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Behind the 19 points and 10 rebounds of sophomore John McArthur, his first career double-double, Santa Clara defeated San Jose State on Saturday night 84-58 at the Leavey Center. The Broncos are winners of eight of the last 10 vs. the Spartans. McArthur was a perfect 11 of 11 from the free throw line and Coach Keating is 17-1 when Santa Clara scores 80+.
Santa Clara is 2-1 and San Jose State is 1-3. In its next game Santa Clara plays on ESPNU vs. New Mexico on Thanksgiving Night (Thurs., Nov. 24) as part of the 76 Classic in Anaheim.
Santa Clara leads the series against SJSU 73-29. Since 1980, Santa Clara has played San Jose State 30 times and Santa Clara has won 20 of those meetings. The win was the first time in six meetings the home team won.
"John played a lot for us last year – 34 games – and he comes from a really good high school program so we expect him to know what it takes to win on a daily basis and give us that experience of a well-coached kid as well," said Keating. "We didn't have a good enough effort when we looked back on Santa Barbara and we over-emphasized that in practice the last two days. It was a more defensive-based practice and they did a really good job tonight because of the work they did. Even when San Jose State scores, we are trying to get our young team to understand that it isn't the end of the world and to keep playing hard and get ready on the offensive end. The starters did a good job of setting the tone and the bench did a better job of sustaining the effort when they needed to."
Santa Clara shot 46.2 percent from the field (30 of 65), including 29.0 percent from beyond the arc (9 of 31). They collected 50 rebounds, 15 assists, two steals, five blocks and 11 turnovers. They shot 75.0 percent from the free throw line (15 of 20).
McArthur's 19 points led the Broncos. Niyi Harrison collected 18 points and 8 rebounds. Kevin Foster had 15 points, including four from beyond the arc. Evan Roquemore scored seven assists and 11 points with three threes.
San Jose State shot 29.6 percent from the field (16 of 54), including 37.0 percent from beyond the arc (10 of 27). They collected 30 rebounds, nine assists, eight steals and three blocks with 10 turnovers. They shot 64.0 percent from the free throw line (16 of 25).
Keith Shamburger led the Spartans with 15 points. James Kinney added 12. Wil Carter scored 13 rebounds.
Santa Clara took a 4-2 lead on a bucket inside by Cowels. The Spartans answered with a three from the corner. Harrison scored back-to-back baskets to put SCU up 8-5. Again Kinney answered with a three from the corner at 15:52. Harrison scored from five feet at 15:10. Foster crushed his first three at 14:50 to push Santa Clara to 13-8. Timeout Spartans.
After Robert Garrett blocked a Spartans ball, Atanga followed inside at 14:50 for a bucket.
After Yannick Atanga wiped the glass clean of a Spartan miss, he threw it down to Johnson who tossed it in for a bucket. Broncos led 19-10 at 12:24.
After a pair of free throws at 12:20 by the Spartans, HArrision blocked a shot on the next possession. McArthur blocked a Spartan effort and then scored on the other end to put SCU up 22-18. Brandon Clark dumped it in for a bucket to put SCU up 30-21 at 6:19. SJSU scored another two free throws at 5:48.
Harrison was fouled inside at 5:27 and sank both to put SCU up 32-23 at 5:23. Harrison followed inside on a Foster miss to score two and put SCU up 34-23, his 12th points of the game. The Spartans added two more free throws at 4:19.
Foster hit a free throw and Roquemore added a jumper, putting SCU up by 12, but Shamburger answered with a three in the corner to make it 37-28 Broncos at 2:57.
The Spartans missed a pair of free throws with a second left in the first half to send the Broncos to the lockerroom with a 39-28 lead.
In the first half, Santa Clara shot 44.1 percent from the field (15 of 34), including 12.5 percent from beyond the arc (2 of 16). They collected 27 rebounds, five assists, two steals and three blocks with five turnovers. They shot 77.8 percent from the free throw line (7 of 9).
Harrison led Santa Clara with 12 points in the first half on 5 of 7 shooting fro the field and two of two from the free throw line. He added five rebounds. McArthur had eight points and seven rebounds and Foster added seven points.
San Jose State shot 29.6 percent from the field (8 of 27), including 40.0 percent from beyond the arc (6 of 15). They collected 14 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and one block with six turnovers. They shot 66.7 percent from the free throw line (6 of 9).
Kinney led the Broncos with 11 points and Carter grabbed seven rebounds.
Foster opened the second half with a big three at 19:46 to put SCU up 42-31. Harrison scored back-to-back baskets to put SCU up 46-31 and remained active on the glass as well.
Foster hit his fourth three at 17:31 to put SCU up 49-31. The Spartans hit a three at 16:42 and 14:02. McArthur scored two free throws at 13:24, 54-39 Broncos.
Johnson knocked down a three at 12:11 to make it an 18-point lead, 57-39. McArthur hit a pair of free throws at 10:02, 61-43 Broncos.
Foster hit a jumper at 8:32 and Roquemore a three at 7:53 to put SCU up 20, 68-48. Timeout Spartans.
Roquemore's back-to-back threes put SCU up 74-52 – Santa Clara's largest lead of the night.
McArthur continued his perfect streak from the free throw line, hitting both and a perfect 11 of 11 on the night to put SCU up 78-55. Robert Garrett hit a free throw at 2:16 to put SCU up 79-56.
Jordan Akwenuke made a fancy move under the basket for a bucket to make it 81-57. Phillip Bach brought down the house with a three with 57 seconds, 84-58 Broncos.