SANTA CLARA, Calif. (Interstat) — The Santa Clara Broncos used a dominant defensive performance and a career night from guard Aleksandar Gavalyugov to pull away from the Seattle Redhawks for an 84-72 victory in a West Coast Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at a sold-out Leavey Center.

A crowd of 1,847 saw the Broncos, now 22-5 overall, force 11 Seattle turnovers while committing only three of their own, translating that advantage into a decisive 17-0 edge in points off turnovers. That ball security and defensive pressure were the foundation of the win, as Santa Clara’s offensive rating of 117.3 points per 100 possessions easily outpaced Seattle’s 102.5.

The game was closely contested for the first 25 minutes. Seattle, which fell to 15-11, trailed just 33-29 at halftime and kept the deficit within single digits for much of the second half. The Redhawks were led by the backcourt duo of Brayden Maldonado, who scored 17 points and dished out five assists, and Jun Seok Yeo, who also had 17 points. Will Heimbrodt added 11 points and four assists, while Houran Dan contributed 11 points off the bench.

The most important stretch of the game, however, belonged to Santa Clara’s Aleksandar Gavalyugov. The sophomore from Sofia, Bulgaria, erupted for a career-high 21 points, with 15 coming in the second half. His personal 8-0 run midway through the final period effectively sealed the outcome. With Santa Clara leading 51-46 and just over 12 minutes remaining, Gavalyugov hit a driving layup, then followed it with a 3-pointer on the next possession. After a Seattle miss, he struck again from beyond the arc, pushing the Broncos’ lead to 59-46 and forcing a Seattle timeout. That sequence, fueled by his scoring burst, stretched a precarious five-point lead to a comfortable 13-point margin from which the Redhawks never recovered.

Gavalyugov’s outburst was part of a larger, efficient offensive display for the Broncos, who shot 43.3% from the field and 37.1% from 3-point range. They were complemented by Allen Graves, who provided a crucial all-around performance with 15 points, five assists and three steals in just 24 minutes off the bench. Christian Hammond added 17 points, and Elijah Mahi orchestrated the offense with nine points and seven assists.

Seattle’s effort was hampered by its inability to handle Santa Clara’s defensive intensity. The Redhawks managed only two assists against 11 turnovers, a stark contrast to the Broncos’ 11 assists and three giveaways. Santa Clara also recorded 11 steals, led by Graves and Hammond with three each, which fueled their transition game to a 19-9 advantage in fastbreak points. Seattle shot respectably, hitting 44.8% from the floor and 45.5% from deep, but their 70 possessions were often cut short by the Broncos’ ball-hawking defense.

The loss continues a challenging stretch for Seattle, which has now dropped four of its last five games. The Redhawks will look to rebound at home against Oregon State on Sunday. Santa Clara, which entered as a 13-point favorite and lived up to its 92.8% win probability according to Interstat’s ELO system, continues its pursuit of a conference title. The Broncos face a major test in their next outing, hosting first-place Gonzaga on Saturday. The total score of 156 points surpassed the over/under line of 142.