Santa Clara Travels to USD, Saint Mary's This Week
Santa Clara takes the road for its first pair of West Coast Conference road games this week. The Broncos (9-8, 0-1 WCC) will play at San Diego (3-11, 0-2 WCC) on Thurs., Jan. 13 at 7 pm. The game will be shown locally on Channel 4 in San Diego with Mark Neely and Jim Brogan making the call. On Sat., Jan. 15 Santa Clara plays an 8 pm game at Saint Mary's (14-2, 2-0 WCC). SMC will be shown on Comcast and called by Jim Kozimor and Dan Belloumini.
Last weekend USD dropped both games at LMU and Pepperdine and travel partner SMC won both games at LMU and Pepperdine. SCU fell at home to USF 74-67.
In a rivalry that began with a 66-65 victory by USD on Dec., 19, 1963, Santa Clara leads the all-time series, 37-31. Santa Clara and San Diego have split the season series three straight years, with each winning on the other's floor all three years. Santa Clara knocked San Diego out of the 2009 WCC Tournament and San Diego returned the favor in 2010. USD swept the season series in 2007-08, Santa Clara swept the season in 2006-07 and the two split in 2005-06.
Gonzaga Tickets: Less than 500 remain
Less than 500 tickets remain for Santa Clara's Thurs., Jan. 20 game with Gonzaga in the Leavey Center. The game will tipoff off at 6 pm (ESPNU). You can buy tickets three ways: Stopping by the Leavey Center from 9-5 pm weekdays, by calling 408-554-4660 or clicking here. Get your tickets today!
Listen
The USD game will be broadcast 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 6:45 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 with an interview conducted by Passarelli. If you are out of the listening area, KDOW is streamed online live at www.1220kdow.com.
Looking Closer
The Broncos are scoring 74.6 ppg while giving up 72.4 ppg. Santa Clara's 7.8 threes made per game rank No. 55 nationally and its 74.6 ppg rank No. 77 nationally. They are rebounding 36.5 to their opponents 32.1 and shooting 43.1 percent, including 35.1 percent beyond the arc. San Diego is averaging 61.9 ppg while giving up 72.1 ppg. They are shooting 41.3 percent from the field, including 33.0 from beyond the three-point line. USD is grabbing 29.4 boards and giving up 37.4. They are averaging 14.8 turnovers per game compared to Santa Clara's own 15.6 turnovers per game.
Individually, Santa Clara has three players in double figures: Kevin Foster (18.9), Marc Trasolini (12.5) and Evan Roquemore (11.0). Foster leads the WCC and is third nationally this week in threes made; and has a team-leading 3.9 apg and 1.5 spg. His 18.9 ppg lead the WCC and are 44th-best nationally. Scoring double figures in 16 of 17 games this season, he scored just nine vs. Rice but hit the game-winning shot. Trasolini leads the team with 6.3 rpg and 1.0 bpg. Trasolini collected his fifth career double-double vs. CSU Bakersfield and had a season-high three blocks twice, scoring a season-high 22 vs. Fordham.
San Diego has one player averaging double figures with Darian Norris scoring 19.0 ppg and Ken Rancifer is just off double figures with 9.9 ppg. Chris Manresa leads the team with 4.4 rpg and 1.1 bpg Norris dishes a team-leading 3.0 apg.
KFos Threes, Team
Kevin Foster crushed eight threes on Jan. 8 vs. USF and he is No. 3 nationally with 3.59 threes per game and No. 59 nationally in three-point percentage at 38.4 percent. Foster's eight threes vs. USF tied the school record set by Steve Nash (8 at Gonzaga on Jan. 19, 1995) and Mitch Burley (8 vs. Nevada-Reno, Dec. 14, 1988). Prior to the USF game he had six threes, his previous career high, three times this year: vs. Bethune-Cookman, vs. UC Santa Barbara and vs. Bethany. He was the first Bronco in school history to hit six or more threes in a game three times (now four games) in the same season. The WCC record for threes in game is nine by two different players three times. Foster has scored 19+ in 10 of 17 games this season, hitting double-figures in 16 of 17 games (scoring nine vs. Rice). He has scored 25+ points five times this year already
In addition, Foster attempted 20 threes in the USF game, shooting 40.0 percent from beyond the arc. The mark shattered Burley's attempts school record set back in 1988 (17) and Nash in 1995 (17). The 20 attempts also shattered the WCC record set by Jeff Fryer of LMU vs. Santa Clara on Feb. 24, 1989 when he attempted 18. This was also the Leavey Center record.
Then-junior Dan Dickau of Gonzaga holds the Leavey Center record. He was nine of 13 from beyond the arc vs. Santa Clara on Feb. 22, 2001. He scored 39 points that day (11 of 18 from the field and 8 of 8 from the free throw line). But Santa Clara won the war that day, coming away with an 84-71 victory as Steve Ross hit 10 of 14 free throws to score 22 for the Broncos.
