Stewart scores 18, Santa Clara uses second half run to top TCU 69-52

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) — Carlos Stewart Jr. scored 18 points on 8-of-9 shooting and Santa Clara pulled away from TCU in the second half for a 69-52 win in the Acrisure Invitational on Thursday.

The Broncos broke the game open with a 24-3 run to turn a one-point deficit into a 20-point lead with less than five minutes to play.

Elijah Mahi added 13 points and Camaron Tongue 11 for Santa Clara (3-4).

Frankie Collins led the Horned Frogs (4-2) with 15 points. Noah Reynolds had 12 and Ernest Udeh Jr., the only returning scholarship player who missed the last two games with an injury, had nine with 12 rebounds.

Stewart had 14 points and Mahle 11 as Santa Clara took a 34-27 lead. The duo combined for the first two baskets of the game and the Broncos never trailed in the half. A 15-2 run had the lead at 13 but the Horned Frogs scored the last six points.

Collins scored the first five points of the second half to pull TCU with one and his jumper tied the game at 36. His 3-pointer gave the Horned Frogs the first of two short-lived one-point leads and then the Broncos reeled off 10 straight. Brenton Knapper’s 3-pointer made it 50-41 at the midpoint.

That went into a 24-3 run with Stewart’s layup making it 64-44 with 4:04 to play. TCU was 1 of 15 during that stretch.

Santa Clara was 8 of 26 from 3-point range while the Horned Frogs went 1 of 17. TCU was also 7 of 16 at the foul line.

Colorado State and Washington played in the other game of the two-day tournament that ends Friday.

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