STOCKTON, Calif. – Facing off for the second time in two weeks, the Pacific men's basketball team travels to take on Santa Clara at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Leavey Center.
Fueled by five double-digit scorers, the Tigers (10-12, 3-4) made a valiant effort against #6 Gonzaga last weekend. Jordan Ivy-Curry and Nick Blake powered the team off the bench as Ivy-Curry led the team in scoring with 17 points. Blake added 16 points while shooting 45.5 percent (five-for-11) from the field. The duo led a second unit that outscored the Zags' bench 48-10.
Keylan Boone, Luke Avdalovic, and Judson Martindale also reached double figures, pouring in 15, 13, and 12 points for the Tigers. Shining from beyond the arc, Boone and Avdalovic contributed three three-point baskets apiece, while Martindale connected on two of his three attempts from distance.
The Tigers thrived from the free-throw line throughout the contest, shooting a season-high 91.3 percent (22-for-23) from the charity stripe. Four team members connected on all free-throw attempts as Boone, Martindale, Ivy-Curry, and Blake went a combined 16-for-16 from the line.
Santa Clara enters the weekend in a tie for third place in the conference standings after dropping a 77-58 decision at Saint Mary's last Saturday. The Broncos (16-6, 4-3) are averaging 85.8 points per game in four league wins this season, thriving against opponents not named Gonzaga or Saint Mary's.
Brandin Podziemski continues to lead the Broncos in multiple statistical categories through 22 games, including points per game (18.1), rebounds per game (8.2), assists per game (3.3), and steals per game (2.0).
Carlos Stewart and Keyshawn Justice also contribute to the scoring efforts for the Broncos, averaging 16.4 and 16.3 points per game, respectively.
The last time the Tigers earned a road win over Santa Clara was on February 1, 2018, when the Tigers dismantled the Broncos 63-45. Holding a nine-point lead at halftime, the Tigers, led by a game-high 23 points from Miles Reynolds, pulled away in the second half, outscoring the Broncos 34-25 to secure the win.
For more information about the 2022-23 season and future events, follow Pacific men's basketball on social media and download the Pacific Athletics mobile app.
