PORTLAND, Ore. - Santa Clara men’s basketball (15-9, 7-4) travels to Portland, Ore. to face the Portland Pilots (8-16, 3-8) on Thursday at 7 p.m., before returning home to face San Diego (4-20, 1-10) on Saturday at 4 p.m. Both games will be streamed on ESPN+, while Anthony Passarelli will have the audio only call against the Pilots exclusively on Sidearm Streaming.
Last time out, the Broncos dominated Pacific, holding them to 49 points, their lowest point total allowed to an opponent since giving up 39 points to Mississippi Valley on Nov. 20, 2023. Christoph Tilly led the team in scoring with 19 points, his team leading 19th game of the season in double figures. Santa Clara shot over 50% for their ninth game this year, improving to 7-2 when doing so, and were on fire from beyond the arc hitting 10 treys for their 15th time this season (12-3 overall). The Broncos had their eighth game of the year with a double-digit rebounding margin, out-rebounding Pacific 36-26, improving to 8-0 when winning the battle on the glass by double digits.
The Broncos come into the matchup with the Pilots as one of three teams in the WCC with five players averaging in double figures (Gonzaga, Washington State). Bal leads the way with 13.5 ppg (13th in WCC). Tilly is second on the team with 13.2 ppg (16th in WCC), Carlos Stewart Jr. is third with 12.3 ppg (22nd in WCC), Elijah Mahi is fourth on the team with 10.5 ppg (33rd in WCC), and Tyeree Bryan rounds out the pack with 10.4 ppg (34th in WCC). The Broncos also excel in bench production, ranking third in the WCC (and 52nd nationally) with 26.92 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 37.58 total rebounds per outing (83rd nationally). Sophomore forward Jake Ensminger leads the way with 5.6 rebounds per game (17th in WCC), while Johnny O’Neil is not far behind with 5.2 rpg (20th win WCC).
The Broncos lead the WCC and is 25th nationally in 3-pointers per game (10.0). They have hit 10 or more treys in 15 games and are 12-3 when doing so. The Broncos also lead the WCC in 3-pointers per game in league play with 10.5 per outing. Adama-Alpha Bal (2.4) and Carlos Stewart Jr. (2.3) rank fourth and fifth, respectively individually in the league in 3s per game while Tyeree Bryan (1.9) and Johnny O’Neil (1.7) also rank inside the top 15.
Santa Clara ranks second in the WCC with 79.8 points per game behind Gonzaga (88.2). That mark ranks 59th nationally in NCAA D1. The Broncos have fared even better in league play with an average of 80.1 ppg, also second behind Gonzaga’s 89.6 ppg average.
Portland checks into Thursday’s contest with an 8-16 overall record and 3-8 mark in league play. They are riding some momentum after a 20-point road blowout over Pepperdine in Malibu (84-64) and are 6-6 inside the Chiles Center this season. Led by fourth-year head coach Shantay Legans, Portland is averaging 71.8 points per game while allowing 80.8 defensively. They are among the top free throw shooting teams in the league, ranking third at 77.4 percent. The Pilots are led in scoring by the talented Australian Freshman Austin Rapp (13.9), who has been named WCC Freshman of the Week four times this year, including the last two weeks consecutively.
Santa Clara has historically had the upper hand over the Pilots, leading the all-time series 74-34 and holding a 29-22 advantage in Portland, however Portland got the better of the Broncos last season in overtime with an 80-75 final to break SCU’s 16-game winning streak in the series.
For more information, click on the game notes link above.
STREAMING INFO
The game against the Pilots will be streamed on ESPN+ and can be listened to on Sidearm Streaming here.
Broncos At A Glance…
Defensive Clinic:
Santa Clara held Pacific to just 49 points on a season-low 19 field goals. That is the fewest points SCU has allowed since holding Mississippi Valley State to just 39 points on Nov. 20, 2023. It was the fewest they have allowed against a WCC opponent since Jan. 4, 2018 (49 at LMU).
Tilly Time:
Christoph Tilly has scored in double figures in 14 of his last 15 games, and the lone exception was a nine-point outing. The big man ranks second on the team and 16th in the WCC at 13.2 ppg. He also leads the team with 19 double figure scoring outings. He is currently riding a seven-game double figure scoring streak (longest on team) and is coming off a 19-point night against Pacific. Tilly is tied for the team lead in scoring in league play at 14.4 ppg (9th in WCC) and is third in the league in field goal percentage (54.1).
