Santa Clara defeats San Diego 98-70
Santa Clara Dominates San Diego in Statement Win
The Leavey Center was abuzz with energy as the Santa Clara Broncos took on their conference rival, the visiting San Diego Toreros. The home team came out swinging, delivering a crushing 98-70 victory that sent a statement to the rest of the conference.
From the opening tip, it was clear that Santa Clara was determined to make a statement in front of its hometown crowd. The Broncos established an early lead and never looked back, dominating the game from start to finish. Halftime led to a 45-32 score, which only grew wider as the second half progressed.
The largest lead of the game came at one point when Santa Clara's Christian Hammond put up 28 points, while San Diego struggled to keep pace. The Broncos' defense proved to be stifling, holding San Diego to just zero points in a span of several minutes that highlighted their superior defensive play.
Santa Clara's Allen Graves led the way on the glass with nine rebounds and 12 points, while Elijah Mahi chipped in with nine assists and seven points. Meanwhile, San Diego's Ty-Laur Johnson was unable to overcome his own struggles, scoring 21 points but only managing a single assist.
The advanced statistics paint an even more complete picture of Santa Clara's dominance. The Broncos shot an impressive 50.0% from the field, including 69.7% from two-point range and 34.0% from three. They also outrebounded San Diego by eight on the defensive end and committed just 14 turnovers.
In contrast, San Diego struggled to find its footing, shooting just 43.0% overall and committing 16 turnovers. The Toreros' fast break offense was stifled, managing only 11 points off their own turnovers compared to Santa Clara's 23.
As the conference season heats up, this statement win by Santa Clara serves as a reminder of the team's capabilities. With their strong performance on both ends of the floor, they will undoubtedly be considered a contender for the league title.
The win moves Santa Clara closer to the top of the conference standings and sets them up for another pivotal matchup in the coming weeks.