Men's Basketball Hosts Northern Colorado Tuesday in the Leavey Center
Bronco Basketball Games Notes (Notes, Player Bios, Stats, Box Scores)
Santa Clara will play the second of four games on Tuesday as part of the IBN Sports Las Vegas Invitational. Santa Clara, 3-1, hosts the first-ever meeting with Northern Colorado, 2-1, on Tues., Nov. 23 at 7 pm. Santa Clara is hosting two first round games in the Leavey Center as the Broncos defeated Bethune-Cookman 75-61 on Sunday. With both teams putting four players in double figures, UNC fell 93-70 at Arizona on Sunday after collecting early-season wins vs. Tabor College and Wyoming.
The iBAN Las Vegas Invitational field features Kansas, Arizona, Santa Clara, Ohio, Northern Colorado, Bethune-Cookman, Valparaiso and Texas A&M Corpus Christi. After Tuesday's game, SCU will travel Las Vegas for the final two games in the Orleans Arena: a 7 pm game vs. Arizona on Nov. 26 and a 4:30 pm game vs. Ohio on Nov. 27. Ohio, a No. 14 seed in the 2010 NCAA Tournament, defeated No. 3 seed Georgetown 97-83 before falling to Elite Eight-bound Tennessee 83-68. The Orleans Arena is the same site where the WCC Championship was held in 2009 and '10 and will also be held in 2011. SCU is 1-2 in the Orleans Arena as a neutral site.
Santa Clara is led by Kevin Foster, who is averaging a team-leading 18.8 ppg, 3.0 apg and 1.3 spg, and Marc Trasolini, who is averaging 13.3 ppg and 7.5 rpg. Foster had a career-high six three-pointers in the win over Bethune-Cookman, scoring 19+ in three of four games this year after being redshirted last season when he broke his foot in the early going. Trasolini collected his fifth career double-double vs. CSU Bakersfield and had a season-high three blocks in the win over Rice.
For the Broncos, Evan Roquemore third in points and averaging 9.8 ppg and 2.3 apg; and Ben Dowdell averages 8.8 ppg and 4.0 rpg.
The Competition
B.J. Hill is in his first year as the head coach at Northern Colorado. Hill, who served as Northern Colorado's associate head men's basketball coach during the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons and was a top Bears assistant for the two years before that, was named the 18th head basketball coach in Northern Colorado history on April 19, 2010.
UNC is led by three players in double-figures: Devon Beitzel (13.0), Elliott Lloyd (12.3) and Chris Kaba (12.0). Mike Proctor and Taylor Montgomery both average 5.7 rpg. They average 76.7 ppg and force the opponents into making 20 turnovers a game. Four starters are redshirts: Chris Kaba (RS-Sr.), Neal Kingman (RS-Sr.), Elliott Lloyd (RS-So.) and Devon Beitzel (RS-Sr.). Northern Colorado shoots 81.2 percent from the free throw line, including four players who have shot 80 percent or better in 10+ tries: Beitzel (10 of 10), Kaba (9 of 11), Emmanual Addo (13 of 15) and Montgomery (8 of 10).
Listen Here
The UNC game will be broadcasted via the Bronco Radio Network on both KDOW 1220 AM and Broncos All-Access on the web at www.SantaClaraBroncos.com with the broadcast beginning at 3:45 pm. Anthony Passarelli is in his fourth season as the Broncos' play-by-play announcer. Coach Kerry Keating can be heard on KDOW 1220 AM on Sunday evenings from 9:10-9:20 pm in his radio spotlight on The Sports Ramble, hosted by Chetan Chaudhari. If you are out of the listening area, KDOW is streamed online live at www.1220kdow.com.
AZ game on Comcast SportsNet Plus; Watch IBNSPORTS.com
Santa Clara's 7 pm game vs. Arizona on Fri., Nov. 26 in Las Vegas will be shown live on Comcast SportsNet Plus. Check local listings. In addition, all games of the 10th annual IBN Sports Las Vegas Invitational later rounds, which are scheduled for Nov. 26th and 27th at the Orleans Arena, will be available to fans around the country. IBN Sports, the title sponsor for the Las Vegas Invitational, will be broadcasting six of the eight games of the tournament live at http://www.ibnsports.com/lvi.aspx The only game IBN Sports will not broadcast on their network will be Kansas vs Arizona, which will be televised nationally on ESPN 2.