Santa Clara has hit 12 three-pointers in four games this season, including back-to-back games vs. Bethany and USF. It is the most under head coach Kerry Keating. The 37 threes attempted vs. USF were the most they had attempted as a team since it set the school record with 45 attempts at San Diego on Feb. 5, 2004 in a 74-69 victory.
Traz
Marc Trasolini has 11 games in double figures this season, including three with 19+. He has scored 15+ 25 times in his three-year career. Trasolini's 26 points at USF last season are still his career high.
After not attempting a single three his freshman campaign, Trasolini was 19 of 54 last season and is shooting 36.0 percent this year, hitting 18 of 50. He has hit a career-high three threes in five games this season. Bronco head coach Kerry Keating said he would like to see Trasolini shoot 10 three pointers a game because he has that much confidence in his shooting.
Trasolini has hit 39 of 55 free throws this season (70.9 percent), but has hit 26 of 31 free throws in the last seven games (83.8 percent). He hasn't been hitting the free throw line as often this season. Last year of his 439 total points, 122 came from the free throw line (27.7 percent). This season of his 211 points scored, 18.4 percent are coming from the free throw line (39 made). His freshman year 21 percent of his points came from free throws (43 of 64 made (67%); 201 points total scored).
He is also getting it done in the classroom. The only player from the WCC on the Academic All-American All-District team last year, Trasolini sports a 3.511 GPA in Business.
WCC Leaders
As of Jan. 13, 2011, Santa Clara is No. 2 with 7.2 spg, 13.0 offensive rebounds and offensive rebound percentage (37.3). The Broncos are No. 3 in scoring offense (74.6), turnover margin (-0.4) and three-pointers made (7.8).
Individually Kevin Foster leads the WCC with 18.9 ppg and 3.6 three per game. Marc Trasolini is No. 13 (12.4) and No. 8 in rpg (6.3) and blocked shots (1.0). In addition, Foster is No. 5 in free throw percentage (83.7), No. 5 with 3.9 apg and No. 10 playing 30.8 mpg. Trasolini is No. 3 in field goal percentage (56.6) and No. 7 in off. rebounds (1.9). Ben Dowdell is No. 8 in spg (1.2) and Evan Roquemore is No. 8 in assist/turnover ratio (1.6) and Foster is No. 9 (1.3).
2 to 1,000
Sophomore-redshirt Kevin Foster has scored 926 career points and junior Marc Trasolini has scored 851 career points. Both are gunning for 1,000 career points this season with Foster needing 74 and Trasolini needing 149. With Foster averaging 18.9 ppg and Trasolini averaging 12.4 ppg, it's very realistic. They would be the first duo to both hit 1,000 career points in the same season since then-seniors Jens Gordon and Mitch Burley did it in 1988-89. Gordon scored 522 points that season to finish his career with 1,356 and Burley scored 377 to finish with 1,258 career points.
Conferences
Santa Clara has played 17 games this season, including one vs. the WCC. Of the 17 games, three were vs. the Pac-10 (at USC, vs. Arizona in Vegas and vs. Washington State) and three were vs. the Big West (vs. UC Santa Barbara, at Pacific and at CSU Northridge). They have also played one vs. the following conferences as well: West Coast (vs. USF), Conference USA (vs. Rice) the Big Sky (vs. Northern Colorado), the WAC (San Jose State), the MAC (vs. Ohio in Vegas), the Great West (Houston Baptist) and the MEAC (Bethune-Cookman), the Colonial Athletic Assoc. (vs. Delaware), Atlantic 10 (Fordham) and the California Pacific Conference (Bethany). CSU Bakersfield is an independent.
Foster Plus
After breaking Steve Nash's single season record for three-pointers made as a freshman in 2008-09 with 85, it's no surprise Kevin Foster is already climbing up the three point career lists. Foster also owns the record for three-pointers attempted with 232 shot his freshman season.
Foster is No. 6 with 462 three-pointers attempted. His next milestone is down the road: he needs 29 attempts to pass No. 5 Ethan Rohde at 490 (2002-05). Foster has made 168 career threes and with the eight threes vs. USF, he passed Brian Jones at No. 5 (165, 1996-01). He needs 24 threes made to pass No. 4 Ethan Rodhe at 192 (2002-05).
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.
Only playing in six games last year before breaking his foot, he scored 19+ points four times last season. 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, vs. UC Santa Barbara and vs. Bethany. He hit a career-best eight threes vs. USF on Jan. 8, tying the school record. He scored 20+ points 11 times his freshman year and has done it seven times this season already. The school record is 17 games by Londale Theus in 1978-79 when he averaged 20.1 ppg.
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 34 of 56 career games and he has scored 19+ in 25 career games.