NICEVILLE, Fla. – Santa Clara's perfect start to the season remains intact after yet another win over a Pac 12 opponent. This time it was against the previously undefeated Oregon Ducks in the first game of the Emerald Coast Classic. The Broncos defeated the Ducks 88-82 to advance to Saturday's championship game against Ohio State (4-1). 

The win was Santa Clara's first over Oregon since Nov. 29, 1997, breaking a three-game losing skid to the Ducks. It's also the Broncos' second win over a Pac 12 team in as many weeks (89-77 at Stanford) and is the third-straight win for Herb Sendek's squad against the conference dating back to last season. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Santa Clara shot the ball well out of the gate with a 52 percent clip in the first half. Jake Ensminger led the scoring charge with a career-high nine points in the opening 20 minutes while Tyeree Bryan chipped in seven first half points.
• The Broncos played solid defensively in the opening half, holding the Ducks to just 39 percent shooting (12-of-31), however more than half of their field goals came from beyond the arc (7-of-19). The tally prevented Santa Clara from extending their lead to anything more than seven points.
• Oregon (4-1) grabbed their first lead early in the second half, using a 9-0 run to make it 46-44. 
• Adama-Alpha Bal, who finished with a career-best 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting, put the team on his back and went on a scoring spree of his own. The junior from Le Mans, France accounted for 14 of the Broncos' next 16 points, including a conventional 3 that gave Santa Clara the lead for good with 11:26 to play. 
• The Broncos stretched their lead to as much as 11 with just over 2:00 to play. Oregon made things interesting inside those final two minutes with a late 9-2 run that cut the deficit to four at 84-80, however Santa Clara took care of business at the free throw line to put a stop to the comeback bid. 

 
NOTABLE NUMBERS:

• Bal's 25 points surpassed his 23 points against Stanford for the most of his young career. He also finished with five rebounds and four assists.
• Christoph Tilly had another fantastic game with 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting with seven rebounds. 
• Carlos Marshall Jr. and Tyeree Bryan each had 12 points while Ensminger finished with nine points and seven rebounds (both career highs). 
• The Broncos shot 52 percent for the night - their second game this year of shooting 50 percent or better. 
• Santa Clara edged the Ducks in rebounds, 39-36. 
• Santa Clara is 6-0 for the second time in the last four years (2020-21). 
• The Broncos are now 8-9 against Pac 12 teams under Herb Sendek. 

 
NEXT UP:
The Broncos will play for the Emerald Coast Classic Championship Trophy on Saturday against Ohio State, who defeated No. 15 Alabama, 92-81, to punch their ticket to the title game.