• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Strong second half leads Saint Mary's over Santa Clara

Jan 22, 2012 - 8:37 AM Santa Clara, CA (Sports Network) - Matthew Dellavedova scored 16 of his game-high 26 points in the second half as 24th-ranked Saint Mary's took a 93-77 decision over Santa Clara.

Jorden Page added 19 points, while Rob Jones and Brad Waldow each contributed double-doubles with 14 points and 14 rebounds and 14 points and 17 rebounds, respectively, for Saint Mary's (19-2, 7-0 WCC), which won its ninth straight game.

Niyi Harrison paced Santa Clara (8-10, 0-5) with 23 points and eight boards. Kevin Foster filled the stat sheet with 22 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and two steals as the Broncos dropped their first home game of the season.

Entering the game, Santa Clara had been a perfect 6-0 at home.

Santa Clara led, 47-46, at the break and after a Dellavedova jumper gave the Gaels a 52-49 lead two minutes into the second half, Santa Clara scored the game's next 11 points to jump out to a 58-52 advantage.

But Dellavedova responded with a three-pointer and a jumper on Saint Mary's next two touches to get within one, and it remained a one-possession game over the next five minutes.

Then, with the Broncos holding a 66-65 lead and 9 1/2 minutes to go in the contest, Saint Mary's took control of the game with a 13-0 spurt in which Page netted eight points.

Santa Clara didn't get closer than 10 over the remaining 5 1/2 minutes as the Gaels made enough free throws to hold off the Broncos.

Santa Clara, which shot 54.3 percent from the floor in the first half while making 5-of-9 shots from beyond the arc en route to its one-point lead, was held to just 27.6 percent shooting in the second half.

"We got taken out of the flow of the game and couldn't get going early in the second half," Santa Clara head coach Kerry Keating said. "The key to the game was their offensive rebounds. We had a chance at stops at key moments and couldn't make them."

Game Notes

Santa Clara leads the all-time series, 131-80. These teams first met during the 1909-10 season...Evan Roquemore had 13 points, five rebounds and four assists for Santa Clara...Saint Mary's held a 53-38 advantage on the glass.