Nice Pass, Bench
Robert Smith and Kevin Foster both collected six assists and the Broncos had 23 assists in Santa Clara's 75-61 win over Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 23. It was the most assists for the Broncos since they collected 24 assists in an 83-80 win vs. Belmont on Dec. 29, 2008. The most under Keating?: Santa Clara had 29 assists vs. Pepperdine in the Broncos' 101-86 victory on Jan. 21, 2008.
The Bronco bench collected 16 rebounds vs. Bethune-Cookman while the starts pulled down 13. That's the first time that happened this year with three starters leading the charge in rebounds: Marc Trasolini has 7.5, Ben Dowdell has 4.0 and Robert Smith has 3.8.
Comparisons
There are some interesting comparisons after Santa Clara's first four games last year and then this year. The following are a few of the positives for the Bronco men's basketball team:
* Increased points per game from 68.2 (2009) to 74.0 (2010)
* Allowing fewer points from 76.5 (2009) to 72.2 (2010)
* Increased three-pointers from 5.8 (2009) to 6.8 (2010)
* Decreased opponent's three-pointers from 9.3 (2009) to 5.8 (2010)
* Increased free throw percentage form .678 (2009) to .694 (2010)
* Decreased turnovers per game from 15.5 (2009) to 15.0 (2010)
* Increased assists per game from 11.5 (2009) to 15.0 (2010)
If by Two
Kevin Foster has quite a ways to go to reach Kurt Rambis' school record 1,736 points scored (1976-80). But, if he does collect the record, he can thank Southern California's big men for two points scored. The Trojans were whistled for a technical foul in pre-game warm-ups when a player dunked while the officials were out on the floor (against NCAA rules). Foster then shot and made two free throws prior to the start of the game.
After breaking Steve Nash's single season record for three-pointers made as a freshman in 2008-09 with 85, it's no surprise Foster is already climbing up the three point career lists as well. Foster also owns the record for three-pointers attempted as well with 232 shot his freshman season.
Foster is No. 9 with 342 three-pointers attempted. Foster has made 123 career threes and is No. 9 on the career list.
The career record for three pointers made is Steve Nash's 263 from 1992-96. The career record for three-pointers attempted is 679 by Kyle Bailey from 2001-05. Foster will have a leg up on the competition, career-wise, as his six games last season will count towards his career totals as well.
How We Got Here
Santa Clara out-scored Bethune-Cookman 20-8 during a six minute run in the middle of the second half and Kevin Foster hit a career-high six three-pointers to give the Broncos a 75-61 win over Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 23 in the first game of the iBAN Sports Las Vegas Invitational.
Santa Clara put four players in double-figures. Foster scored 21 points. It was the 18th game in Foster's career he has scored 19 plus and the six three-pointers were a career high as well. Dowdell and Raymond Cowels III had five rebounds each. Robert Smith and Foster both had six assists, one of their career highs. Evan Roquemore and Marc Trasolini scored 13 points and Ben Dowdell collected 10.
Taking its first lead of the night on a three by Kevin Foster on a self-proclaimed 'off night offensively' with 20 seconds left, Santa Clara held on to win 66-65 vs. Rice on Nov. 18
Individually Santa Clara was led by Robert Smith, the only Bronco in double-figures, with 10. Foster finished with nine. Niyi Harrison scored nine points off the bench; and Evan Roquemore, Ben Dowdell and Marc Trasolini scored eight each, with Trasolini collecting seven rebounds and three blocks. His three blocks tied him on the all-time career list with 93 blocks, tying Kurt Rambis at No. 5.
Santa Clara lost at Southern California on Nov. 15, 86-73. The Broncos led 50-47 before the Trojans went on a 14-2 run to put the game away late in the second half. Santa Clara was led by Kevin Foster's 26 points, including four three-pointers. Marc Trasolini added 15 points and nine rebounds. Troy Payne put nine points in the basket and Robert Smith scored eight and tied a career-high with eight rebounds. Foster added two steals and Evan Roquemore had two steals and four points.
Trasolini's fifth career double-double paced the Broncos in their season opener as Santa Clara defeated Cal State Bakersfield 82-77 at the Leavey Center on Nov. 12. Foster added 19 points in 31 minutes for the Broncos in his first game since Dec. 1st, 2009. Bronco head coach Kerry Keating is now 4-0 in season openers as a head coach.
Trasolini finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Roquemore had 14 points and four assists in 27 minutes in his first career collegiate game. Ben Dowdell finished with 13 points and six rebounds.
In spite of the Roadrunners out-shooting the Broncos from the field, the three point arc and the free throw line, percentage-wise, Santa Clara scored 82 points to defeat CSUB 82-77 on Nov. 12. Bronco head coach Kerry Keating is 10-1 in his career when his team scores 80+ points.
