SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The Santa Clara University men's basketball team gave the nation's No. 7 scoring defense a taste of its own medicine in the first half Thursday, but visiting Saint Mary's blasted out of the gate in the second, going on a decisive 26-0 run to take the teams' first of two West Coast Conference clashes in two weeks, 67-54, at Leavey Center.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• It was only a two-point game at halftime, 26-24, in favor of Saint Mary's (19-3, 9-0 WCC). The programs had battled for 20 minutes with hard-nosed defense and physical rebounding to be in a mere deadlock at the break. The first half alone saw four lead changes.
   
• Santa Clara (14-9, 6-4 WCC) held the Gaels to their lowest first-half points total of the season at 26. The Broncos forced six turnovers from SMC and were within two rebounds (17-15) of a Saint Mary's team that entered the night with a +11 rebounding margin, No. 3 in the nation.
   
• But everything changed in the second half.
   
• Saint Mary's went on a 26-0 run coming out of halftime, turning a two-point halftime lead into a 28-point advantage, 52-24, 9 1/2 minutes into the final period. The Gaels shot 66.7% (10 for 15) during their run while outrebounding the Broncos 12-0, including five offensive boards.
   
• Santa Clara, after giving Saint Mary's trouble the entire first half, came out cold in the second. The Broncos went 0 for 8 from the floor with six turnovers during SMC's run. They made their first basket, a layup from Christoph Tilly, at the 9:57 mark, and grabbed their first rebound at the 8:10 mark, snapping a 17-0 rebounding stretch by Saint Mary's.
   
• Not to be outdone, Santa Clara went on a final push in the game's waning minutes. Multiple technical fouls by Saint Mary's sent the Broncos to the free-throw line, and hot shooting from deep pulled the Broncos to within 11 at 66-54 with 44 seconds to play. Santa Clara closed the game on an 18-3 run to cut its deficit by more than half before the final buzzer sounded.
   
• Carlos Stewart Jr. scored 10 of those 18 points in SCU's final run, including two 3-pointers, part of a career-high six treys he made in a 24-point performance. It was Stewart's fifth 20-point game this season. Tilly added 11 points, Jake Ensminger pulled down a team-high six rebounds, and Brenton Knapper hit two 3s late for six points.
   
• The first half also started cold for Santa Clara, with three turnovers and two missed shots in the first 4 1/2 minutes of the game. It finally got its first basket at the 15:19 mark. But the Broncos' defense was equally tough on Saint Mary's, forcing six misses, a turnover and only allowing one short-hop jumper and a free throw for a 3-2 score five minutes in.
   
• Saint Mary's started figuring it out, after Santa Clara's defense had stifled it for so long, making three shots in a row as part of a 12-4 run to go up by 10 at 20-10. Santa Clara missed six consecutive shots during that stretch. But the Broncos came back, as the first half continued to swing back and forth. They made six of nine shots and went on a 14-2 run of their own that included 10 consecutive points to take a 24-22 lead with three minutes to go before the half.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 2: Two Broncos scored in double figures Thursday, with Stewart putting up 24 and Tilly scoring 11. It was the 19th consecutive game the Broncos had at least two double-digit scorers.
• 6: Stewart hit a career-high six 3-pointers Thursday. He previously had hit five on three separate occasions, last versus San Francisco on Jan. 11.
• 24: Stewart's 24 points marked his fifth 20-point game of the season.

POSTGAME COMMENTS

hear from Coach Sendek on tonight's game vs. Saint Mary's ?? pic.twitter.com/iGAjP0CTzo

— Santa Clara Men's Basketball (@SantaClaraHoops) January 30, 2025

COMING UP

• Santa Clara's home stand concludes Saturday when it hosts Pacific for a 4 p.m. tipoff. Fans can purchase tickets and find all live coverage links at SantaClaraBroncos.com.