SANTA CLARA, Calif. (Interstat) — A surging Santa Clara squad will look to protect its home court and solidify its standing near the top of the West Coast Conference when it hosts Bay Area rival San Francisco on Wednesday night at the Leavey Center.

The Broncos (17-5) have won seven of their last eight games, including a decisive 85-73 road victory at San Diego last Saturday. Their lone loss in that stretch came at the hands of conference powerhouse Gonzaga. Forward Bukky Oboye has been a consistent force, averaging 9.1 points over the last eight contests and coming off a 16-point performance against the Toreros.

San Francisco (13-9) arrives seeking momentum after a narrow 68-66 loss at Gonzaga on Jan. 24, a game in which the Dons had a late chance to tie. Guard Legend Smiley led the effort with 18 points in that defeat, showcasing the scoring punch he has provided intermittently throughout conference play. The Dons’ season has been marked by volatility, with recent results including an overtime loss to Loyola Marymount and a win over Washington State.

This matchup is the first of two regular-season meetings between the programs, with the rematch set for San Francisco on Feb. 21. The Broncos have established themselves as one of the WCC’s top teams behind a balanced attack, while the Dons have struggled for consistency, particularly on the road.

Santa Clara’s defense, which has held opponents to an average of 68.5 points during its 7-1 run, will be tested by a USF team capable of high outputs, as seen in an 85-point effort against Washington State. Controlling the paint, where Oboye operates, will be a key for the Broncos.

For San Francisco, mitigating turnovers and finding secondary scoring behind Smiley and guard Ryan Beasley, who had 14 points and six assists at Gonzaga, will be critical to pulling an upset on the road.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. PST. The game will be televised on the conference’s regional sports network.