Click here to watch the game on WCC Digital (won't be live until 15 minutes before).
The Broncos (12-4, 1-1) will hit the road for just the fifth time this season when they travel to LMU (7-8, 0-2) for a West Coast Conference game on Thurs., Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. SCU split its first two WCC games of the season, defeating USF, 74-69, on Jan. 2 to break a 17-game losing streak to WCC opponents, and dropping a hard-fought 81-74 decision to No. 10 Gonzaga on Jan. 5.
SCU is 3-1 on the road this season but has played just one road game since Dec. 15, losing 90-77 at No. 1 Duke on Dec. 29. LMU will be playing its first WCC home game after losses at BYU and Saint Mary's to open league play.
The Broncos have lost 11 straight conference road games and will be looking for their first league road win since a 79-72 win at LMU on Jan. 29, 2011. A win would not only end that streak but would also give SCU its first 2-1 WCC start since the 2007-08 season.
With a 12-4 overall record the Broncos are enjoying their finest start to a season since 1997-98 when they were 13-3 after 16 games. SCU posted its 11th win with a 69-45 victory over Wagner in the title game of the 46th annual Cable Car Classic on Dec. 22, reaching that mark earlier on the calendar than any team in the school's history. The 1977-78 and 1961-62 teams won their 11th game on Dec. 30.
The Broncos are led by a trio of scorers in double figures this year with 1,000 plus career points each. Kevin Foster (19.7 ppg, 2,006 career points), Marc Trasolini (15.9 ppg, 1,367) and Evan Roquemore (13.7 ppg, 1,080) are the only active trio in the country on the same team with 1,000 career points or more. Foster is No. 2 in active career points scored behind Lehigh's C.J. McCollum (2,361).
The Broncos are ranked No. 4 nationally in final points (1,250). They are in the top 25 of five other categories nationally. They are No. 7 in assist turnover ratio (1.49), No. 8 in turnover margin (5.6), No. 18 in turnovers per game (11.1), No. 21 in assists per game (16.6) and No. 25 in three pointers per game (8.4). On a national level, Kevin Foster is No. 9 in steals per game and No. 24 in points per game. Evan Roquemore is No. 11 in assist turnover ratio and No. 17 in assists per game.
Watch and Listen
The LMU game on Saturday will be broadcast live online on WCC Digitial with Jeff Lampe and Jarron Collins making the call. Click here for details and to watch 15 minutes before the game (won't be a live link until 6:45 pm on Thursday). It can be heard on KDOW 1220 AM with the broadcast beginning at 7 p.m. Pacific. Anthony Passarelli is in his sixth season as the Broncos' play-by-play announcer.
Us vs. Them
The school's will be meeting for the 137th time with SCU leading the all-time series 83-53, with a 39-26 advantage in games played in Los Angeles. LMU won both games last season, including a 68-65 home win in the WCC regular season finale on Feb. 25, 2012. The teams have split the last 18 games played in Los Angeles. SCU's last win at LMU came on Jan. 29, 2011. It was the last conference road win for the Broncos. They have lost 11 straight on the road in WCC play since that 79-72 victory. Santa Clara's top three scorers this season played a major role in that win. Kevin Foster (28 points), Marc Trasolini (16) and Evan Roquemore (15) combined for 59 of the team's 79 points with Foster hitting all 13 of his free throw attempts and Roquemore dishing out a game-high 6 assists.
Marc Trasolini scored a career-high 31 points vs. LMU (2/24/11) and had a 22-point game (3/5/11) … Kevin Foster made a career-best 13 free throws in 13 attempts at LMU (1/29/11) and has 3 of his 46 career 20+ point games against the Lions … Evan Roquemore has scored in double figures in all 5 games he's played against LMU … Robert Garrett made his first career start vs LMU and had 3 blocked shots (1/23/12) … Raymond Cowels III had the second-highest scoring game of his career with 22 points at LMU (2/25/12) … Yannick Atanga snared a career-best 12 rebounds vs. LMU (1/23/12) … LMU holds the Santa Clara opponent record for points in a game scoring 117 on Feb. 24, 1990.
Rocking It
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced the watch list of candidates for the 2013 Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award on Dec. 20 and Evan Roquemore was on the list. The annual honor, named for Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic Bob Cousy, recognizes the top point guards in college basketball.
Santa Clara's leader in minutes played (518) and averaging 32.4 a game, Roquemore is the team's floor leader. He scored 11 points against No. 10 Gonzaga on Jan. 5, his fourth straight double-digit scoring game, and the 60th of his career, with a game-high 7 assists and just two turnovers in 35 minutes. He produced his first double-double game of the season, and third career, with 16 points and a career-high 10 rebounds in the Cable Car Classic title game win over Wagner on Dec. 22.
