Aug. 1, 2002
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University men's basketball team was picked fifth in the West Coast Conference's annual preseason coaches' poll Thursday afternoon. Defending co-champions, Pepperdine and Gonzaga, split the first place votes and were picked to repeat as co-champs.
Despite returning eight letterwinners and two starters, Dick Davey's squad is still tabbed to finish behind the defending champions, San Francisco and San Diego. Saint Mary's, Loyola Marymount and Portland round out the poll.
The Broncos return starters Kyle Bailey and Jordan Legge. Bailey returns for his junior season following an first team All-WCC year in which he was the team's second-leading scorer with an average of 13.4 points per game and was sixth in the WCC in assists, averaging 3.78 per contest.
Legge returns for his sophomore campaign following a year in which he started 26 of the team's 28 games, averaging 6.9 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
Topping the list of newcomers to the program is junior college All-American J.R. Patrick. Patrick, a 6-4 guard, will bring a strong perimeter game to the Leavey Center, along with the ability to distribute the ball when his shot is taken away.
Santa Clara will begin its 2002-03 season with an exhibition game against the Olympic Club AAU team on Friday night, November 15, in the Leavey Center. The Broncos' official home opener is against UC Santa Cruz on Monday night, November 25 at 7 p.m.
2002-03 WCC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
T1. Gonzaga (4) - 46
T1. Pepperdine (4) - 46
3. San Francisco - 37
4. San Diego - 26
5. Santa Clara - 25
6. Saint Mary's - 21
7. Loyola Marymount - 15
8. Portland - 8
(First Place Votes)