Santa Clara Beats Towson 89-70 in Opener
Brad Longcor III and Aleksandar Gavalyugov led Santa Clara past Towson in its season-opening basketball game.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Basketball
Santa Clara defeated Towson 89-70 in its season opener on Monday. Brad Longcor III scored 18 points and Aleksandar Gavalyugov added 17 for Santa Clara, which took the lead with 18:29 left in the first half and never trailed.
Why it matters
The win gives Santa Clara a strong start to its season, with the team leading 43-35 at halftime before a 10-0 second-half run extended its advantage. The result sets the early tone for a schedule that continues with home games against Milwaukee this week.
Jaquan Womack recorded 15 points, 12 rebounds and two steals for Towson in the 89-70 loss. Santa Clara's 10-0 run in the second half was the decisive stretch, with the stub not providing shooting percentages or other advanced metrics.
The players
Santa Clara
The Santa Clara men's basketball program is a West Coast Conference member that competes in NCAA Division I and is based in Santa Clara, California.
Towson
The Towson men's basketball program competes in NCAA Division I as a member of the Coastal Athletic Association and is based in Towson, Maryland.
Brad Longcor III
Brad Longcor III is a Santa Clara basketball player who led his team in scoring with 18 points in the season opener.
Aleksandar Gavalyugov
Aleksandar Gavalyugov is a Santa Clara basketball player who scored 17 points and 14 first-half points in the season opener.
Jaquan Womack
Jaquan Womack is a Towson basketball player who posted 15 points and 12 rebounds in the loss to Santa Clara.
The details
Santa Clara took control early, pulling ahead with 18:29 remaining in the first half and building a 43-35 halftime edge on 14 first-half points from Gavalyugov. The Broncos pushed the margin to 63-45 in the second half with a 10-0 scoring run, and David Castillo added 14 points in the win.
Timeline
Monday: Santa Clara opened its season with an 89-70 win over Towson.
Wednesday: Santa Clara hosts Milwaukee.
Thursday: Towson visits Utah.
Season Trajectory
The 89-70 opening win gives Santa Clara an early marker in a season that now includes home games against Milwaukee and a team in Towson facing a road test at Utah. The result does not establish standings position, but it begins the schedule with a lead the team did not relinquish.
Santa Clara's Wednesday home game against Milwaukee follows its opener, giving the team a second test within the same week. Fans tracking Towson can follow its Thursday road game at Utah as the next measure of the program's early season.
The takeaway
Early season results are most useful as a baseline, and Santa Clara's halftime lead and second-half run offer a clear marker for how its first week unfolded. Readers following the team can track whether its scoring balance from Longcor and Gavalyugov holds against Milwaukee.
What happens next
Santa Clara hosts Milwaukee on Wednesday, and Towson visits Utah on Thursday.
Further reading
Follow the team's full schedule and results in the Basketball section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CBS Sports.
