Broncos to Open 2002 At Home Friday Against Loyola

Dec. 31, 2001

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University men's basketball team will be looking for its fourth-straight win overall and its first in the new year Friday when it hosts Loyola College (Md.) at 7:30 p.m. at the newly-renovated Leavey Center.

Fans who bring a coat or jacket to donate to the homeless will receive a special $2 general admission ticket price to see the Broncos' final non-conference game of the season. Santa Clara opens its West Coast Conference schedule Jan. 11 on the road in a Fox Sports Net regionally televised contest at Gonzaga.

Santa Clara enters the Loyola contest with a 4-8 overall record and a three-game win streak following its 61-59 win over UC Santa Barbara in the championship game of the 35th annual Cable Car Classic last weekend. Sophomore guard Kyle Bailey was named the tournament MVP after scoring 14 second-half points to help the Broncos to victory. The Fairbanks, Alaska native also scored the game-winning shot with just 1.1 seconds left on the clock to defeat UMBC 59-58 in the first round.

Senior Steve Ross leads the Broncos in scoring, averaging 14.6 points per game. The Victoria, B.C. native was also named to the Cable Car Classic all-tournament team after scoring 43 points and leading the Broncos in scoring in both games. Ross also leads the team in three-pointers with 31 on the season.

Loyola has a 2-8 overall record and a 1-1 mark in the Metro Atlantic Conference heading into a Thursday night contest against Manhattan. The Greyhounds' two wins were over Fairleigh Dickinson and St. Peter's College. In the only meeting this season against a common opponent to the Broncos, Loyola dropped a 76-66 decision in its season-opener against UMBC.

Freshman guard Lucious Jordan leads the Greyhounds in scoring with an average of 13.9 points per game and has a team-high 23 steals. Sophomore backcourt mate B.J. Davis is second on the team in scoring (11.5 ppg) and has a team-high 19 three-point field goals on the season. Freshman forward Bernard Allen leads the team with 8.7 rebounds per game.

After opening its WCC schedule on the road at Gonzaga and Portland, the Broncos return home for their league home-opener on Jan. 16 against San Diego. For ticket information, contact the athletic ticket office at 408/554-4660 or click here for information or to purchase tickets online.

For information on the special "WCC League Pass," which includes a ticket to each of the seven league home games for a special price, click here.