SANTA CLARA, Calif. - At 3-0, Santa Clara men's basketball is off to their best start in conference play since 2003-04, and on Saturday they will look to make it 4-0. To do so, they will have to get through Bay Area Rival Saint Mary's, who currently share the early lead in the WCC standings at 12-6, 3-0.
The Broncos are riding all the momentum from Thursday's incredible last-minute victory over No. 21/23 Gonzaga, their first win over the Bulldogs since Jan. 20, 2011. Adama-Alpha Bal, who finished with a team-high 17 points and career-high six assists, was the hero of the our after burying a tough layup through contact to give the Broncos the lead with just four seconds remaining. Brenton Knapper, averaging 11.7 points per game in league play, had one of the best games of his young career with 16 points, including a 4-for-6 mark from 3-point range, to go with five rebounds and four assists. Three other Broncos finished in double figure scoring in the victory.
Led by 23rd-year head coach Randy Bennett, Saint Mary's is also off to a perfect start to league play, and most recently routed Portland 95-52 on Thursday. The Gaels, the preseason favorite to win the conference according to the coaches, struggled a bit out of the gate to begin the season, but have since found their stride and is riding a four-game win streak into Saturday's game. As always, the Gaels are excellent rebounders, ranking fourth nationally in margin (+12.3) and 24th per game (41.1). They also feature the nation's fourth-best defense with just 59.1 points allowed per contest. Preseason WCC Player of the Year Aiden Mahaney is averaging 21.3 ppg in league play while Mitchell Saxon is averaging a near double-double with 11.2 points and 8.8 rebounds per game (third in WCC).
In a series that dates all the way back to 1910, Santa Clara has historically had the upper hand with a 136-98 advantage, however the Gaels have won the last three and seven of the last 10. The Broncos are 31-26 all-time against Saint Mary's in Santa Clara. Their last win was a particularly memorable one as SCU took down the 22nd-ranked Gaels, 77-72, on Feb. 8, 2022, inside Leavey for their first win over a ranked program since 2004.
For more information, check the game notes link above.
Tickets
Single game and season tickets for all men's basketball home games are available now. Mini game plans in groups of four, six or eight games are also available. Please contact the Bronco Ticket Office at 408-554-4660 or email broncotickets@scu.edu to learn more about your options or visit our ticket central.
