SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara men’s basketball (14-8, 6-3) returns home to the Leavey Center this Wednesday, hosting West Coast Conference leader Saint Mary’s (18-3, 8-0) in a primetime rivalry matchup on ESPNU. Tip is slated for 6:00 p.m. PT. Dave Feldman and Richie Schueler will have the call live in Santa Clara for ESPN, while fans can also tune into Anthony Passarelli and Henry Caruso for the audio only call on Sidearm Streaming.
Last time out, the Broncos fell in a tough hard-fought battle at Oregon State. However, they saw five players score in double figures for the sixth time this season and second-straight game. The Broncos were led by Adama-Alpha Bal who put in 13 points, his team lead-tying 17th game of the season in double figures and 11th straight. Senior guard Carlos Stewart Jr. scored his 1000th career point, becoming the second player on the roster to reach the 1000 point club (Johnny O’Neil). Redshirt junior guard Brenton Knapper had nine points, just one point shy of his season high, to go with a career high seven assists.
The Broncos come into the matchup with the Gaels boasting five players averaging double figures in scoring. Bal leads the way with 14.0 ppg (9th in WCC). Junior center Christoph Tilly is second on the team with 13.0 ppg (17th in WCC), Stewart Jr. is third with 12.0 ppg (25th in WCC), Elijah Mahi is fourth on the team with 11.2 ppg (30th in WCC), and Tyeree Bryan rounds out the pack with 10.9 ppg (32nd in WCC). The Broncos also excel in bench production, ranking second in the WCC (and 45th nationally) with 27.32 bench points per game.
Santa Clara has also proven to be among the top rebounding teams in the league, ranking third in the WCC with 38.23 total rebounds per outing (69 nationally). Sophomore forward Jake Ensminger leads the way with 5.7 rebounds per game (17th in WCC), while O’Neil is not far behind with 5.3 rpg (20th win WCC).
Santa Clara leads the WCC and is 24th nationally in 3-pointers per game (10.1). They have hit 10 or more treys in 14 games and are 11-3 when doing so. Bal (2.4) and Bryan (2.0) both rank inside the top 10 in the league in 3-pointers per game.
Saint Mary’s is the lone team in the WCC with an unblemished conference record at 8-0 and are 18-3 overall. Led by Randy Bennett in his 24th season at the helm, the Gaels are once again atop the WCC standings and feature one of the nation’s top defensives. Saint Mary’s ranks seventh nationally in points allowed (61.3), third in rebound margin (+11), 13th in scoring margin (15.4) and 19th in forced turnovers (9.9). Four Gaels are averaging in double figure scoring led by Augustas Marciulionis (13.9) while Paulius Murauskas, Mitchell Saxen and Luke Barrett are also averaging 7.0 rebounds or better.
The long-standing rivalry between the Broncos and Gaels has been going strong since 1910 with Santa Clara owning the overall record 136-101, however Saint Mary’s has had the upper hand in recent years winning eight of the last 10. The Broncos are looking to break a six-game losing skid in the series and are going for their first win since Feb. 8, 2022 when SCU knocked off the 22nd-ranked Gaels inside the Leavey Center.
For more information, click on the game notes link above.
STREAMING INFO
The game will be streamed on ESPNU, while Anthony Passarelli and Henry Caruso will have the audio only call here.
Broncos At A Glance…
Scoring At A Historic Rate:
Santa Clara’s offense is on pace to be among the best in program history. The Broncos are averaging 80.1 points per game, which is not only their best in the Herb Sendek Era, but tied for the eighth-best in program history and the highest since 1979-80 (81.2).
Santa Clara has tallied seven games in which they have scored 90 points or more. That is already tied for the third most in program history.
No. of games with 90+ points:
10 - 1969-70
8 - 1966-67, 1967-68, 1978-79
7 - 1972-73, 1979-80, 2024-25
The Case for Santa Clara:
Santa Clara is looking to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1996 and are doing all they can to get there. The Broncos are currently 60h in the latest NET rankings - their second-highest ranking ever and fourth-best in the league behind Gonzaga (16), Saint Mary’s (35) and Oregon State (54). SCU has six quad 1 & 2 wins, which is the most in the WCC.
There’s No Place Like Home:
Since a rough 1-2 start inside the Leavey Center to open the season, Santa Clara has since won seven straight from the comfort of home and has done so with authority. The Broncos are averaging 88 points and have a plus-16.4 scoring margin throughout the streak. They are also shooting just shy of 50 percent from the floor (49.1), averaging 11.6 treys and are plus-6.3 on the boards. Five individuals are scoring in double figures led by Adama-Alpha Bal’s 17.6 ppg.
