By Robert Haugh

Santa Clara men’s basketball lit up Gonzaga’s McCarthey Athletic Center last Saturday night, riding a barrage of three-pointers to a thrilling 103-99 victory over No. 16 Gonzaga. 

The Broncos (13-7, 5-2) secured their first win in Spokane since 2007 and knocked off a ranked opponent on the road for the first time since 1993.

The Broncos’ shooting display was nothing short of sensational, as they connected on 18 shots from beyond the arc—more than any team had ever made against Gonzaga (14-6, 5-2) on its home floor. 

Broncos Sophomore guard Tyree Bryan led the charge with a career-high 35 points, 21 of which came from three-point range. He torched the Bulldogs’ defense all night, scoring 18 points in the first half alone and adding 17 more in the second.

Santa Clara’s long-range fireworks kept Gonzaga on its heels. Each time the Bulldogs looked poised to pull away—behind solid performances from Ryan Nembhard (16 points, career-high 15 assists) and Nolan Hickman (24 points, 6 threes)—the Broncos responded with another string of threes. 

Eight different Santa Clara players knocked down triples in a second-half blitz that saw the Broncos sink an astounding 12-of-17 from deep after intermission.

Despite Gonzaga posting 99 points on its own, the Bulldogs’ defense could not contain the red-hot Broncos. 

Gonzaga also endured a costly late-game meltdown by forward Graham Ike, who was whistled for both a flagrant foul and a technical, killing any comeback attempt. 

Santa Clara capitalized on nearly every defensive lapse, pulling ahead by as many as 12 late in the second half.

The win marks a massive boost for a Broncos squad eager to prove itself in West Coast Conference play. 

By topping the century mark against a perennial powerhouse like Gonzaga, Santa Clara signals it can contend with the league’s best.