Roquemore has 101 assists for the season and ranks 7th nationally with 6.3 a game. He is also on pace to break John Woolery's 1993-94 single season school record of 190 and has a chance to become the fourth Bronco with 500 career assists by the end of his junior season. Roquemore, who currently has 398 career assists, ranks 8th on the school's all-time list. He needs just two assists to become the fifth player in SCU history to record 1,000 career points and 400 career assists.
1,000 and Counting
There have been 30 players in the history of Santa Clara basketball to score 1,000 career points and three of them are on the current roster. In fact this season SCU is the only Division I school with three 1,000 point scorers on its roster. Kevin Foster (2,006) became SCU's all-time scoring leader, surpassing 1980 West Coast Conference Player of the Year and former NBA star Kurt Rambis, in a win at St. Louis on Nov. 14 and became the seventh player in WCC history to score 2,000 career points when he netted 29 against Gonzaga on Jan. 5.
Marc Trasolini scored his 1,300th career point in a win over Alcorn St. on Dec. 21 and moved ahead of Jens Gordon (1,356) into 16th on the school's list with 1,367 when he scored 19 against Gonzaga on Jan. 5. Trasolini is 33 points away from becoming the 13th player in school history with 1,400 career points.
Evan Roquemore joined the 1,000-point club this season, reaching the plateau in a win at Pacific on Dec. 15. He scored 11 against Gonzaga on Jan. 5 and moved up two spots on the SCU career list, leapfrogging Dan Weiss (1,070) and Brody Angley (1,074) into 25th place with 1,080.
Raymond Cowels III has played in all but one game during his four-year career and has started 46 straight times since the beginning of the 2011-12 season. RC3 is 4th on the team in scoring with an 8.8 ppg average and needs 125 points to become the fourth member of the current roster to score 1,000 career points. RC3 and Trasolini have each played in 115 games, the most of any current players.
Ballin' In The Bay
Leading scorer Kevin Foster scored a team-high 29 points against Gonzaga on Jan. 5, his third straight game with 20 or more points. Foster has reached double figures 14 times in 16 games, has topped the 20-point mark nine times, and scored at least 30 in a game twice to lead the Broncos in scoring, place third in the WCC and 24th nationally at 19.7 ppg.
Foster became the 7th player in West Coast Conference history to score 2,000 career points, reaching that mark on a runner in the lane early in the second half of SCU's loss to Gonzaga on Jan. 5 and has 2,006 career points. He scored his 1,900th career point on a 3-point basket at Pacific on Dec. 15 and also scored career point No. 1,800 on a three-pointer against Utah State on Nov. 28, and converted his second 4-point play of the season after being fouled on the shot. Not even ranked in the WCC's top 25 in career points when the season started, Foster needs 10 points to surpass LMU's Bo Kimble (1987-90 - 2,010) and Gonzaga's Jim McPhee (1986-90 - 2,015) for fifth on the league's chart. Foster became SCU's career points leader, overtaking 1980 WCC Player of the Year Kurt Rambis, in a win at St. Louis on Nov. 14. It's unlikely he will catch LMU's Hank Gathers (1987-90) for the WCC's top spot (2,490), but Foster has a shot at the No. 2 overall spot, currently held by LMU's Terrell Lowery (2,201).
Foster also joined elite company in Bay Area college basketball annals. Against No. 10 Gonzaga, he became the fourth player in Bay Area Division I history (includes Cal, Stanford, Santa Clara, Saint Mary's, USF and San Jose State), and the first in 21 years, to score 2,000 career points, joining Stanford's Todd Lichti (2,336) and Adam Keefe (2,319) and USF's Bill Cartwright (2,116).
Rank/Name School Years Total points
1. Todd Lichti Stanford 1986-89 2,336
2. Adam Keefe Stanford 1989-92 2,319
3. Bill Cartwright USF 1976-79 2,116
4. Kevin Foster Santa Clara 2008-13 2,006
Starting With
Seniors Marc Trasolini (87), Raymond Cowels III (67) and Kevin Foster (103) have started all 16 games for the Broncos this season and have combined for 257 starts in their Santa Clara careers. Evan Roquemore has started 15 of 16 games this season and has 70 career starts under his belt. The remaining nine players on the roster have a total of 110 career starts with Niyi Harrison leading the group with 44. Foster became the sixth Bronco to start 100 career games when SCU defeated Wagner in the championship of the Cable Car Classic on Dec. 22 and tied Dan Weiss (1984-88) for fifth all-time with his 103rd career start on Jan. 5 vs Gonzaga.
