The Washington State men’s basketball team suffered a tough loss to Santa Clara on Saturday night. The Cougars were unable to overcome the Broncos’ strong defensive effort, falling by a score of 68-57.
Washington State had an impressive first half, taking a 33-30 lead into the break. However, the Broncos came out of the locker room with a renewed energy and outscored the Cougars 38-24 in the second half. Santa Clara was able to take control of the game in the second half, thanks to their strong defense and efficient shooting.
The Cougars were led by CJ Elleby, who scored a team-high 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting. Elleby also grabbed seven rebounds and dished out three assists. He was the only Washington State player to reach double figures in scoring.
The Broncos were led by Josip Vrankic, who scored a game-high 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting. He also grabbed eight rebounds and dished out four assists. Vrankic was one of four Santa Clara players to reach double figures in scoring.
Washington State will look to bounce back from this loss when they take on Oregon State on Wednesday night. The Cougars will need to find a way to overcome their offensive struggles if they want to come away with a victory.
Santa Clara, meanwhile, will look to build on this win when they take on San Diego on Tuesday night. The Broncos will need to continue to play strong defense if they want to remain undefeated in conference play.
