures and Parker Braun just barely missed giving Santa Clara a sixth with nine points.
It was a big night for Vrankic and Justice in particular. Vrankic entered the game needing 10 points to tie for 10th on the program's top-10 career scoring list, and with 13 points on a perfect 4-of-4 FG night, he sits in sole possession of 10th place with 1,646 points. The Toronto native also pulled down five rebounds and dished out four assists.
Justice pulled down 10 rebounds, all on the defensive end, to tally his WCC-leading eighth double-double of the season.
Santa Clara (15-8, 5-3) led by four at the halftime break at 35-31 with Stewart scoring nine of his 12 points in the opening 20 minutes to lead the scoring attack.
The Broncos held on to that lead for the entirety of the second half, however LMU did chip it down to a three-point game at 48-45 with 12:33 remaining. Santa Clara had an answer as they used a 10-2 run to build a double digit lead that would hold true for the rest of the way as LMU was unable to keep up with SCU's hot shooting (15-of-27 FG in second half). The Broncos led by as much as 23 at 77-54 with just over three minutes to play.
Santa Clara outscored the Lions 42-20 in the paint, tallied 17 assists and won the battle of the boards, 39-24.
LMU (9-11, 2-6) was paced by 14 points from Keli Leaupepe and Joe Quintana. The Lions were held to a 37.9 shooting clip (22-of-58) and just 28 percent from 3-point range (7-of-25).
NOTES
- Jalen Williams and Keshawn Justice have now scored 10 or more in 21-of-23 games this year.
- Santa Clara has had four or more score in double figures in 16 games. This is the fifth time that five Broncos have scored in double figures.
- Santa Clara is now 93-64 all-time against LMU.
POSTGAME VIDEO
Another great win in league play. @HerbSendek breaks it down#StampedeAhead pic.twitter.com/Q9cQXRQbg2
— Santa Clara Men's Basketball (@SantaClaraHoops) February 4, 2022
.@Carlos_Stewart_ finishes with 12 points in 17 minutes to help the Broncos take care of business#StampedeAhead pic.twitter.com/YyFoi3xgVG
— Santa Clara Men's Basketball (@SantaClaraHoops) February 4, 2022
NEXT UP
- The Broncos hit the road for San Diego to take on the Toreros on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 4:00 p.m. PT.
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