SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Five different Broncos scored in double figures and the Santa Clara University men's basketball team held multiple double-digit leads Wednesday in its 2024-25 home opener, but visiting North Dakota State surged late to tie the game and held out in overtime to win a non-conference matchup, 88-80, at the Leavey Center.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• It would be difficult to discern how wildly back and forth Wednesday's game swung by only watching overtime and the final two minutes of regulation. Santa Clara (1-2) led by 19 points in the first half and 10 in the second, but North Dakota State (2-2) responded each time, especially in the overtime period. The Bison had the final word with a 13-4 push to close it out and win by eight.
   
• NDSU shot an impressive 66.7% from the field in overtime and 51.7% in the second half after only shooting 36.4% in the first 20 minutes. The Bison made eight of their last nine free throws to ice the victory after they had shot less than 79% from the line in regulation. They finished the game going 10 for 12 (83.3%) from the charity stripe, which included Brennan Watkins' two game-tying free throws with 0.4 seconds left on the clock.
   
• Elijah Mahi hit two free throws with 22 seconds remaining to put Santa Clara up by five at 70-65. NDSU's Jacari White missed his first 3-point attempt following those free throws, but not his second, cutting the lead to 70-68 with seven seconds left. Mahi missed his chance at a late, game-icing 3-pointer and Adama-Alpha Bal missed the front end of a one-and-one to give the Bison an opportunity.
   
• Watkins quickly moved the ball down the court, and with time ticking off, drove hard from the right side and tried to throw up a desperation shot, earning a foul call along the way to send him to the line for the game-tying free throws.
   
• Bal led the Broncos with 18 points. Mahi scored in double figures for the third time in as many games as a Bronco with 16. Tyeree Bryan added 15, Christoph Tilly scored 10 and Johnny O'Neil had a career high 14 rebounds to go with 10 points, his first double-double of the year, the first for any Bronco this season.
   
• Jacksen Moni and White were both the game leaders with 19 points apiece. Noah Feddersen led the Bison with eight rebounds, and White guided the NDSU offense with a team-high five assists.
   
• It was a game of big runs, with North Dakota State spending most of the evening coming back from the Broncos' huge offensive pushes. Santa Clara took a 19-point lead in the first half on a 22-5 run, only to see it cut down to four after halftime with a 17-2 NDSU push that made it 39-35. The Broncos went back up by 10 midway through the second half at 57-47 with an 11-2 push, but back came the Bison with an 11-5 surge that pulled them to within three at 66-63.
   
• It was quite the cold start to the night for both teams. Santa Clara and North Dakota State combined to shoot 3 for 13 in the game's first five minutes while turning the ball over a total of six times. But Santa Clara didn't stay cold for long.
   
• The Broncos snapped out of the cold spell in a huge way, going on a game-changing, eight-minute-long, 22-5 run. NDSU hit a 3-pointer to go up, 6-4, and SCU responded with their offensive surge to take a 26-11 lead with seven minutes left in the first half.
   
• It was a multi-faceted, high-energy attack for Santa Clara during its first-half run. Seven different Broncos scored at least two points, Bal and Bryan hit 3-pointers, Bryan added a dunk, and two Broncos hit free throws. Santa Clara shot 56.3% during its run while on the defensive end, it forced four turnovers from NDSU while holding them to just 1-for-8 shooting.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• Five Broncos scored in double figures: Bal (18), Mahi (16), Bryan (15), Tilly (10), and O'Neil (10).
• Elijah Mahi scored double-figures in his third straight game as a Bronco with 16 points.
• Johnny O'Neil had a career high 14 rebounds.
• The Broncos fell in their second straight overtime contest with the last one coming last season against Portland on Feb. 29, 2024.
• The Broncos fall to 0-2 all time against North Dakota St.

UP NEXT

• The Broncos hit the road this weekend for a clash with Nevada at the Lawlor Events Center in Reno, Nev., at 7 p.m. Saturday.