Lobos Look to Stuff Santa Clara’s Stocking With a Loss in Holiday Showdown
Santa Clara’s Elijah Mahi #8 and Allen Graves #22 pose after Santa Clara’s dominant 80-43 win over Louisiana. Photo courtesy of Santa Clara Athletics.
UNM gets an early December gift on Saturday: a Quad 1/Quad 2 home opportunity against one of the nation’s most efficient mid-major programs.
Santa Clara enters The Pit at 8–1 overall, 2–1 on the road, and ranked No. 51 in KenPom and No. 33 in the NET as of Friday.
The Broncos average 81.9 points per game and outscore opponents by 15. They are brutally efficient from two key zones: at the rim, where they’ve hit 76 of 116 attempts (65%), and on 3-pointers taken above the corners where they are 41-for-117 (35%).
Graphic courtesy of Cbbananalytics.com Two-thirds of Santa Clara’s shots come from directly at the rim or 3-pointers above the corners.
They also fire from deep at one of the highest clips in the country, averaging 29 3-point attempts per game. Santa Clara has hit 10 or more 3s five times, including going 11-for-37 on Tuesday in a 90–80 win over Utah Tech. Its best showing was a blistering 16-for-31 performance in an 87–76 win over Minnesota at the Acrisure Invitational.
The Broncos share the ball well. They average 18.4 assists per game (tied for 33rd nationally) and have topped 20 assists five times this season—including 26 helpers in the Utah Tech win.
SC is one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country, grabbing 15 per game and averaging 16 second-chance points. They are top 10 in the Ken Pom in offensive rebounding rate.
Defensively, Santa Clara averages nine steals per game and are 21st in Ken Pom in defensive turnover percentage. The Broncos forced 22 turnovers against Utah Tech on Tuesday that produced 23 points. They average 18 points per game off turnovers.
They also protect the rim really well. They are seventh in the country, averaging 6 blocks per game. Santa Clara had back-to-back games with 11 blocks in wins against Nevada and Xavier. The Broncos have three starters between 6-foot-7 and 7-foot-1 and two key reserves that are 6-8 and 6-9.
PLAYER PREVIEWS
#1 Christian Hammond – 6-4, Guard (16.6 ppg)
Santa Clara’s leading scorer shoots 50% from the field and 42% from 3, with double-figure scoring in every game. He scored a season-high 27 vs. Nevada.
He missed Tuesday’s game with an injury; Santa Clara head coach Herb Sendek said he would be re-evaluated this week. His status is uncertain.
#8 Elijah Mahi – 6-7, Forward (13.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
A versatile wing who finishes strong and shoots 36% from 3, Mahi has scored in double figures in seven of nine games. He shoots 47% inside the arc and is Santa Clara’s best finisher at the rim.
#12 Bukky Oboye – 7-1, Center (2 blocks per game)
The team’s top rim protector, Oboye had a season-best seven blocks against Nevada and anchors the interior defense. Offensively, he’s a lob target and efficient finisher.
#44 Jake Ensminger – 6-9, Forward (7.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 4.0 apg)
A rare playmaking big, Ensminger leads SC in rebounds and assists. He missed the past two games due to a lower-body injury suffered vs. Saint Louis. Sendek said he is “making progress,” though there were reports that Ensminger was in crutches last week.”
#22 Allen Graves – 6-9, Forward (9.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg)
Graves leads the Broncos in steals and is second in blocks. He’s coming off a season-high 13 points. Graves went viral after posterizing a Utah Tech player and then getting punched in the face.
#0 Brenton Knapper – 6-0, Guard (8.8 ppg and second on the team in steals).
#2 Sash Gavalyugov – 6-3, Guard (35% 3-pointers)
KEYS FOR UNM (Offense)
1. Finish at the Rim or Draw Fouls. Oboye at 7’1 and Graves at 6’9 are elite shot blockers and will challenge shots in the paint. “We do need to put pressure on the rim,” Eric Olen said when previewing the matchup. “We’re going to attack, we’re going to be aggressive regardless of who’s in there and we have to do a good job at the end of those drives with our decision making.”
2. Limit Turnovers. UNM’s been better taking care of the basketball as of late but will get full court ball pressure from the opportunistic Broncos. “Santa Clara really picks up the ball in the full court, and they’re going to pressure the ball early in possessions, even after misses,” Olen said. “It’s not just about (getting) the defensive rebound, but you have to survive that pressure initially.”.
3. Hit Threes. UNM has shot well in back-to-back games (46% vs. Alabama State and 38% vs. NMHU). Jake Hall is 12-for-20 (60%) in his last two outings, but UNM needs Antonio Chol, Uriah Tenette and others to knock down long-distance shots.
KEYS FOR UNM (Defense)
1. Limit offensive rebounds. The Lobos have given up double-digit offensive rebounds in five of their eight games. “We will certainly have to send five to the defensive glass,” Olen said. “They do a lot of things well, but (offensive rebounding) is up there in terms of how they impact the offensive glass, the physicality they go with, the consistency they go with.” Olen said Tomislav Buljan should play without any restrictions.
2. Contest the 3-point line. UNM’s perimeter defense has been vulnerable in five of the last six games. Acknowledging that the Lobos will give up 3-point shots, Olen said “For us, it's about making sure it doesn’t land on the wrong guys,” Olen said. “We don’t want their best shooters to get clean looks, but we would prefer them to take jump shots over rim attempts.” The Lobos will have to mark Hammond (if he plays), Gavalyugov and Mahi – all who shoot over 35% from deep.
3. Matchup with Santa Clara’s Top Scorers: Mahi and Hammond are the top scorers for Santa Clara and they could pose matchup problems. Mahi is 6’7, bigger than Howell, and he’s athletic and can get to the rim. Hammond is a big guard that shoots the ball well. The Lobos will have to find the right matchups defensively.
