Santa Clara Broncos Defeat Pacific Tigers in WCC Tournament

Broncos advance to next round after third win over Tigers this season

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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The Santa Clara Broncos defeated the Pacific Tigers 71-56 in the West Coast Conference Tournament, marking their third victory over Pacific this season. The Broncos, led by Christian Hammond's 15.9 points per game, used their high-powered offense to pull away from the Tigers in the second half after a close first half. Pacific struggled with turnovers, coughing up the ball 17 times which Santa Clara converted into 12 points.

Why it matters

The win advances Santa Clara to the next round of the WCC Tournament, keeping their hopes of an NCAA Tournament bid alive. For Pacific, the loss ends their season after they were unable to overcome Santa Clara's offensive firepower and their own turnover issues that have plagued them all year.

The details

Santa Clara entered the game as a 9.5-point favorite and held -500 odds of winning outright. The Broncos' offense, which ranks 29th nationally at 83.8 points per game, proved too much for Pacific's defense. Christian Hammond led Santa Clara with 15.9 points per game, while Elijah Mahi added 14.0 points. Pacific was led by Elias Ralph's 16.5 points and 6.8 assists per game, but the Tigers' 17 turnovers were too much to overcome.

  • The game was played on Sunday, March 8, 2026 as part of the WCC Tournament.
  • Santa Clara and Pacific had met twice during the regular season, with the Broncos winning both games.

The players

Christian Hammond

Leads the Santa Clara Broncos in scoring with 15.9 points per game.

Elijah Mahi

Adds 14.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game for the Broncos.

Elias Ralph

Leads the Pacific Tigers with 16.5 points and 6.8 assists per game.

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What they’re saying

“Turnovers have been the biggest issue for Pacific in each matchup. They turned the ball over 21 times in the first game, which Santa Clara was able to convert into 28 points.”

— Sean Barnard, Author (draftkings.com)

What’s next

Santa Clara will advance to the next round of the WCC Tournament, while Pacific's season has come to an end.

The takeaway

Santa Clara's high-powered offense and Pacific's turnover issues proved to be the difference, as the Broncos secured their third victory over the Tigers this season to advance in the WCC Tournament.