A Night to Remember:
Santa Clara’s win over No. 16 Gonzaga will go down as one of the defining games of the Herb Sendek Era. Here’s a look at some of the highlights:
- most points (103) ever scored by an opponent inside the Kennel
- 18 3-pointers are the second-most SCU has ever tallied in a game and the most Gonzaga has ever given up in Spokane
- first road win over a ranked opponent since Dec. 4, 1993.
- first time SCU has defeated Gonzaga in consecutive seasons since 1999-00 and 2000-01.
- second win ever over a ranked Gonzaga team (last season was the first)
Player of the Week:
Tyeree Bryan’s sensational 35-point performance against the Bulldogs earned him WCC Co-Player of the Week honors - the first weekly award of the season for a Bronco and the first since Carlos Marshall, Jr. earned POTW honors following the opening week of play in 2023-24.
Bryan was also named of the five honorees for the Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week Award. He is the first Bronco to ever be honored since the award’s inception in 2009-10.
Against Top-25 Programs:
Santa Clara’s win over No. 16 Gonzaga was their third win over a top 25 team in the AP Poll over the last four seasons. Prior to that, you had to go all the way back to Nov. 19, 2004 to find SCU’s last ranked win.
Feb. 8, 2022 Santa Clara 77, (22) Saint Mary’s 72
Jan. 11, 2024 Santa Clara 77, (21) Gonzaga 76
Jan. 18, 2025 Santa Clara 103, (16) Gonzaga 99
The win in Spokane was Santa Clara’s first against a ranked team on the road since Dec. 4,1993 when Steve Nash and company took down Jason Kidd and the Cal Golden Bears, 80-67. While historically considered a road game, the game itself took place away from Cal’s usual home base of Harmon Gym (now Haas Pavilion) and was played in nearby Oakland Coliseum. The last time Santa Clara defeated a team in their home gym was Dec. 2, 1972 against BYU in Provo, Utah.
Big Time Ty:
Tyeree Bryan’s 35-point performance is one that will go down as one of the all-time greats in Bronco History. The Orlando native knocked down 7-of-12 from beyond the arc (tied for the third-most in program history) and was 13-of-21 overall (48.1). He also pulled down seven rebounds, dished out four assists and had a pair of steals. Bryan’s 35 points are tied for the second-most ever scored by an opposing player inside the Kennel, and is the most by a Bronco since Brandin Podziemski scored 38 against Pacific Jan. 28, 2023.
In the Net:
The Broncos rank 60th in the latest NET Rankings - one of five WCC programs that rank inside the top 75: Gonzaga (16), Saint Mary’s (23), Oregon State (54), SCU (60), and USF (74).
Three-Point Shooting:
Santa Clara leads the WCC and is 24th nationally in 3-pointers per game (10.1). They have hit 10 or more treys in 14 games and are 11-3 when doing so. SCU has twice made 15 or more with 15 against Pepperdine and a season-high 18 on the road against Gonzaga.
Adama-Alpha Bal (2.4), and Tyeree Bryan (2.0) both rank inside the top 10 in the league in 3-pointers per game.
Balanced Scoring:
Santa Clara currently has five players in double figures. Bal leads the way with 14.0 ppg (9th in WCC). Junior center Christoph Tilly is second on the team with 13.0 ppg (17th in WCC), Stewart Jr. is third with 12.0 ppg (25th in WCC), Elijah Mahi is fourth on the team with 11.2 ppg (30th in WCC), and Tyeree Bryan rounds out the pack with 10.9 ppg (32nd in WCC).
On the Boards:
The Broncos rank second in the WCC with 11.91 offensive rebounds per game (92nd nationally), and third in the league with 38.23 total rebounds per outing (69th nationally). Sophomore forward Jake Ensminger leads the way with 5.7 rebounds per game which ranks 17th in the WCC. Santa Clara has won the rebound battle in 16 of their 22 games, and are 13-3 when doing so.
Los Joins 1000 Point Club:
After scoring 10 points at Oregon State on Saturday, Carlos Stewart Jr. joined the 1000th point club, becoming just the second current Bronco to achieve that feat (Johnny O’Neil).
Tilly Time:
Christoph Tilly has scored in double figures in 11 of his last 12 games, and the lone exception was a nine-point outing. The big man ranks second on the team and 17th in the WCC at 13.0 ppg. He is coming off a big week against LMU and Gonzaga where he averaged 21.0 ppg with a career-high 25 points at LMU and 17 against Gonzaga.
Ensminger Efficiency:
Sophomore Jake Ensminger has started the last 13 games for the Broncos and has established himself as the team’s top rebounder. The Ulm, Germany product is averaging 5.7 per game for the year (17th in WCC). He posted a season-best 11 boards vs. Fresno State and 10 against Kennesaw State, South Dakota and on the road against LMU. He is coming off a nine-rebound night against Gonzaga.
