Santa Clara Defeats Pepperdine in Dominant Performance
Friday, January 2, 2026, 10:00 PM ET · Leavey Center
Santa Clara Broncos 82, Pepperdine Waves 63, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.
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Quick answers
Who won Pepperdine Waves vs Santa Clara Broncos?
Santa Clara Broncos beat Pepperdine Waves 82-63 at Leavey Center on January 2, 2026.
Who was favored in Pepperdine Waves vs Santa Clara Broncos?
Santa Clara Broncos were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -2800 (about 97% implied). The favorite won.
The Santa Clara Broncos secured a convincing victory over the Pepperdine Waves with a final score of 82-63 at the Leavey Center. This win underscores Santa Clara's strong home performance this season, improving their record to 13-4 overall and maintaining a solid home record of 5-2. In contrast, Pepperdine's struggles continue, leaving them with a 5-12 overall record and a disappointing away record of 1-4.
Santa Clara's recent form has been impressive, with the team boasting a 6-4 record in their last ten games. They are currently on a two-game winning streak, having averaged 81.1 points scored per game while allowing 73.8 points. Their last two victories included a thrilling 92-85 win against the Portland Pilots and a dominant 102-64 performance against the Oregon State Beavers. The Broncos have shown resilience at home, where they have averaged 82.8 points in their last five games and allowed 74.2 points.
On the other hand, Pepperdine has been struggling, with only two wins in their last ten games, resulting in a record of 2-8. The Waves are currently on a two-game losing streak, averaging 63.4 points scored per game while allowing 73.1 points. Their recent losses include a 45-72 defeat against the Saint Mary's Gaels and a 56-96 drubbing by the Gonzaga Bulldogs. The team has not found success on the road, with their last five games averaging just 66.6 points scored and 74.6 points allowed.
In terms of head-to-head matchups, Santa Clara and Pepperdine have faced each other twice in the current season, splitting the results with one win each. In their most recent meeting on December 29, 2025, Santa Clara emerged victorious with a score of 91-80. Earlier in the season, on March 10, 2025, Pepperdine won a closely contested game, 78-76.
The market for this matchup had Santa Clara as heavy favorites, with DraftKings listing the Broncos at -20.5 on the spread and a moneyline of -2800. Conversely, Pepperdine was listed at +1300 on the moneyline. The total for the game was set at 150.5, with over odds at -115.0 and under odds at -105.0. These odds reflected the significant disparity in the teams' recent performances and overall records.
The game conditions were favorable for both teams, with no specific adverse weather or venue issues reported. As the game progressed, viewers could watch for key plays, including Danilo Dožic's impactful layups and Bukky Oboye's strong presence in the paint, contributing to Santa Clara's offensive dominance in the second half. The scoring plays highlighted the Broncos' ability to capitalize on their opportunities, with several assists showcasing their teamwork and ball movement.
Overall, Santa Clara's strong performance at home, combined with Pepperdine's ongoing struggles, made this matchup a compelling fixture in the NCAAB landscape. The Broncos' ability to maintain their scoring average and control the game defensively will be crucial as they continue their season.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | SCU -20.5 | 150.5 o -115 / u -105 | Pepperdine Waves +1300 · Santa Clara Broncos -2800 |
Leaders
- PointsChristian Hammond20Santa Clara Broncos
- AssistsElijah Mahi3Santa Clara Broncos
- ReboundsBukky Oboye7Santa Clara Broncos
- PointsDanilo Dožic12Pepperdine Waves
- AssistsStyles Phipps5Pepperdine Waves
- ReboundsDanilo Dožic5Pepperdine Waves
Recent form
Santa Clara Broncos
Last 10: 6-4Streak W281.1 scored · 73.8 allowed per game4-2 at home
- W92-85at Portland PilotsDec 31
- W102-64at Oregon State BeaversDec 28
- L78-80vs Loyola Chicago RamblersDec 20
- W63-60vs North Texas Mean GreenDec 18
- L79-82vs Arizona State Sun DevilsDec 14
- L71-98at New Mexico LobosDec 7
- W90-80vs Utah Tech TrailblazersDec 4
- W86-75vs Minnesota Golden GophersNov 29
- L70-71at Saint Louis BillikensNov 28
- W80-43vs Louisiana Ragin' CajunsNov 22
Pepperdine Waves
Last 10: 2-8Streak L263.4 scored · 73.1 allowed per game1-3 away
- L45-72vs Saint Mary's GaelsDec 31
- L56-96vs Gonzaga BulldogsDec 29
- W84-62vs Rice OwlsDec 21
- L78-81at Long Beach State BeachDec 19
- W70-62at Cal State Bakersfield RoadrunnersDec 14
- L56-65vs Vermont CatamountsDec 6
- L63-71vs Abilene Christian WildcatsDec 3
- L69-83at Cal State Fullerton TitansNov 29