Traz
Marc Trasolini scored 19 points, including 14 in the second half, against Gonzaga on Jan. 5 climbing past Jens Gordon (1,356) into 16th place on the school's career scoring list. It was his 7th consecutive double-digit scoring game and the 12th time he's scored 10 or more points in a game this season. With 1,367 career points, Trasolini needs just 33 to become the 13th player in school history to score 1,400 in a career.
Over the last seven games Trasolini is shooting 53.9% (48-of-89) from the field and averaging 18.1 ppg with 59 rebounds and 13 blocked shots. Against Gonzaga he was a rebound shy of recording his fourth double-double game of the season while adding a pair of blocks and assists. His three double-double games have all come in the past seven contests.
Big Rob
The Broncos are 7-2 since 7-foot sophomore Robert Garrett was inserted into the starting lineup with their only losses coming at No. 1 Duke on Dec. 29 and at home to No. 10 Gonzaga on Jan. 5. Garrett was put in the starting rotation on Dec. 8 against Pacific Union when he made his first start of the season, and second of his career. He pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds in that game while adding nine points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field with two blocked shots in 21 minutes. Making consecutive starts for the first time, he scored eight points with four blocks at San Jose State on Dec. 11. Garrett played just 10 minutes against Gonzaga on Jan. 5, the fewest in any game since becoming a starter, and eventually fouled out for the first time in his career. In his nine games as a starter this season, Garrett is 10-of-18 from the field with 26 points, 18 blocks and 34 rebounds.
Blocks
Led by Marc Trasolini's team-high 30 blocked shots and 27 from Robert Garrett, the Broncos lead the WCC with an average of 5.1 blocks per game. Trasolini, who leads the WCC with 1.9 blocks a game, had a pair against Gonzaga on Jan. 5 and has multiple blocks in 10 games this season recording a season-high 3 blocks seven times. Garret ranks 2nd in the WCC with 1.7 bpg and had his streak of games with 2 or more come to an end at five against Gonzaga on Jan. 5. Trasolini currently ranks third at SCU in career blocks with 152 and needs 7 to tie Nick Vanos (1981-85) for second place on the school's career list.
3 and Counting Three-Point Buckets Beyond
After becoming the third player in West Coast conference history to make over 300 3-point shots in a career, Kevin Foster has his sights set on the league's all-time record. Foster has 360 career made 3s and is within three of the WCC's all-time leader, LMU's Jeff Fryer, who sank 363 threes from 1987-1990. Foster made two 3-point baskets against Gonzaga on Jan. 5 and has made at least one 3-point basket in 104 of his 111 career games played and has made five or more 3s in a game 26 times.
Foster also launched 12 3-point attempts against Gonzaga, the seventh time this season and 51st career, he's attempted 10 or more 3s in a game. Already the WCC's all-time leader in 3-point attempts with 994, Foster is close to becoming just the 10th player in NCAA Division I history with 1,000 career 3-point attempts.
(Since 1998-99 – sports-reference.com)
Rk Player 3PA From To Last School
1. Keydren Clark 1192 2003 2006 Saint Peter's
2. David Holston 1147 2006 2009 Chicago State
3. Joe Zeglinski 1140 2007 2011 Hartford
4. Gerry McNamara 1131 2003 2006 Syracuse
5. J.J. Redick 1126 2003 2006 Duke
6. Michael Watson 1098 2001 2004 Missouri-Kansas City
7. Chris Lofton 1021 2005 2008 Tennessee
8. Jack Leasure 1009 2005 2008 Coastal Carolina
9. Stephen Curry 1004 2007 2009 Davidson
10. Kevin Foster 994 2009 2013 Santa Clara
11. Robert Vaden 993 2005 2009 Alabama-Birmingham
12. LaceDarius Dunn 985 2008 2011 Baylor
13. A.J. Abrams 976 2006 2009 Texas
14. Demon Brown 960 2001 2004 Charlotte
Leemire Goldwire 960 2005 2008 Charlotte
T.J. Sorrentine 960 2001 2005 Vermont
OT
Two of Santa Clara's four defeats this season have come in overtime after the Broncos held a lead late in each game and they are just 2.4 seconds away from being 14-2. During their two OT losses, which came in consecutive games, SCU allowed a late 3-point basket in each and lost both in the extra session. Utah State's Preston Medlin hit a game-tying three with 2.4 seconds left in regulation to send the game into OT and the Aggies handed Santa Clara its first loss of the season, 80-78, on Nov. 28. The Broncos endured a similar fate against UC Santa Barbara on Dec. 1, when Kyle Boswell hit a contested three at the regulation buzzer to tie the game, 71-71. The Gauchos would prevail 83-80.