Mahi Making Moves:
Elijah Mahi has made the most of his opportunities in his first season with the program and is
currently fourth on the team in scoring at 11.2 ppg. The West Valley College transfer has started nine games this year. He opened the year by scoring in double figures in the first four games of his Bronco career. He has since tallied 10 double figure scoring outings in total with three 20-point games.
Triple Threat:
In Santa Clara’s win over Bradley, Elijah Mahi (23), Christoph Tilly (21) and Carlos Stewart Jr. (20) all topped at least 20 points. It is the first game that SCU has had three players score 20 or more since Dec. 18, 2018 in a double overtime win over USC.
No Off Days:
Santa Clara’s non-conference strength of schedule is currently ranked 44th nationally out of 364 teams. They have the third-toughest non-conference schedule among WCC teams behind Gonzaga (8th) and San Francisco (38th).
Rising up in the Ranks:
Herb Sendek ranks 54th in NCAA D1 history with 567 career victories. He needs three more to move into a tie for 53rd with Steve Fisher.
Bench Production:
Santa Clara is averaging 27.3 points from their bench players, which ranks second in the WCC and 45th nationally.
Dishing it Out:
Santa Clara ranks 43rd nationally in assists with an average of 16.4 per game. The Broncos tallied 31 assists against South Dakota, which ranks the third-most in program history, and the most since Feb. 16, 2017 when the Broncos dished out 32 against Pepperdine.
Sustained success:
The Broncos have won 20 or more games in three consecutive seasons and four if you exclude the 2020-21 covid season.
Bal Back:
After flirting with the NBA Draft, Adama-Alpha Bal is back for one more season and looking to build off the success he built as a first team All-WCC performer in year one. Bal has been as advertised, leading the team and ranking 14th in the WCC in scoring (13.6) and is tied for the team lead with three 20-point outings. Bal opened the season 24 points vs. Saint Louis turned in a season-best 27 points against Bradley and most recently had 20 points in the win over South Dakota and Gonzaga.
Familiar Faces:
In addition to Bal, who was a First Team All-WCC selection last year, the Broncos brought back six other key rotation pieces. Among them, All-WCC Honorable Mention last season Christoph Tilly, and All-WCC Freshman Team selection sophomore forward Jake Ensminger. In addition, the Broncos return senior forward Johnny O’Neil, senior guard Tyeree Bryan, junior guard Brenton Knapper, and senior forward Camaron Tongue, all key rotation pieces for the Broncos last season. The Broncos returned four of their five starters and 72.8 percent of their scoring from 2023-24.
Added Experience:
The Broncos also bring back senior guard and former Bronco standout Carlos Stewart Jr. As a sophomore at Santa Clara, Stewart Jr. was a First Team All-WCC selection, avg.15.2 ppg. The Broncos also added West Valley College transfer Elijah Mahi, who joins the Broncos after leading West Valley College to an undefeated 33-0 season in 2023-24, capturing the state championship title, and being named California Player of the Year and winning MVP in the state tournament.
Bayou Boys:
Santa Clara has not one, but two Gatorade Louisiana Basketball Player of Year winners on the roster - Stewart (2020-21) and freshman Allen Graves (2023-24).
Preseason Poll:
The Broncos were picked to finish third in the WCC preseason poll, while Bal and Stewart Jr. were named to the Preseason First Team All-WCC.
Pipeline to the Pros:
There are just five NCAA D1 men’s basketball programs that produced top-20 picks in the 2022 and 2023 NBA Drafts: Kentucky, Duke, Kansas, Baylor.....and Santa Clara.
The Broncos have produced back-to-back first round selections in the form of Jalen Williams (12th overall to Oklahoma City in 2022) and Brandin Podziemski (19th overall to Golden State in 2023). Additionally, former Bronco forward Keshawn Justice was signed by the Utah Jazz in October 2023 and is currently a member of the Salt Lake Jazz.
After becoming the first Bronco to hear his name called in the NBA Draft since Steve Nash in 1996, Williams more than lived up to his lottery pick hype, finishing runner-up in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting, earning NBA All-Rookie First Team honors and was named to the 2023 Rising Stars Challenge. He was even better in year two, averaging 19.1 ppg while starting 71 games and was once again voted to the Rising Stars Challenge.
Podziemski was the first WCC player taken off the board in 2023 and also turned in a fantastic rookie season, earning NBA All-Rookie First Team honors and being named to the Rising Stars Challenge. Podz became the first Golden State rookie since Stephen Curry (2009-10) to tally 20-plus points, 10-plus rebounds and five or more in a single game, doing so on Dec. 12 against the Phoenix Suns.
Both Williams and Podziemski were also named to the USA Select Team in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
