SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP)—John Bryant scored on a tip-in with 7.5 seconds remaining to help the Broncos rally from six points down in the final six minutes to beat San Jose State 59-56 on Wednesday night.
Bryant finished with 20 points and a career-high 21 rebounds while helping the Broncos to their second straight win after a four-game losing streak. The Broncos’ 6-foot-11-inch senior center, who was stabbed three times in the back during an off-campus incident in September, recorded his fifth double-double of the season and the 29th of his career.
San Jose’s Tim Pierce, who led the Spartans with 18 points, missed a 3-point shot at the buzzer that would have tied the game.
Santa Clara (3-4) trailed 52-46 with 5:30 remaining when Bryant began his team’s comeback with a short jumper. Freshman Kevin Foster then scored six straight points to give the Broncos a 54-52 lead.
DaShawn Wright sank a pair of free throws for the Spartans (2-3) before Bryant made an 8-foot shot while falling down to put Santa Clara back in front for good with 1:25 remaining. San Jose pulled within 57-56 with 11 seconds left before Bryant’s tip-in off Ben Dowdell’s missed free throw sealed the win for the Broncos.
James Rahon added 11 points off the bench for Santa Clara, which was playing its sixth straight road game.
Bryant had 10 points and 10 rebounds in the first half, helping the Broncos overcome an early six-point deficit. The 6-foot-11 senior center sank a pair of free throws with 3:08 left. He later capped a 9-2 run with a short layin as Santa Clara closed out the half on a 9-2 run to take a 27-25 lead into the break.
Graham had 13 points and four assists for San Jose State, which shot 28.1 percent in the first half and did not score a basket for the final five minutes of the game.
