SANTA CLARA, Calif. – LMU men's basketball closed out the road portion of their schedule on Thursday night at Santa Clara. The Lions hit the game's opening shot and then could not get it back as the Broncos took the game, 76-61.
 
Will Johnston started the game with an opening jumper, his first of a game-high 18 points.
 
Early layups by Alex Merkviladze and Jan Vide, paired with a Johnston three, kept the Lions within a possession early before Santa Clara rattled off seven consecutive points to take their first double-digit lead. Myron Amey, Jr. hit a three to stop the run.
 
Rick Issanza hit two first half field goals to cut the deficit to seven both times. Santa Clara took a 35-26 lead into the half. Issanza finished 2-for-2 with five points, matched his season-high with seven rebounds, matched his career-high with four blocks, and matched his career-high with two steals.
 
Johnston came out of the locker room and hit the opening shot of the second half as well, knocking down a three.
 
The Broncos rattled off the next eight points before LMU responded with 10 unanswered to pull within four points. Johnston opened the run with a three and his co-captain Merkviladze hit the layup at 14:43 to make it a 43-39 game. Santa Clara stopped the run with an 11-2 run of their own to push the lead back to double figures.
 
Amey had a pair of breakaway dunks on back-to-back plays as part of a personal 6-1 run to bring the Lions back within eight with 6:54. Amey scored 13 to join Johnston in double digits.
 
Merkviladze hit a pair of layups at the 4:41 and 3:51 marks as LMU's final field goals before Santa Clara closed out the game with several offensive rebounds to go back on top by 15 as time expired. Merkviladze scored eight on 4-for-9 shooting.
 
The Broncos outrebounded LMU 48-27, including grabbing 17 offensive rebounds which led to 18 second chance points.
 
 The Lions will play two final home games this season. LMU hosts Pepperdine on Saturday night and then closes the regular season against Saint Mary's on Thursday before heading to the WCC Championships.
 
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