- L53-76at Fresno State BulldogsNov 27
- L60-63vs Stephen F. Austin LumberjacksNov 22
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gonzaga | 31-4 | - | 16-2 |
| Saint Mary's | 27-6 | - | 16-2 |
| Santa Clara | 26-9 | 1 | 15-3 |
| Oregon State | 17-16 | 7 | 9-9 |
| Seattle U | 21-14 | 8 | 8-10 |
| Pacific | 18-15 | 8 | 8-10 |
| San Francisco | 17-16 | 8 | 8-10 |
| Washington State | 12-20 | 9 | 7-11 |
| Loyola Marymount | 15-17 | 10 | 6-12 |
| Portland | 15-19 | 10 | 6-12 |
| San Diego | 12-21 | 11 | 5-13 |
| Pepperdine | 9-23 | 12 | 4-14 |
Box score
| Stat | Pepperdine Waves | Santa Clara Broncos |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 21-54 | 33-67 |
| Field goal % | 39 | 49 |
| Three-pointers | 5-17 | 8-30 |
| Three-point % | 29 | 27 |
| Free throws | 16-22 | 8-12 |
| Free throw % | 73 | 67 |
| Rebounds | 35 | 36 |
| Offensive rebounds | 10 | 9 |
| Defensive rebounds | 25 | 27 |
| Assists | 15 | 14 |
| Steals | 7 | 15 |
| Blocks | 3 | 5 |
| Turnovers | 19 | 12 |
| Team turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Technical fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls, total | 0 | 0 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 9 | 21 |
| Fast-break points | 12 | 19 |
| Points in the paint | 30 | 50 |
| Fouls | 15 | 23 |
| Largest lead | 5 | 21 |
| Lead changes | 8 | 8 |
| Time in front | 16 | 80 |
How the scoring went
- 2nd Half35-44Christian Hammond makes 6-foot jumper
- 2nd Half35-46Bukky Oboye makes 1-foot dunk (Brenton Knapper assists)
- 2nd Half36-46Styles Phipps makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half36-48Elijah Mahi makes layup (Jake Ensminger assists)
- 2nd Half38-48Yonatan Levy makes 0-foot tip in layup
- 2nd Half40-48Danilo Dožic makes layup (Styles Phipps assists)
- 2nd Half40-50Elijah Mahi makes 6-foot turnaround jump shot
- 2nd Half40-51Thierry Darlan makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half43-51Danilo Dožic makes 22-foot three point jumper (Pavle Stošic assists)
- 2nd Half44-51Yonatan Levy makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half45-51Yonatan Levy makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half46-51Aaron Clark makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half47-51Aaron Clark makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half47-53Christian Hammond makes layup
- 2nd Half47-55Christian Hammond makes layup (Bukky Oboye assists)
- 2nd Half47-57Bukky Oboye makes layup (Elijah Mahi assists)
- 2nd Half48-57Styles Phipps makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half49-57Styles Phipps makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half49-58Elijah Mahi makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half49-59Elijah Mahi makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half51-59Nikola Radovanovic makes layup
- 2nd Half51-61Brenton Knapper makes layup (Bukky Oboye assists)
- 2nd Half51-62Brenton Knapper makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half51-64Elijah Mahi makes 6-foot jumper
- 2nd Half51-67Christian Hammond makes 24-foot three point jumper (Brenton Knapper assists)
- 2nd Half51-69Elijah Mahi makes 6-foot turnaround jump shot
- 2nd Half51-70Christian Hammond makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half51-71Allen Graves makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half51-72Allen Graves makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half53-72Javon Cooley makes layup (Styles Phipps assists)
- 2nd Half56-72Javon Cooley makes 23-foot three point jumper (Aaron Clark assists)
- 2nd Half56-74Sash Gavalyugov makes layup (Christian Hammond assists)
- 2nd Half58-74Danilo Dožic makes layup (Aaron Clark assists)
- 2nd Half58-76Bukky Oboye makes 3-foot hook shot
- 2nd Half58-78Bukky Oboye makes 2-foot alley oop dunk (Brenton Knapper assists)
- 2nd Half60-78Danilo Dožic makes 6-foot jumper (Styles Phipps assists)
- 2nd Half61-78Danilo Dožic makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half61-80Brenton Knapper makes driving layup
- 2nd Half61-82Christian Hammond makes layup (Elijah Mahi assists)
- 2nd Half63-82Luka Vudragovic makes layup
Win probability
Above the line favours Santa Clara Broncos, below favours Pepperdine Waves.
Venue
- Leavey CenterSanta Clara, CA
- Attendance1158
- OfficialsD.G. Nelson, Marques Pettigrew, Eric Curry
Elsewhere
- Carson Crawford, No. 46 in '27 class, commits to Arizona St.
- Tennessee's Ralph Scott to have knee surgery, out at least 6 months
- Men's NCAA basketball 2026-27 Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings
- Transfers, recruits and roster moves for key men's NCAA basketball teams
- Michigan 5-star freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. (knee) to miss season
- With $6.5 million left on deal, UCLA fires AD Martin Jarmond