Traz: Dec. 24 WCC Player of the Week, Senior CLASS Nominee
Inspired by some very special children he met earlier in the week, Marc Trasolini had a monster performance to help the Broncos win the 46th annual Cable Car Classic. Trasolini's performance earned him both Cable Car Classic MVP honors and West Coast Conference Player of the Week on Dec. 24. Trasolini was also named the Lou Henson Award National Player of the Week honors by CollegeInsider.com.
Trasolini averaged 23.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in leading the Broncos to a 3-0 week. Trasolini connected on 68.4% of his field goal attempts – including 4-of-6 from beyond the three-point arc – and hit 75% of his free throw attempts, while blocking three shots per game. His 24 blocked shots lead the WCC.
After posting 24 points with seven boards in the Broncos 72-64 victory over Cal Poly Dec. 17, Trasolini teamed up with four of his teammates to visit Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford on Dec. 18. The Broncos, which included Trasolini, Robert Garrett, John McArthur, Raymond Cowels III and Denzel Johnson, visited with children with cancer at the hospital in the afternoon. They played games, did crafts, signed autographs, passed out t-shirts and chatted with the children.
Trasolini walked away from the hospital feeling humbled. He said he felt blessed for the opportunities he has been given as a college basketball player and felt like he shouldn't take anything for granted. "There was the cutest little six-year-old girl who couldn't walk because of her cancer. She was so sweet. These children with cancer don't have what we have – it goes to show you how lucky we are and that was quite an experience for me," said Trasolini later in the week. "Cancer is a hard enough thing to go through as an adult. It is terrible it has to happen to these kids – they did nothing wrong. They don't deserve it."
Trasolini added that after visiting with the kids he felt like he had to make the most of his own opportunities with his team. "We have to take advantage of what we have been given," said Trasolini. "Going out in the community and helping children – it's important we do things like that."
Trasolini is a regular at community service events and was named as one of the 30 nominees for the Senior CLASS Award. Kerry Keating had this to say about Trasolini in the community. "On our annual trip to the Great America park to spend the day with Courageous Kids (kids with cancer) Marc has been front and center each year. At 6-9 240, he is easily visible, but the kids feel his heart when he spends time with them because he is a good person, not because he is a basketball player and tall. Marc has been a fixture at our annual summer camp and relishes his role as teacher and role model, and has developed a comfort in being easily noticeable but has more so developed strength in being a role model and good citizen."
On the court Dec. 21 and 22 at the 46th Annual Cable Car Classic, Trasolini made the most of his time. Trasolini recorded his second double-double of the season with a game-high 24 points and 11 rebounds in a first-round Cable Car Classic win over Alcorn St. on Dec. 21. It was also the second double-double in three games. He hit three threes in the 69-45 Dec. 22 victory over Wagner, scoring 23 points with five rebounds and five more blocks.
Trasolini will begin his fourth quarter of work on his MBA in Santa Clara's Leavey School of Business and carries a 3.56 in his MBA work. He is returning for his fifth season on the court after sitting out last season after tearing his ACL in Sept., 2011 on the team's foreign tour to Canada. Trasolini averaged 12.8 ppg, 0.9 bpg and 6.1 rpg in 26.4 mpg during his junior year (2010-11), helping lead the team to the post-season CIT title.
Trasolini earned CBE Hall of Fame Tournament MVP honors in November after putting on a shooting display. Trasolini shot 61.5% from the field (24 of 39) and averaged 24 ppg in the three games. Against Utah Valley on Nov. 21, Trasolini made 10 of 12 field goals, including 2 of 3 from 3-point range, and converted 7 of 8 free throws for a season-high 29 points. It was his highest point total since netting a career-best 31 against LMU on Feb. 24, 2011.
Microwave Cookin
In SCU's 88-75 win over Air Force on March 18, 2011, Foster broke the school record with nine threes, tying a career-high with 36 points. He also had a career-high 36 in Santa Clara's 85-71 win over Gonzaga on Jan. 20, 2011. Foster shattered the WCC single season threes made record with 140 in 2010-11, leading the country, and grabbed the nation's top spot in threes made per game as well with 3.68. His 768 points that year were No. 6 on the WCC's single season points scored list as he finished as the leading scorer in a single season in the Bay Area as well. He broke the school's single season mark for points scored, minutes played, threes made and threes attempted. He was named first-team All-WCC and was named the WCC Player of the Month in February and March. He was named the WCC Player of the Year by CollegeInsider.com.
Foster was nicknamed 'Microwave' by his father during his youth after the Detroit Piston's Vinnie Johnson. Johnson earned the nickname 'the Microwave' from Celtics guard Danny Ainge for his ability to score many points in a short period of time, heating up the offense. Foster has scored 15+ points in 73 of 111 career games and he has scored 19+ in 52 career games.