SANTA CLARA, Calif. (Interstat) — A surging Santa Clara squad looks to protect its home court against a Pacific team finding its footing in West Coast Conference play when the Broncos host the Tigers on Wednesday night at Leavey Center.

Santa Clara (14-5) enters with momentum after a dominant 103-72 victory over Loyola Marymount on Saturday. The Broncos’ offense was fueled by a career-high 37 points from guard Aleksandar Gavalyugov, who shot 14 of 19 from the field. The sophomore has been a key contributor, averaging 11.2 points per game, but his recent explosion highlights his explosive potential. The Broncos have won four of their last five, with the lone loss a competitive 89-77 defeat at Gonzaga.

Pacific (12-7) snapped a two-game skid with a 77-70 home win over San Diego on Saturday. The Tigers are led by guard TJ Wainwright, who scored 25 points in that victory. Wainwright has been consistently productive, averaging 16.2 points in conference play and scoring in double figures in seven of his last eight contests. His backcourt play will be critical against Santa Clara’s perimeter defense.

The matchup features a contrast in recent trajectories. Santa Clara’s five losses have come against strong competition, including Gonzaga, Loyola Chicago, Arizona State, New Mexico and North Texas. Pacific has shown resilience but seeks its first true road win in WCC play after narrow losses at Portland and Loyola Marymount.

Santa Clara holds the overall record advantage and the home-court edge at a venue where they are 9-1 this season. Pacific will need to contain Gavalyugov’s hot hand and find scoring beyond Wainwright to challenge the Broncos. The game is the first of a regular-season series, with the rematch scheduled for Feb. 4 in Stockton.

Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. PST Wednesday.