SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Season highs in points, rebounds and 3-pointers from
Tyeree Bryan Saturday afternoon weren't enough for the Santa Clara University men's basketball team to overcome a couple of crucial runs by visiting Yale, as the Bulldogs pulled away late to hold off the Broncos, 66-58, at Leavey Center.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
- A short glance at the box score would prove puzzling as to how Saturday's game wasn't closer in the end. The teams were nearly identical in numerous statistical categories, including shooting percentage (Yale's 37.3% to Santa Clara's 36.8%), rebounds (45-43 Yale), points in the paint (32-30 Yale), free throws made (10-8 Santa Clara) and steals (7-5 Yale).
- What's further, Santa Clara (9-6) dominated in specialty categories like bench points (23-4) and second-chance points (17-6), led in large part by Bryan scoring a season-high 17 with a season-best nine rebounds coming in as a substitution 2 1/2 minutes into the game.
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- Where the game was decided was two key stretches of cold shooting for the Broncos. The Bulldogs had their own offensive woes Saturday, but they took advantage of those Santa Clara cold streaks to build double-digit leads both times.
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- The first spot happened at the end of the first half and into the second. A Christoph Tilly layup tied the game at 21-21 for Santa Clara after Yale got out to a nine-point lead only four minutes into the contest. But the Broncos missed their next eight shots, and went only 3 for 18 stretching into the first five minutes of the second half. That allowed Yale to build a 14-point, 44-30 advantage.
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- The Broncos didn't back down, though, surging back with a hot streak that saw them hit five of six shots, including three 3-pointers from Bryan to tie another season high for him, to pull within five at 55-50 with 7 minutes, 46 minutes remaining. But once again Santa Clara missed its next eight shots in a row, while Yale built its lead back up to 11 with less than 30 seconds to play.
NOTABLE NUMBERS
- 3: Three Broncos scored in double figures Saturday, led by Bryan's 17. Johnny O'Neil scored 16 with five rebounds and two assists, and Tilly notched 11 with five boards and an assist.
- 8: Santa Clara tied a season high with eight blocks. It was the team's most since the season opener versus Utah Tech on Nov. 8, when it also had eight. Tilly led the Broncos with four while O'Neil added three.
NEXT UP
- Santa Clara opens West Coast Conference play in the new year on Thursday in Southern California. The Broncos' conference-opening road trip begins at LMU at 8 p.m., then moves to Pepperdine at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
