PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — In a thrilling match at the Acrisure Invitational on Thursday, Santa Clara triumphed over TCU with a final score of 69-52, propelled by an impressive performance from Carlos Stewart Jr., who netted 18 points, hitting 8-of-9 from the field.
The Broncos exhibited a dominant second-half display, orchestrating a pivotal 24-3 scoring spree that transformed a narrow one-point deficit into a commanding 20-point leading margin with under five minutes remaining in the game.
Elijah Mahi contributed significantly with 13 points, while Camaron Tongue added 11 points to assist Santa Clara (3-4) in their victory.
On the other side, Frankie Collins emerged as TCU’s (4-2) top scorer with 15 points, alongside Noah Reynolds, who scored 12 points. Ernest Udeh Jr., the lone returning scholarship athlete for TCU, made a notable comeback with nine points and secured 12 rebounds after missing the last two games due to injury.
In the first half, Stewart and Mahi spearheaded the offense, with Stewart scoring 14 points and Mahi following closely with 11 as Santa Clara established a 34-27 lead. The duo set the tone early, combining for the initial two baskets, and the Broncos maintained their lead throughout the half. A significant 15-2 run pushed the Broncos’ lead to 13 points, though TCU managed to close the half with six consecutive points.
Kicking off the second half, Collins made an immediate impact by scoring the first five points, narrowing the gap to just one point. His jumper tied the game at 36, and shortly after, his 3-pointer briefly gave the Horned Frogs a momentary one-point advantage. However, the Broncos quickly regained control with 10 unanswered points, including Brenton Knapper’s 3-pointer that extended their lead to 50-41 midway through the second half.
The decisive stretch ensued as Santa Clara surged with their 24-3 run, highlighted by Stewart’s layup that made it 64-44 with only 4:04 left on the clock. During this stretch, TCU struggled significantly, shooting 1-of-15.
From beyond the arc, Santa Clara struggled with an 8-of-26 shooting, while TCU found even less success, making just 1-of-17 attempts. Additionally, TCU struggled at the free-throw line, shooting only 7-of-16.
In the other matchup of the two-day tournament, Colorado State faced off against Washington, with the tournament culminating on Friday.