Jan. 30, 2003
PORTLAND, Ore. - - Portland junior Casey Frandsen scored 20 points to lead the Pilots to a 72-47 win over Santa Clara tonight in a West Coast Conference men's basketball game at the Chiles Center.
Santa Clara fell to 11-8 on the season and 2-4 in the WCC, while Portland improved to 9-10 and 2-4 in the league.
Santa Clara shot just 36.2 percent from the field and made just one of nine free throw attempts in its worst loss to the Pilots in the series between the two schools. The 47-point output was also the lowest against the Pilots since a 43-41 loss in the 1960-61 season.
Santa Clara did not have a player score in double-figures, although 10 different players scored in the game. Sophomore guard Bakari Altheimer recorded a team-high nine points. Jordan Legge and Ethan Rohde contributed nine each, while Rohde registered a career-high nine rebounds.
"Portland was very efficient in what they did tonight and they took us out of our game," said Santa Clara Head Coach Dick Davey. "They played excellent defense and shot well from the outside. Certainly playing at home versus on the road makes a difference, but they really did a good job of taking us out of our game. They really made us inefficient in what we were trying to do."
Portland's 12 three-point field goals equaled Princeton for the most against Santa Clara this season and that total was the most for a Bronco opponent since Pepperdine recorded 17 last season at Malibu, Calif. Santa Clara's 21 turnovers equaled a season-high set at Fresno State.
After Santa Clara jumped out to a 9-3 lead, the Pilots went on a 17-3 run that included 14 straight Portland points. Galos, a native of Santa Clara, Calif., connected on back-to-back three-point plays to give Portland a 20-12 lead with 8:38 left in the half.
Rohde hit an 18-foot jump shot from the right wing to snap the Pilots' run but Frandsen responded with his third three-point field goal of the half then Adam Quick made a three pointer just 37 seconds later to extend Portland's lead to 26-14 with just over six minutes remaining.
The Broncos committed 16 first-half turnovers, compared to five for Portland and scored just one field goal in the final 7:16 of the half. Santa Clara outrebounded the Pilots 23-12 and held the Pilots to just .357 shooting in the half but could only manage .304 shooting from the field and a 0-6 performance from behind the three-point stripe.
Santa Clara's 17-point first half scoring total was its lowest since a 17-point output last season at Ohio State.
Santa Clara returns to action Saturday in a 5 p.m. tipoff at league-leading Gonzaga. The game will broadcast live on the Bronco Radio Network, which consists of 1640 AM KDIA, 103.3 FM KSCU and on the Internet at www.SantaClaraBroncos.com.
The Broncos return home Saturday, February 8 for a 7 p.m. contest against San Diego. That afternoon will feature the annual Alumni Game at 2 p.m. in the Leavey Center. Live audio coverage of the game will be carried on the Internet at SantaClaraBroncos.com with Dave Lewis and Associate Head Coach Steve Seandel calling the action.
Tickets to all Santa Clara home games as well as the 2003 WCC Tournament in San Diego can be purchased by calling the SCU Athletic Ticket Office at 408/554-4660 or via the Internet at SantaClaraBroncos.com.