SANTA CRUZ, Calif. –
Christian Hammond and
Elijah Mahi combined for 46 points as Santa Clara men's basketball dropped their final nonconference game, 80-78, in a thriller against Loyola at Kaiser Permamente Arena. The game featured 21 lead changes and eight ties. The Broncos finished nonconference play with a 9-4 record and will return to action on Dec. 28 for the start of WCC play with a road trip against Oregon State.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The first half saw eight lead changes as the Broncos shot 42 percent (16-of-38) while Loyola converted on 52 percent (13-of-25). The Ramblers (4-9) had a six-point advantage at the free throw line with a 9-for-11 mark against just 3-for-4 for SCU.
- Loyola used the 3-ball to take an early advantage at 17-7, knocking down four of their first six attempts from distance. The Broncos responded with an 8-0 run with Sash Gavalyugov scoring five unanswered of his own before coming away with a steal and a dish to Elijah Mahi, who buried a corner try to cut the deficit to two at 17-15 with 11:26 to play in the opening half.
- Santa Clara used another run, this time to the tune of 7-0, to grab a three-point with 3:48 left in the half on a Thierry Darlan triple that made it 35-32. Loyola regained the lead with 1:20 on the clock at 39-37 and after two more lead changes, the teams went into the locker deadlocked at 40-40.
- The Broncos came out of the locker room with some energy, using a quick 6-0 burst to grab the lead at 46-40. Loyola used an 8-0 run to regain the lead at 53-51 before another trey from Mahi gave SCU the lead right back.
- It was a back-and-forth battle from there as the lead changed hands 11 times. Neither team lead by more than three points before Loyola's Justin Moore sank a jumper to push the Rambler lead to five at 78-73 with 2:21 left.
- Darlan drew a foul on a 3-point attempt and sank all three of his free throw attempts to cut the deficit to two at 78-76 with 15.9 seconds remaining. Loyola responded by knocking down a pair of freebies of their own to take a four-point lead that would prove the be the difference-maker.
- The Broncos were held scoreless from the field (0-for-11) over the final 6:20 before Hammond scored a layup just ahead of the final buzzer.
- Loyola shot 49 percent for the game with Kayde Dotson leading the way with a game-high 26 points (5-of-12 3PT).
NOTABLE NUMBERS:
- Hammond returned to the double figure scoring column with 14 points in the first half alone, and finished with 25 for his fifth 20-point outing of the season. The sophomore has scored 10 or more in 12 of 13 games on the season.
- Mahi finished with 21 points for his seventh-consecutive game in double figures and 11th overall for the year. It is his first 20-point game of the year and fifth over the last two seasons.
- This is the second time on the season that multiple Broncos scored 20 points. Hammond and Bukky Oboye scored 27 and 22, respectively, in the win over Nevada on Nov. 15.
- Allen Graves pulled down 10 rebounds for his team-high third game with 10 or more on the season. The freshman also had seven points and a pair of steals.
- Darlan finished with nine points and four rebounds while Gavalyugov logged eight points, all in the first half.
- Jake Ensminger dished out a team-high five assists for his fifth game with five or more on the season and 10th time for his career.
- Santa Clara won the rebound battle 33-30. It is the first time they have lost when doing so (7-1).
- This was the first time the score has been tied at the half and just the third time on the year that SCU didn't hold a lead going into the break.
UP NEXT:
The Broncos will return to action with the start of WCC play on Dec. 28 against Oregon State in Corvallis, Ore.
