Saint Mary’s Wins WCC Season Opener over Santa Clara
By Josh Horton
Although Santa Clara kept it close in the first half, Saint Mary’s was too much for the Broncos and pulled away from SCU, winning by a score of 73 to 60.
Santa Clara showed their depth in the first half, playing ten different players five or more minutes. It proved to be a useful strategy for Kerry Keating and the Broncos, as SCU came out of the gates energized and only trailed the Gaels 34-30 at the half.
Things went sour quickly for the Broncos as Saint Mary’s flashed their muscles with a 13-2 run four minutes into the second half to extend their once slim lead to 12 points. The Gaels never lead by less than 10 points after this stage in the game and cruised to a 13 point win.
The Gaels were led by none other than Brad Waldow, who scored 20 points and grabbed nine boards in the victory. Kerry Carter recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Emmett Naar’s four assists were a team-high for the Gaels. Garrett Jackson and Naar were the other Gaels to finish in double figures with 18 and 14 points respectively.
Brandon Clark was the hot hand for the Broncos today with 24 points, while Jared Brownridge struggled with only 8 points on two of 12 shooting. Freshman Matt Hubbard pulled down seven rebounds and Clark dished out four assists, both team-highs.
News and Notes
- Evan Wardlow recorded several career high’s today, most notablely in points scored (eight) and minutes played (14). Wardlow showed his ability to defend out on the perimeter while simultaneously showcasing his offensive ability. He appears to be an emerging guard in the Santa Clara rotation moving forward.
- Kerry Carter played in all 40 minutes for the Gaels. He has been the Gaels steadiest presence in the backcourt all season and it appears that will continue during conference play.