SANTA CLARA, Calif. (Interstat) — A surging Santa Clara team will look to continue its strong start to the season when it hosts struggling Pepperdine in a West Coast Conference men’s basketball game Friday at Leavey Center.

The Broncos (11-4) enter the new year having won three straight, including a 92-85 road victory at Portland on Tuesday and a dominant 102-64 win at Oregon State on Sunday. They are led by guard Elijah Mahi, who has scored at least 17 points in six consecutive games. He is averaging 20.7 points over his last three outings, including a 22-point performance against the Pilots.

Conversely, the Waves (5-10) are mired in a difficult stretch, having lost four of their last five games. They are coming off a particularly rough 72-45 home loss to Saint Mary’s on Tuesday, where they shot just 28.8% from the field. Pepperdine’s offense will lean on guard Styles Phipps, who has shown flashes of high-level play. He scored 25 points with seven assists in a narrow loss to Long Beach State on Dec. 18 but has been held to single digits in three of his last four games.

Santa Clara’s success has been built on efficient offense, averaging 84.1 points in its 11 wins. The Broncos have protected their home court well, going 6-1 at Leavey Center this season. Pepperdine, which has lost five straight true road games, will need a significant turnaround to challenge that mark. The Waves rank near the bottom of the WCC in scoring defense, allowing 75.1 points per game.

This matchup opens the conference slate for both teams. Santa Clara will aim to establish itself as a contender behind Mahi and a balanced supporting cast that includes Christian Hammond and Brenton Knapper. Pepperdine seeks to rediscover its early-December form, when it won back-to-back games over Rice and Cal State Bakersfield, and will require a major defensive effort and consistent scoring from Phipps to pull an upset.

Friday’s game tips off at 7 p.m. PST. Santa Clara visits Gonzaga next Thursday, while Pepperdine travels to face Pacific on Sunday.