Broncos Drop 75-62 Loss to Toreros

Highlights

Santa Clara fell 75-62 to the University of San Diego on Thursday night in the Leavey Center. With the loss the Broncos fall to 8-8 and 0-3 in WCC play. The Toreros improve to 6-10, 1-3 in WCC action.

The Broncos next travel to Provo, Utah to play BYU in the teams first-ever meeting as members in the WCC conference. The game will be played on Saturday, January 14^th at 5 pm Pacific and will be televised on ESPNU.

Santa Clara shot 27.6 percent from the field (16 of 58), including 24.0 percent from beyond the arc (6 of 25). They had 14 turnovers and shot 68.6 percent from the free throw line (24 of 35). They collected 40 rebounds, 10 assists, seven steals and two blocks.

The Broncos were led by Evan Roquemore's 16 points while Kevin Foster, Niyi Harrison and Raymond Cowels III added 13,12, and 11 respectively. Harrison pulled down eight reobounds while Roquemore and Foster added 6 apiece. 

San Diego shot 48.9 percent from the field (16 of 58), including 31.3 percent from beyond the arc (5 of 16). They had 15 turnovers and shot 74.3 percent from the free throw line (26 of 35). They collected 34 rebounds, 13 assists, three steals and four blocks.

Johnny Dee scored 26 for the Toreros, including 17 in the fist half. Chris Manresa (13 points) and Ken Rancifer (11 points) were the only other Toreros in double digits. Rancifer pulled down 10 boards to complete a double-double while Chirstopher Anderson added eight points and eight assists. 

The Toreros jumped out to a quick 7-2 lead capped by a three by Johnny Dee at 17:30. Niyi Harrison knocked down a pair of free throws.  After a Torero free throw, Evan Roquemore buried a three from the left corner to cut the lead to one.

 Foster split to defenders for a wide open mid-range jumper, but Christopher Anderson responded with an and-one to give USD an 11-9 lead. Dee knocked down a jumper and Manresa finished in transition to lift the Toreros lead to seven at 13:15. Cameron Miles made it an 11-0 USD run with a three from the right side.

Harrison ended the run on a second chance opportunity with a big-time flush and McArthur hit a long jumper to cut the lead to five. Harrison knocked down a pair of free throws but Dee responded with a three to build the lead back to six.

The teams went back and forth for the next several minutes until the Toreros strung together a run thanks to Dee's hot shooting to make it 34-24 at 4:32. Rancifer connected a tip slam giving the Toreros their biggest lead thus far.The teams traded points as the half ended giving the Toreros a 40-28 lead at the half.

In the first half Santa Clara shot  29.6 from the field (8 of 27), including 16.7 percent from beyond the arc (1 of 6). They had five turnovers and shot 91.7 percent from the free throw line (11 of 12). They collected 17 rebounds, four assists, one steal and two blocks.  Individually Santa Clara was led by Harrison's eight points. Roquemore and McArthur each added seven points. Akwenuke pulled down four boards.

San Diego shot 55.6 percent from the field (15 of 27), including 36.4 percent from beyond the arc (4 of 11). They had nine turnovers and shot 66.9 percent from the free throw line (6 of 9). They collected 15 rebounds, nine assists, two steals and four blocks.  

The Toreros were led by Johnny Dee's hot hand of 17 points. Ken Rancifer added 6 rebounds and Chris Anderson scored 5 points. 

Rancifer scored the first bucket of the second half for the Toreros. Kramer scored underneath to push the Toreros lead to 17. The Broncos would respond. Cowels III hit back-to-back threes. After a Torero free throw, Manresa and Dee scored buckets and the Toreros led 51-34 at 14:19.

Yannick Atanga continued to pull down offensive rebounds, helping get Roquemore to the line. Foster and

Manresa swapped free throws and Foster hit his first three to cut the lead to 12 at 11:23. Manresa converted inside and Miles finished with a layup to push the Toreros lead back to 16 at 8:43.

Roquemore responded with a baseline drive layup and after two Torero Free throws Cowels III hit his third three and Foster went coast-to-coast for an easy lay in. Rancifer hit two free throws and Manresa countered with a bucket to push the lead back to 14.

The Broncos were unable to get within 10 the rest of the way.