SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Carlos Stewart and Keshawn Justice put on an offensive clinic on Thursday evening, combining for 12 3-pointers and 55 points to power Santa Clara men's basketball to a come-from-behind 86-74 victory over UC Irvine. The win was SCU's first-ever over the Anteaters in breaking a six-game losing skid.
The Broncos (10-3) shot 50.9 percent for the night and knocked down a season-high 14 3-pointers.
Stewart, who checked into the game averaging 20 points over the last five contests, was absolutely electric once again, turning in his second-straight career-high point total. This time it was a 29-point extravaganza on 8-of-12 shooting. The sophomore dealt the bulk of his damage in the second half, converting on 5-of-6 attempts, including a 4-for-5 mark from beyond the arc for 21 points.
Not to be outdone by his younger teammate, graduate forward Keshawn Justice also turned in a career-best outing, tying his career-high point total of 26 on 8-of-14 shooting with a career-best 7-for-12 mark from distance. The Madison, Wisc., product also pulled down a team-best six rebounds and dished out five assists.
Things looked bleak in the early goings for the Broncos as they found themselves in an 11-point deficit late in the opening half, but a 12-2 run powered by four-straight 3-pointers from Stewart, Justice, Brandin Podziemski and Parker Braun cut it to a one-point game with 1:35 left in the period. The Anteaters knocked down a late trey of their own before Justice ended the half with a bucket in the paint to make it a four-point SCU deficit at 41-37.
UC Irvine (7-4) stretched their lead to double figures once again in the second half, leading 56-45 with under 14 minutes to play, but Justice went on a solo 8-0 run to cut it back to a one-possession game. The Anteaters answered with a 3-ball to end the run, but Justice and Stewart both connected on triples on the next two possessions to tie the game at 61. Less than a minute later, the Broncos took the lead outright on a Stewart layup, and it was all SCU from there as they mounted as much as a 15-point advantage before settling for the 12-point victory.
Jaden Bediako also finished in double figure scoring, finishing with 10 points to go with four rebounds, four assists and two steals. Braun chipped in eight points while Podziemski finished with seven points.
The Broncos were edged on the boards, 31-27, but committed just 10 turnovers against 18 for the Anteaters. UC Irvine shot just shy of 50 percent at 28-of-57 (49.1) and was 11-for-23 from distance. Dawson Baker and Justin Hohn scored 14 each to lead the way for UCI.
Santa Clara returns to action on Sunday for a 2:00 p.m. tip against the Cal Golden Bears inside the Leavey Center.
POSTGAME INTERVIEWS
.@HerbSendek discussed the Broncos big victory with @PassarelliVoice #StampedeAhead pic.twitter.com/R9z3uYiH3l
— Santa Clara Men's Basketball (@SantaClaraHoops) December 16, 2022
After knocking down a career-high 7 treys and tying his career high of 26 points, @tiggo3justice also joined the postgame show. #StampedeAhead pic.twitter.com/3YP9xGMurH
— Santa Clara Men's Basketball (@SantaClaraHoops) December 16, 2022
GAME NOTES
- This is the third time this season that two Broncos have scored 20 or more points. Podziemski and Stewart acheived the feat against both Eastern Washington and Sacramento State.
- Justice continues to climb up the school's all-time scoring record list. He is now tied with Marlon Garnett (1993-97) for 22nd with 1,346 points.
