March 30, 2011

Broncos are CIT Champions!

New Rochelle, N.Y. – Putting five players in double figures to defeat Iona 76-69, Santa Clara won the CollegeInsider.com Post-Season Tournament, including its last three road games. Santa Clara finishes the season at 24-14 and Iona finishes at 25-12. The 24 wins are the most since it won 27 in 1968-69 and its the first post-season the basketball program has ever won. Santa Clara is 2-0 lifetime vs. the Gaels, having won in 1960. Kevin Foster was named the MVP of the tournament and Marc Trasolini and Troy Payne were named All-Tournament.

Santa Clara shot 41.8 percent (28 of 67) from the field, including 36.4 percent from beyond the arc (8 of 22). The Broncos collected 50 rebounds, 13 assists, five steals and one block. They shot 66.7 percent from the free throw line (12 of 18) with 12 turnovers. The 50 rebounds were the most for a Bronco team since it had 58 vs. Menlo College on Nov. 16, 2009.

Iona shot 41.9 percent (26 of 62) from the field, including 31.6 percent from beyond the arc (11 of 18). The Gaels collected 33 rebounds, 16 assists, six steals and seven blocks. They shot 61.1 percent from the free throw line (11 of 18) with six turnovers.

Individually for Santa Clara was led by Foster's 16 points, including three threes which gave him 140 on the season – tied for No. 9 all-time in NCAA history in a single season. Ben Dowdell scored 14, Marc Traolini 12, Michael Santos 10 and Raymond Cowels III 11. Dowell, Trasolini and Santos all collected eight rebounds each.

Iona was led by Mike Glover's 22 points. Scott Machado had 12 and Sean Armand had 14. Glover also added 12 rebounds, Alejo Rodriguez had eight rebounds.

Payne scored under the basket after a sweet pass from Trasolini at 19:27. Iona went on a 10-0 run before Santos scored inside at 14:33 and Dowdell scored at 13:18. The Gaels dunked three straight, with Trasolini scoring after the second dunk, to go up 16-8 at 12:12. Timeout Santa Clara.

The Broncos then went on a 22-3 run over 8 minutes. Raymond Cowels III knocked down a three at 11:42. Santos scored a bunny on a pass from Dowdell at 10:20. Santos scored again at 9:13 to make it 16-15 Iona. After a quick 30-second timeout by the Gaels, Armand crushed a three, but Dowdell responded with a dunk at 8:23 and Foster hit his first three of the night at 8:00.

Cowels drained two free throws at 7:54 to make it 22-19 Broncos. Foster hit a two at 6:40 and Trasolini scored on a three-point play to make it 27-19 Broncos at 5:50.

After the Broncos blocked a Gael shot, Trasolini and Dowdell scored back-to-back three-point plays to put SCU up 30-19 at 5:22.

The Gaels went on their own run from 4:07-:36.2, a 9-3 run that brought them within five, 33-28 Broncos,with just a three by Cowels at 2:42. Santos stopped the run with a basket at :36.2.

Foster flat-out crushed a three with nothing left on the clock in the first half to put the Broncos up by 10, 38-28. Iona is 1-7 when trailing at the half this season and Santa Clara is 16-5 when leading at the half. It was Foster's 139^th three of the year, tying him with J.J. Redick of Duke (2006) and Terrence Woods of Florida A&M (2003).

Santa Clara shot 42.9 percent (15 of 35) from the field, including 33.3 percent from beyond the arc (4 of 12). The Broncos collected 29 rebounds, eight assists, three steals and one block. They shot 66.7 percent from the free throw line (4 of 6) with seven turnovers. Iona shot 34.4 percent (11 of 32) from the field, including 33.3 percent from beyond the arc (4 of 12). The Gaels collected 16 rebounds, nine assists, two steals and five blocks. They shot 40.0 percent from the free throw line (2-5) with four turnovers.

Individually for Santa Clara Foster, Santos and Cowels all scored eight each. Dowdell, Trasolini and Santos all collected four rebounds each and Trasolini had three assists. Glover led the Gaels with 10 points and six boards.

The Gaels started the second half on a 12-2 run. Trasolini scored on a put-back at 16:46 on a Cowels miss. Machado tied it up 40 each at 15:29.

Trasolini hit a three at 14:47. Santos stole the ball at 14:42 and with the steal, Cowels knocked down another three at 14:19 to put the Broncos back up six. Timeout Gaels.

Trasolini dunked it at 13:33 to put SCU up 48-40. Glover scored at 12:55 to stop the Broncos 8-0 run. Foster was fouled shooting by Dezouvre and he hit one.

After Machado hit one inside, Foster followed with his own, 51-44 Broncos at 11:35. Harrison scored two free throws at 11:35 to make it 53-44.

Glover made a free throw at 11:21. Dowdell scored in the paint at 10:27 55-45 Broncos. The Gaels drained a three at 9:55 and followed up with a steal and a bucket, 55-50 Broncos at 9:34.

Harrison stole the ball and ran the length of the floor to score before the Gaels were fouled and hit a free throw, 57-51, 8:50. Harrison made due on a three-point lay to put SCU up 60-51 at 8:31.

Foster crushed a way-out three at 7:33. He has 140 this season – tying Woods of Florida A&M (2004). Foster scored a two-footer inside at 7:05. Machado scored a pair of free throws at 6:48.

Glover made good on a pair of free throws at 5:16. 65-57 Broncos. Roquemore crushed a three at 4:40. Glover hit another free throw at 4:13. Roquemore hit a free throw at 3:44.

Rodriguez scored a bucket at 3:39 to make it 69-60 Broncos. Dowdell went inside to score, but Dwight came back with a three to make it 71-63 Broncos at 2:55. Timeout Gaels.

Glover dunked at 2:26. Dwight fouled Santos in the back-court at 2:15 and he sank both. 73-65 Broncos. Glover was fouled and he scored both free throws at 1:21.

Dowdell scored his second three-point play of the night to make it 76-67 at 50:2.

Men's Basketball

Broncos are CIT Champions!