Chris Tadjo scored 14 points on Saturday night at Leavey Center, leading five Santa Clara players in double figures as the Broncos secured an 83-77 victory over Sacramento State to improve their early-season record to 3-0.
The matchup featured wild momentum swings that saw both teams surrender double-digit advantages. Santa Clara initially fell behind by 10 points in the early going before mounting a steady response. The Broncos erased the deficit to lead by nine at halftime, eventually stretching their advantage to 14 points after the intermission. Sacramento State refused to fold, firing back with a surge that culminated in a 67-60 lead midway through the second half. That is when the hosts slammed the door with a decisive 15-0 run that put them ahead for good.
“We were challenged in every conceivable way,” Santa Clara coach Herb Sendek said in a postgame radio interview. “It was a hard-fought game, could have gone either way. Both teams had double-digit leads and they evaporated in both directions. Fortunately, we made enough plays at the end of the game to get the win.”
Supporting Tadjo’s team-high output, David Castillo contributed 13 points for the Broncos. Fedor Zugic and Sash Gavalyugov chipped in 12 points apiece, while Elijah Mahi added 11. Sacramento State’s offensive effort was anchored by Mikey Williams, who led all scorers with 21 points in the losing effort as the Hornets dropped to 1-1.
UC Irvine Defeats San Jose State Behind Fast Start
In another contest on the college basketball slate, UC Irvine established control early and cruised to a 91-79 victory over visiting San Jose State. The Anteaters opened the game with a blistering 13-0 burst, building a 20-point cushion by halftime that the Spartans could never quite overcome.
San Jose State entered the night carrying momentum from a 21-point season-opening win against Texas-San Antonio. However, the Anteaters overwhelmed the visitors on the glass and in the paint. UC Irvine finished with a 46-24 rebounding edge and converted that dominance into 44 points in the paint.
Joey Chammaa and Mookie Cook each scored 16 points for San Jose State, which dropped to 1-1. KJ Martin added 14 points and JaVaughn Hannah scored 11 for the Spartans. Jovan Jester led UC Irvine with 24 points, while the Anteaters improved to 2-0.
Santa Clara Women Hold Off Utah Valley
On the women’s side of the schedule, Sophie Glancey posted game highs of 20 points and nine rebounds to help the Santa Clara Broncos fend off Utah Valley 64-62 in Orem, Utah.
The Broncos built a 13-point cushion in the fourth quarter, extending their advantage to 58-45 following a 3-pointer by Maia Jones with 7:07 remaining on the clock. Though Santa Clara still held a 62-51 edge with 4:43 to go, the offense stalled down the stretch, managing just two points on 1-for-8 shooting the rest of the way.
Utah Valley seized on the scoring drought, but late-game defensive stops—including crucial blocks by Glancey and Ava Schmidt—stymied the Wolverines’ comeback bid. A contested final shot by Utah Valley at the buzzer sailed off target, sealing the win and moving the Santa Clara women to 2-0. Elizabeth Gentry scored 18 points for Utah Valley, which forced 21 turnovers in the defeat.
