Santa Clara University’s men’s basketball team secured an 86-75 win over Minnesota in the third-place game of the Acrisure Invitational at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California. The Broncos improved their season record to 7-1 after making a season-high 16 three-pointers out of 31 attempts.
The Broncos started strong, scoring the first nine points and building a double-digit lead early in the game. By halftime, Santa Clara led 51-27 after shooting 62 percent from the field and hitting eight of twelve shots from beyond the arc. Christian Hammond led all scorers at halftime with 18 points on seven-of-nine shooting.
Santa Clara maintained control through most of the second half, leading by as much as 31 points before Minnesota closed the gap with a late run. The Broncos held a lead of at least 20 points for most of the final period.
Six Santa Clara players finished with double figures in scoring. Hammond ended with 20 points on eight-of-twelve shooting, marking his second game this season with at least 20 points. Allen Graves made his second career start and contributed ten points along with a season-high six assists. Freshman KJ Cochran scored a season-high ten points for his first double-digit performance, while Thierry Darlan added ten points and six rebounds. Brenton Knapper had eleven points and shot three-for-five from three-point range, reaching double digits for the third time this year. Elijah Mahi also reached double figures for the sixth time this season with thirteen points.
All nine Broncos who played scored at least three points, and it was the first time this year that six players reached double digits in one game. The team’s sixteen made threes marked their fourth game this season hitting ten or more shots from long distance and matched their highest total since last year’s game against UC Riverside.
Santa Clara’s twenty assists were its fourth game this year reaching that mark or higher, though they were outrebounded (34-26) for the first time this season. The team finished shooting fifty-four percent overall—their second-best mark so far.
Minnesota was led by Cade Tyson’s twenty-nine points but shot forty-four percent overall and just under thirty percent from deep.
The Broncos will return home to face Utah Tech on Wednesday, December 3rd at Leavey Center. That night will include a halftime ceremony honoring alum Jalen Williams as his jersey is officially retired; tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., with coverage available via ESPN+.
