Broncos Hang Tough with the Zags

Broncos put up a hard-fought fight but fall to the Bulldogs at home

Santa Clara men’s basketball held their ground against No. 2 Gonzaga last week, and while they still lost 87-72, the Broncos  battled to keep the Bulldogs within reach for the entirety of the game.

Despite last year’s 59-point loss, Santa Clara actually manages to hang tough with the Bulldogs at home, producing close games that are typically decided in the final moments. 

Since 2012, Gonzaga has only beaten Santa Clara by 15 points or less. Last Thursday in Leavey Center was no exception. 

Gonzaga, which had won its previous seven West Coast Conference games by an average of 27.6 points, including a 104-54 victory over the Broncos on their home court two weeks ago, held a measley 40-36 edge at halftime. The electric crowd was rallied by the infamous “Bronco Jumping Jacks,” a new tradition where the Santa Clara baseball team simultaneously participates in jumping jacks behind the hoop in an attempt to distract the other team when shooting free throws.  

Unfortunately, Santa Clara’s antics were not enough to stop Gonzaga in the second half. The Bulldogs controlled the paint and forced several turnovers to push the lead to 53-43. They finished the game by scoring 10 of the 14 final points.

Juniors DJ Mitchell and Josip Vrankic and freshman Jalen Williams were the top scorers for the Broncos. Williams also  broke away from the defense and threw down a monster dunk with just over eight minutes left in the second half, which sent the crowd into a frenzy. 

The last time Santa Clara downed the Broncos was 2011. While the teams won’t meet again until the 2020-2021 campaign,  it is always an entertaining show when these two teams match up. 

After a win over Portland on the road last weekend, the Broncos are set to tipoff against Pepperdine on Thursday at 7 p.m.  in Malibu.