PHOENIX (AP) — Adama Bal scored 23 points and Santa Clara converted six straight free throws in the final minute to hold off Washington State 69-61 to win the Jerry Colangelo Classic in Phoenix on Saturday afternoon.
Santa Clara is now 4-2 in its last five meetings with the Cougars. The Broncos scheduled four games against Pac-12 Conference teams and is 3-1 in those games, beating Washington State, Stanford and Oregon and losing only at Cal 84-69.
Myles Rice hit a 3 to get WSU within five, 62-57, with 1:50 left but missed a jumper to make it a one-possession game with just over a minute to play. Carlos Marshall Jr. hit the first of two free throws to push the Santa Clara lead to six, but Isaac Jones dunked with :49 left to make it 63-59. Tyeree Bryan hit four straight from the line while Rice missed two 3-point attempts. Marshall hit two free throws before the Cougars’ Jabe Mullins missed from deep and Andrej Jakimovski put back the offensive rebound to set the final margin.
Bal hit 6 of 9 from the field, including 3 of 4 from beyond the arc and went 8-for-8 from the line to lead Santa Clara (8-4). Johnny O’Neil put in 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, all off the defensive glass. Marshall added 10 points.
