SANTA CLARA >> Mitchell Saxen’s 12 points helped Saint Mary’s defeat Santa Clara 67-54 on Wednesday night as the Gaels scored 30 consecutive points during a 13-minute stretch in the second half.

Saxen also contributed five rebounds for the Gaels (19-3, 9-0 West Coast Conference). Luke Barrett scored 10 points, going 4 of 11 (2 for 7 from 3-point range). Paulius Murauskas had nine points and shot 4 for 13, including 1 for 5 from beyond the arc.

The Gaels extended their winning streak to nine games.

The Broncos (14-9, 6-4) were led in scoring by Carlos Stewart, who finished with 24 points. Santa Clara also got 11 points and two steals from Christoph Tilly. Brenton Knapper also had six points.

Saint Mary’s (CA) took the lead with 1:56 left in the first half and never looked back. Saint Mary’s pulled away with a 30-0 run in the second half for a 28-point lead. They outscored Santa Clara by 11 points in the final half, as Saxen led the way with a team-high nine second-half points.

Both teams next play Saturday. Saint Mary’s hosts Gonzaga and Santa Clara plays Pacific at home.

College Football

Cal, San Jose State to play in 2028, 2031 >> San Jose State and Cal are renewing their football series that has been dormant since 1996, the schools announced on Thursday.

On Sept. 9, 2028, Cal will play host to the Spartans.

On Sept. 13, 2031, the Bears will travel to San Jose State.

“It has been over three decades since we played the Golden Bears, and I know our fans will be excited to see this Bay Area rivalry rekindled,” San Jose State athletic director Jeff Konya said in a statement. “I am appreciative that the two institutions were able to secure a sensible, regional, and attractive series for the Bay Area.”

NFL

Ravens’ Tucker accused of inappropriate behavior >> One of the best kickers in NFL history has found himself at the center of controversy.

Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, a 7-time Pro Bowl player, is accused of engaging in inappropriate behavior at four Baltimore-area spas and wellness centers.

The Baltimore Banner reported the allegations against Tucker, one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history, on Thursday.

The Banner reported that six massage therapists accused Tucker of “exposing his genitals, brushing two of them with his exposed penis, and leaving what they believed to be ejaculate on the massage table after three of his treatments.”

The alleged encounters occurred between 2012 and 2016.

Tucker posted a lengthy statement on social media denying the allegations after the report was released.

Women’s Basketball

Clark, Fever to play against Brazilian National Team in Iowa >> Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever will be playing the Brazilian National Team this WNBA preseason at the University of Iowa.

The Fever announced the addition to their preseason schedule Thursday. The game on May 4 will allow Clark to play as a pro with her current team at Carver-Hawkeye Arena where she starred in college on her way to becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA last spring.

Indiana, scheduled to open the Fever’s 25th WNBA season May 17 against Chicago, also has Damiris Dantas on the roster. She played in two Olympics for the Brazilian National Team, at the 2012 London Games and the 2016 Rio Games.

Skating

Button dies at 95 >> Dick Button, whose passionate and often tart commentary on figure skating competitions became a television staple over six decades and made him the sport’s unofficial spokesperson, died Thursday in North Salem, New York. He was 95.

His death was confirmed by his son, Edward.

An Emmy winner, Button taught generations of TV audiences the nuances of triple toe loops, lutzes and axels and how judges assess a skater’s performance. But many fans may not have known that he was a two-time Olympic gold medalist himself, advancing modern figure skating in the late 1940s and early ‘50s with his dazzling leaps and spins, including the first triple jump in competition.

Baseball

Scherzer agrees to deal with Blue Jays >> Max Scherzer is joining the Toronto Blue Jays, agreeing to a $15.5 million, one-year contract on Thursday, according to a person with direct knowledge of the deal.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced and was pending a physical.

The 40-year-old Scherzer was limited to nine starts with Texas last year, going 2-4 with a 3.95 ERA. The three-time Cy Young Award winner opened the season on the injured list while he recovered from lower back surgery. He also was on the IL from Aug. 2 to Sept. 13 because of shoulder fatigue, and he missed the end of the season because of a left hamstring strain.