SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara men's basketball will look to improve upon one of their best starts to league of recent memory as they play host to Pepperdine on Thursday in a 7:00 p.m. tip inside the Leavey Center. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Anthony Passarelli and Henry Caruso on the call.
The Broncos (14-7) are 5-1 in WCC play for the first time since the 1997-98 season, and are coming off a 2-0 week against Pacific (88-69) and Portland (101-86). Santa Clara knocked down 31 combined treys over the two games, with 16 coming against the Pilots - tied for the fifth-most in program history. The Broncos also dished out 28 assists in the victory - their most since 2019 and tied for seventh-most all-time - en route to their second 100-point game of the season. Six players finished in double figures with Christoph Tilly notching career highs in both points (22) and rebounds (8) to lead the way.
Santa Clara has consistently shot the ball well from 3-point range and check into Thursday's game ranked 41st nationally and tops in the WCC in 3-point percentage (37.2). Their 77.0 points per game ranks third-best in the WCC.
Pepperdine (9-12, 2-4) averages 78.0 ppg offensively and is allowing 72.7 ppg defensively. The duo of Michael Ajayi and Houston Mallette continue to play at a high level with Ajayi leading the WCC in scoring (17.1) and ranking second in rebounding (9.5) while Mallette is third in scoring at 15.8 ppg.
The Broncos are 84-64 all-time against the Waves and have won five of the last six, including four straight. The teams met just a couple weeks ago in Malibu where late buckets from Johnny O'Neil and a career-high 28 points from Adama-Alpha Bal carried SCU to a 78-72 victory inside the Firestone Fieldhouse.
For more information, check the game notes link for both teams 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.