Blocks
With a block against Bethune-Cookman, Marc Trasolini moved to No. 4 on the career blocks list with 94, one past No. 5 Kurt Rambis (1976-80). No. 3 on the career blocks list is Jens Gordon (1985-89) with 133.
Trasolini is working to follow in the footsteps of career blocks leader John Bryant. It's conceivable he could go after Bryant's career record if Trasolini stays on an improving pace his junior and senior years. Bryant's career record is 246 over his four years.
The school record for blocks in a season was set by Bryant in 2009 when he collected 84 swats. Trasolini tied John Bryant's freshman record with 37 blocks in 2009 so has already topped his freshman total and he had one more block than Bryant as a sophomore (50 by Trasolini, 49 by Bryant).
Niyi Harrison had 21 blocks last season and finished the year at No. 5 on the all-time freshman list.
WCC Leaders
Santa Clara is second in the league with a +1.0 turnover margin and third with 7.0 spg and 12.0 offensive rebounds per game.
Kevin Foster is fourth in the league with 18.0 ppg and third with 3.3 made three-pointers per game. Marc Trasolini is second in the league with 32 mpg, fourth with 8.7 rpg, fifth in offensive rebounds with 3.3 per game and 10th with 13.3 ppg. .
Free Webcasts!
Santa Clara announced last week each non-televised 2010-11 men's and women's home basketball games this season will be webcast for free via Stretch Internet on www.SantaClaraBroncos.com.
With the help of the WCC, the Santa Clara University athletic department recently made several upgrades to its audio and video components in the Leavey Center and now has the ability to webcast games with a three-camera system. Radio feeds from the games will be integrated into the webcast when available.
Links to the webcast of each men's and women's basketball game can be found on either team's schedule webpage or on http://www.santaclarabroncos.com/livestats. You can also go directly to the Santa Clara Broncos portal on Stretch Internet by clicking http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/santaclara.portal?mode=link#.
Looks Familiar?
Santa Clara has one player from the state of Colorado and he's a dandy. It's freshman walk-on Beau Gamble, who hails from Boulder. While Gamble hasn't seen action yet this year, he is one of four walk-ons on the team this year: one in each class and all from different stats west of the Mississippi River. The walk-ons include Nate Mensah (senior, Salt Lake City, Utah), Phillip Bach (junior, Medina, Wash.), Kyle Perricone (Palo Alto, Calif.) and Gamble.
Foster: 18 x 19+
Kevin Foster scored 19 in the opening game vs. CSUB, added 26 at Southern California and then 21 vs. Bethune-Cookman. Only playing in six games last year before breaking his foot, he scored 19+ points four times last season and 11 times in the last 17 games he has played, spanning his first three years. Foster scored 19+ points 11 times in 2008-09, including five of the last eight games of the season. He hit a career-high five three-pointers four times before hitting a new career-high six three-pointers vs. Bethune-Cookman.
Foster was nicknamed 'Microwave' by his father during his youth the Detroit Piston's Vinnie Johnson. Johnson earned the nickname 'the Microwave' from Boston Celtics guard Danny Ainge for his ability to score many points in a short period of time, heating up the offense.
He has scored 15+ points in 23 of 38 career games. The 18 games Foster has hit 19+ in during his career:
Opponent/Date Points (3s made)
vs. Arizona/Nov. 25, 2008 21 (5)
vs. Belmont/Dec. 29, 2008 24 (3)
at Harvard/Jan. 2, 2009 20 (4)
at Saint Mary's/Jan. 9, 2009 31 (5)
at Portland/Jan. 17, 2009 20 (3)
vs. LMU/Jan. 29, 2009 20 (3)
vs. Saint Mary's/Feb. 7, 2009 26 (4)
at LMU/Feb. 14, 2009 26 (5)
at USF/Feb. 21, 2009 20 (2)
vs. Gonzaga/Feb. 26, 2009 20 (3)
vs. San Diego/March 7, 2009 21 (4)
at CSUB/Nov. 13, 2009 21 (3)
vs. Menlo/Nov. 19, 2009 19 (4)
at Pacific/Nov. 22, 2009 22 (5)
vs. Fresno State/Nov. 28, 2009 25 (5)
vs. CSU Bakersfield/Nov. 12, 2010 19 (4)
at Southern California/Nov. 15, 2010 26 (4)
vs. Bethune-Cookman/Nov. 23, 2010 21 (6)