Shooting Above 50 Percent:
Santa Clara has shot 50 percent or better in nine games this season and are 7-2 in such games.
UC Riverside: 58.3%- W
Kennesaw State: 50.0%- W
South Dakota: 52.7%- W
Pepperdine: 50.7%- W
at USF: 50.8%- L
USF: 51.7- W
at Gonzaga: 53.7%- W
at Oregon State: 51.0%- L
Pacific: 55.4%- W
Scoring At A Historic Rate:
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
Second Half Scoring:
Santa Clara’s offense has come alive in the second half throughout the year. Here’s the numbers of the first and second halves:
1st Half 2nd Half
FG % 44.6 48.3
3PT % 33.8 38.5
PPG 37.6 40.9
The Broncos have been especially efficient in the second half in two of their biggest wins of the
season. SCU scored 59 points at Gonzaga and 56 points at home against San Francisco. In both of those games, an individual scored 20 or more points with Adama-Alpha Bal dropping 20 at Gonzaga and Carlos Stewart Jr. exploding for 25 points against USF
In the Net:
The Broncos rank 59th in the latest NET Rankings - one of five WCC programs that rank inside the top 70: Gonzaga (13), Saint Mary’s (22), SCU (59), Oregon State (60) and USF (66).
Three-Point Shooting:
Santa Clara leads the WCC and is 25th nationally in 3-pointers per game (10.0). 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.
The Broncos also lead the WCC in 3-pointers per game in league play with 10.5 per outing. Adama-Alpha Bal (2.4) and Carlos Stewart Jr. (2.3) rank fourth and fifth, respectively individually in the league in 3s per game while Tyeree Bryan (1.9) and Johnny O’Neil (1.7) also rank inside the top 15.
3-Point Defense:
Not only do the Broncos fare well offensively from beyond the arc, they have also played sound defense around the perimeter, especially in conference play. Santa Clara ranks third in the WCC in 3-point defense, allowing league opponents to shoot just 29.2 percent. The Broncos have held four opponents under 25 percent from beyond the arc.
at San Diego 5-22 .227
Oregon State 6-25 .240
USF 6-32 .188
at LMU 3-18 .167
Balanced Scoring:
Santa Clara currently has five players in double figures. Bal leads the way with 13.5 ppg (13th in WCC). Tilly is second on the team with 13.2 ppg (16th in WCC), Carlos Stewart Jr. is third with 12.3 ppg (22nd in WCC), Elijah Mahi is fourth on the team with 10.5 ppg (33rd in WCC), and Tyeree Bryan rounds out the pack with 10.4 ppg (34th in WCC).
On the Boards:
The Broncos rank third in the WCC with 37.58 total rebounds per outing (83rd nationally). Sophomore forward Jake Ensminger leads the way with 5.6 rebounds per game (17th in WCC), while Johnny O’Neil is not far behind with 5.2 rpg (20th win WCC). Santa Clara has won the rebound battle in 17 of their 23 games, and are 14-3 when doing so.
High Scoring Broncos:
Santa Clara ranks second in the WCC with 79.8 points per game behind Gonzaga (88.2). That mark ranks 59th nationally in NCAA D1.
The Broncos have fared even better in league play with an average of 80.1 ppg, also second behind Gonzaga’s 89.6 ppg average.
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.
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).
Ensminger Efficiency:
Sophomore Jake Ensminger has started the last 15 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 10.7 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 568 career victories. He needs two more to move into a tie for 53rd with Steve Fisher.
Bench Production:
Santa Clara is averaging 26.9 points from their bench players, which ranks third in the WCC and 52nd nationally.
Dishing it Out:
Santa Clara ranks 54th nationally in assists with an average of 16.0 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.
Former Bronco Named 2025 All-Star:
Former Bronco Jalen Williams was recently named a 2025 NBA All-Star, becoming just the third Santa Clara product to earn an invite to the prestigious event and joining eight-time selection Steve Nash and two-time pick Ken Sears. Williams was the lone player from the WCC selected to this year’s event.
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.
