Tip-off: Saturday 1/31 @ 6:00 PM Gersten Pavillion, Los Angeles
TV: ESPN+
Line: Broncos -15.5, 70.2% win probability;
Over/Under:
Torvik: Broncos #35, Lions #172
We’re entering the final third of the 2025–26 regular season—an exciting stretch where conference contenders and at-large hopefuls jockey for position while assembling résumés for the Big Dance. Scoreboard watching becomes the norm as teams look for help elsewhere. For some programs, player development has been the primary goal and they’ve achieved it. Others—particularly the bottom half of the standings—are already turning their focus toward next season, while a few are simply hoping to rally in their conference tournaments.
All of those paths converge Saturday as the Santa Clara Broncos and Loyola Marymount Lions meet for the second and final time this season. The first matchup wasn’t particularly close, with the Broncos handing LMU a 31-point defeat in Santa Clara.
Santa Clara is in the midst of a highly impressive season, highlighted by a dominant home record. At this stage, the Broncos’ mission is twofold: avoid bad losses while continuing to stack Quad 1 and Quad 2 wins. Those opportunities are becoming scarce, which only raises the stakes—especially against a capable conference opponent. The Broncos have emerged as a balanced defensive group, forcing turnovers at a high rate, knocking down timely threes, and consistently attacking the paint through strong interior ball movement. They currently rank second in the WCC in conference scoring at 87 points per game and boast an average conference margin of victory of 19.1 points.
On the other side, Loyola Marymount has historically been a tough out at Gersten Pavilion. Santa Clara knows that all too well, as do several other WCC foes from recent seasons.
This year, however, the Lions’ season has been a disappointment relative to expectations. With additions like Jalen Shelley and Rodney Brown, along with Myron Amey and Jan Vide, LMU appeared poised to build on last year’s momentum. That optimism carried through non-conference play but quickly faded once league play began. The Lions now sit at 2–8 in conference and have dropped five straight. December brought energy and excitement—including some clutch wins—but that spark has largely vanished, and the numbers reflect it. LMU’s efficiency metrics sit nearly opposite of Santa Clara’s on both ends of the floor.
Still, pride matters—especially at home. The Lions would love nothing more than to spoil what has been a spectacular season for the Broncos, so expect a motivated effort on Saturday. That said, Santa Clara has fully embraced its roles and identity. If the Broncos play the brand of basketball that has led them to a 9–1 record over their last ten games, this matchup should result in another decisive victory.
