Santa Clara will try to extend its three-game winning streak when it travels to BYU on Thursday night. The Broncos are now two games above the .500 mark in conference play following their 71-69 win over LMU on Saturday. BYU has lost five of its last seven games, including consecutive road losses to Pepperdine and then-No. 16 Gonzaga.
Santa Clara got off to a fantastic start to the season, winning 13 of its first 16 games. The Broncos have not been quite as solid in conference play, losing five games in an eight-game stretch. They lost consecutive games to St. Mary’s, Pacific and Gonzaga, but they have bounced back with wins over San Francisco, San Diego and LMU since then. Santa Clara has not been able to cover the spread in five of its last six games, including its 71-69 win over LMU as a 5.5-point favorite. The Broncos will be on the road for three of their final four games during the regular season.
Another gritty second half performance fueled the Broncos to a big 71-69 victory over the Lions.
Check the highlights ??#StampedeAhead pic.twitter.com/P3RVJZ6YzS
— Santa Clara Men's Basketball (@SantaClaraHoops) February 12, 2023
They have been a decent offensive team, ranked No. 54 in 3-point percentage (36.5). Santa Clara has not been nearly as good from inside the arc, ranked No. 207 in 2-point percentage (49.6). The Broncos are facing a BYU defense that is No. 36 in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency ratings. Both teams have been excellent in the rebounding category, which makes that an intriguing aspect of this game. Sophomore guard Brandin Podziemski leads Santa Clara with 19.4 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Sophomore guard Carlos Stewart is averaging 15.5 points and 2.3 assists, while senior forward Keshawn Justice is adding 13.2 points and 4.1 rebounds.
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