Around the WCC

Brandon Johnson, Gyno Pomare and Rob Jones, three of San Diego’s top players, violated a team rule and didn’t start against Saint Mary’s. The trio entered with 15:22 remaining in the first half and the Toreros trailing 7-2. They combined to score 33 points in a seven-point loss. … Saint Mary’s guard Patty Mills and San Diego’s Johnson have seen their player-of-the-year candidacies fade recently. Mills has scored just seven points in two games. Johnson has made just 10 of 44 shots (23 percent) in his last three games. … Santa Clara is 1-9 in games decided by six points or less. Broncos junior center John Bryant surpassed 1,000 career points with an 18-point effort in a loss to San Diego. Teammate Brody Angley reached the 1,000 mark earlier this season. … With one more defeat, San Francisco would tie the school record for most losses (21) in a season.