Darren Cooper scores a game-high 15 points for the Pilots

PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Santa Clara Broncos completed a season sweep of the Portland Pilots with a convincing 76-53 victory Saturday night in front of 2,101 at the Chiles Center. The Broncos shot 55.3 percent and held the Pilots to 29.8 percent shooting for the game.

Portland senior Darren Cooper scored 15 points and had four assists. He was the only Pilot to reach double figures.

Sophomore center John Bryant led SCU with 15 points, while backcourt mates Danny Pariseau and Brody Angley added 14 and 11, respectively.

The Broncos (18-7, 8-2 West Coast Conference) remained tied with Gonzaga at the top of the WCC standings with the win, while the Pilots (7-19, 3-7) are in seventh-place with four regular season games remaining.

SCU grabbed an early nine-point lead on a three-pointer by Scott Dougherty midway through the first half, but Portland responded with a 10-1 run late in the half to grab a 25-24 lead with 3:56 remaining. Down four with 40 seconds remaining the Pilots had the ball, but a turnover led to a pair of Bronco free throws and Pariseau hit a runner at the buzzer to give SCU a 36-28 halftime lead.

“The end of the first half was critical,” Portland head coach Eric Reveno said. “It looked like we had a chance to pull within two, or milk the clock and go into the half down four, but instead we ended up down eight. That was key for momentum.”

The Broncos capitalized early in the second half by forcing six early turnovers and extending their lead to 49-30 with 13:38 left on a steal and basket by Angley. SCU would push the lead to as much as 28 late in the game.

Portland was dealt a similar loss by the Broncos earlier this season at Santa Clara. That game was tied at the half, but the Pilots were held to 4-of-24 shooting in the second period en route to a 57-41 defeat.

“Both games were very similar,” Reveno commented. “They had the momentum going into the half and jumped on us early in the second half.”

The Broncos gained a 30-12 edge in points in the paint and 19-13 margin in points off turnovers. Portland had just six assists with 13 turnovers, while SCU had 19 assists and nine turnovers.

Portland returns to the Chiles Center for its final regular season home game on Monday against the Saint Mary’s Gaels. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. with a special recognition of Portland’s four seniors prior to the game as part of Senior Night.