Broncos Fight Hard at USF, Fall Late

San Francisco, Calif. – The 210^th meeting with Santa Clara and San Francisco proved to be its usual slugfest at War Memorial Gymnasium.  The Broncos led 38-32 at the half and the two team's traded leads three times in the second half before USF got away with an 85-69 victory. USF was working for revenge after the Broncos topped them 95-91 on March 22, 2011 in the CIT Quarterfinals on their home floor.  Two wins later and the Broncos won the CIT.

Santa Clara falls to 8-16 and 0-11 in WCC play.  San Francisco is 16-10 and 6-6 in the WCC and moves to 11-2 at home.  Santa Clara travels to No. 13 Saint Mary's on Thurs., Feb. 11 for an 8 pm COMCAST-televised game.  Saint Mary's fell at Gonzaga tonight

Santa Clara shot 51.9 percent from the field (27 of 52), including 60.9 percent beyond the arc (14 of 23).  They collected 29 rebounds, 14 assists, two blocks and two steals.  The Broncos shot 33.3 percent from the charity stripe (1 of 3) and turned the ball over 21 times.

Individually Raymond Cowels III scored a season-high 21 points, including three threes.  Denzel Johnson continued his hot streak as a rookie, scoring 20 with four threes and four assists.  Evan Roquemore added 14 off the bench with four assists.  Niyi Harrison added seven rebounds.

USF shot 53.4 percent from the field (31 of 58), including 38.1 percent beyond the arc (8 of 21).  They collected 28 rebounds, 14 assists, no blocks and 11 steals.  The Dons shot 65.2 percent from the charity stripe (15 of 23) and turned the ball over eight times.

Individually Cody Doolin scored 21, Perris Blackwell and Angelo Caloiaro added 18 and Rashad Green 15.  Caloiaro added 13 rebounds and four steals.

B. Clark started the game off with a three at 19:33, showing no sign of nerves in the nationally-televised ESPNU game.  Harrison tipped it and made the and one.  B. Clark hit his second three in as many tries at 18:02.  Broncos led 11-0 when Coach Walters had seen enough and whistled for time.

Blackwell was fouled shooting and he sank both. Roquemore and Garrett checked in at 16:51.  And Cowels III hit his first three at 16:08 to put SCU up 14-4.

USF went on an 8-0 to pull within two before Cowels III sank a seven foot jumper and make it 16-12 Broncos at 14:02.

The teams traded baskets and Caloiaro scored his ninth point of the night at 11:48 with a three after a Johnson layup at 12:08.

Johnson crushed his second triple as time was winding down at 11:11 and then hit a six foot jumper at 11:39.  Blackwell scored inside at 10:15 before Cowels III hit his second three to put SCU up 26-19.

Cowels III bank shot as time winded down also was a winner at 8:32, giving him 10 early, but Green hit a three to pull USF within six, 28-22 Broncos.

B. Clark's NBA three made it 31-22 at 6:22.  The teams traded baskets with Cowels III scoring two buckets inside between Williams own inside.  Cowels III had 14 and the Broncos led 35-26 at 4:38.

USF went on a 6-0 run to pull within three at 1:16.  Johnson crushed a three on a dandy pass by Roquemore at the buzzer to put the Broncos up six at the half.

In the first half, Santa Clara shot 57.7 percent from the field (15 of 26), including 58.3 percent beyond the arc (7 of 12 ).  They collected 18 rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and one steal.  The Broncos shot 100 percent from the charity stripe (1-1) and turned the ball over 12 times.

Individually for the Broncos Cowels III scored 14 and Johnson added 12.  Harrison grabbed a game-high seven rebounds.  Johnson and Roquemore both collected three assists.

In the first half, USF shot 41.9 percent from the field (13 of 31), including 16.7 percent beyond the arc (2 of 12).  They collected 12 rebounds, six assists, no blocks and seven steals.  The Dons shot 66.7 percent from the charity stripe (4 of 6) and turned the ball over four times.  Individually Caloiaro led the team with 11 points and six rebounds.

The Dons came out firing in the second half and scored four straight. Cowels III stopped the run with a bucket in the lane at 17:42 and then Johnson added one too at 17:02. 

Cowels III basket at 16:28 was a three.  Harrison dunked it hard at 15:59 to put SCU up seven, 47-40.  Johnson's three at 14:45 put SCU up 10.  Roquemore's three made the lead 11 at 13:06.

The Dons scored 17 straight including a Doolin three at 10:01 and another by Green at 9:30.  Caloiaro's two free throws put USF up 56-55 on an intentional foul whistled on McArthur.  Caloiaro tipped it in at 8:59 to make the Dons lead three.  He hit a three at 8:32 to make the Dons lead six, 61-55.

Roquemore hit back to back threes between two Green free throws to pull the Broncos within two, 63-61, Dons at 7:49.

Roquemore crushed a three with one second on the shot clock to put the Broncos back up 64-63 at 6:42. 

Doolin's two threes and a Williams bucket made it 71-64 Dons at 5:09.

At 3:43, Williams was whistled for a foul on Roquemore and then Roquemore and Green were each whistled for technical after much discussion by the officials.  Roquemore missed both free throws.

Doolin hit a three; then and Blackwell and Doolin went inside to put the Dons up 14 at 2:18. 

Johnson's three at 1:50 from the corner cut the lead to 11.   Roquemore's leaping dunk helped the Broncos with a minute left.

Notes: B. Clark started in the place of Evan Roquemore due a foot sprain and limited practice this week … As a result of an incident Jan. 21, Kevin Foster will be withheld from competition pending the outcome of the University's student judicial process.  This is the sixth straight game he has missed.