FYI: Santa Clara to play at Wright State at 6 pm Pacific on AXS-TV on Wed., March 27 in the CBI Semi-Finals
West Lafayette, Ind. – Coming back to Indiana to play in front of almost 40 friends and family, Santa Clara sophomore Brandon Clark's two free throws with 8.6 left on the clock helped the Broncos win 86-83 at Purdue University in the second round of the College Basketball Invitational presented by Buick. Santa Clara will play on the road again Wed., March 27 at Wright State in Dayton, Ohio.
Santa Clara has won 23 games for just the fourth time in the 106-year school history of basketball; and 23+ games for the second time in three years, having won 24 in 2010-11 when the Broncos won the CIT.
Santa Clara is 23-11 and Purdue finishes the year at 16-18. The Broncos are 1-4 vs. Purdue all-time and 3-13 vs. Big Ten teams all-time.
"Everyone stepped up tonight," said Bronco head coach Kerry Keating. "Niyi Harrison wasn't with us at the beginning of the year due to back problems and tonight he was huge with 11 rebounds. Kevin Foster got going in the second half and really helped us. I am so proud of our guys - no one else can claim a Big Ten Conference road win in the CBI."
"We played like we trusted each other and we were able to keep our composure at the end when they made a run," added Keating. "Brandon Clark has been a key part of our team this year and a great addition. We got the momentum to keep going now."
Santa Clara shot 49.2 percent from the field (29 of 59), including 40.9 percent from beyond the arc (9 of 22). The Broncos shot 67.9 percent from the free throw line (19 of 28, including 12 of 15 in the second half). They collected 36 rebounds, 16 assists, 10 steals, five blocks and had 19 turnovers.
Santa Clara was led by Kevin Foster's season-best 34 points. He was 11 of 24 from the field and 9 of 13 from the free throw line. Foster added eight assists and one steal.
Raymond Cowels III added 13 points, including three threes. Marc Trasolini added 10 points, four boards and two steals. Niyi Harrison led all players with 11 boards.
Purdue shot 43.5 percent from the field (30 of 69), including 9.1 percent from beyond the arc (1 of 11). The Boilermakers shot 78.6 percent from the free throw line (22 of 28). They collected 37 rebounds, 15 assists, nine steals, two blocks and had 11 turnovers.
The Boilermakerss were led by Terone Johnson, who scored 22, and brother Ronnie Johnson, who added 27 with six assists and three steals. Rapheal Davis grabbed nine rebounds.
After the Broncos won the tip, Foster drew first blood with a field goal from eight feet out 18:35. Foster was fouled by D.J. Byrd under the basket at 18:04 and made one free throw. Foster scored inside at 17:32 after a Cowels III steal.
R. Johnson scored at 17:08. Atanga scored on a dandy pass from Foster at 16:19. Foster stole the ball but then was whistled for an offensive foul at 15:41.
A. Johnson drove the lane for a bucket at 15:28 and then Trasolini matched it for his first points of the game at 15:28, Broncos led 9-4. The Boilers scored three free throws before B. Clark scored at 14:42. R. Johnson scored at 13:52.
Roquemore was fouled by Jacob Lawson at 13:45 and he sank both to put SCU up 13-9. Julian Clarke sank a three on a dandy pass from Foster at 11:41.
Foster was fouled shooting under the basket and he sank one to make it 17-9 Broncos at 11:23.
Purdue went on a 6-0 run the next three minutes. Sandi Marcius dunked it at 10:57 and R. Johnson scored on a runner at 10:15. Bryd scored a pair of free throws at 8:54.
Trasolini stopped the run at 8:38 but R. Johnson scored at 8:29 to keep within two. Cowels III stuffed in a Bronco miss at 7:45 and the Bronco lead was four, 21-17.
Roquemore picked up his second foul of the half on Byrd and he sank both to pull the Boilermakers within two again at 7:30. Trasolini answered from eight out at 7:17. Cowels III sank his first three of the game at 6:51 to put SCU up 26-19.
Foster picked up his second foul and A. Johnson hit both free throws at 6:35. John McArthur hit one from nine feet out for two, 28-21 Broncos at 6:09.
A. Johnson scored back-to-back baskets at 5:39 and 5:19 to pull Purdue within three, 28-25 Broncos. R. Johnson scored a pair of free throws at 4:45 to pull the Boilers within one, 28-27.
Harrison made two free throws at 3:27 before Marcius dunked it again at 3:02. Purdue took its first lead of the game on a layup by T. Johnson at 2:30, 31-30.
Purdue ended the first half on a 10-3 run in the final 3:27, taking a 37-33 lead to the lockerroom.
In the first half Santa Clara shot 37.5 percent from the field (12 of 32), including 22.2 percent from beyond the arc (2 of 9). The Broncos shot 53.8 percent from the free throw line (7 of 13). They collected 17 rebounds, seven assists, five steals, three blocks and had eight turnovers. Santa Clara was led by Trasolini and Foster who both scored six. Harrison collected four rebounds.
Purdue shot 39.4 percent from the field (13 of 33), including zero percent from beyond the arc (0 of 5). The Boilermakers shot 78.6 percent from the free throw line (11 of 14). They collected 24 rebounds, eight assists, three steals, one block and had six turnovers. The Boilers were led by R. Johnson's 10 points and Rapheal Davis' seven boards.
Foster scored in the paint at 19:22. T. Johnson answered at 18:51. Roquemore sank a free throw and R. Johnson scored inside on a put back at 18:10.
Cowels III scored his second three of the game at 17:54 to pull SCU within two, 41-39. Atanga went sky high to block T. Johnson inside at 17:11 to key the Broncos.
Foster tied it up under the bucket at 15:51, 41-41. R. Johnson hit a pair from the charity stripe at 15:07. Trasolini's sky-hook tied it up at 14:41. Dru Anthrop scored on a miss at 14:04.
Foster scored at 13:52 to put SCU up 46-45. Trasolini scored a put back at 13:15 to go up three, but Purdue answered at 12:36. Foster scored at 12:02.
J. Clarke scored his second three from the corner to put the Broncos up 53-49 at 11:44. B. Clark followed at 10:39 with a floating three to put SCU up 56-49.
Davis picked up his fourth foul on Foster at 9:44 and Foster sank both to put SCU up 58-49. McArthur scored at 8:19 to push the lead to 11 at 60-49.
Foster hit a three and then the Boilermakers, 0-9 before, hit their first three of the game at 7:41 with the Broncos leading 63-54. Foster hit his 412th career three moving him to No. 7 all-time at 6:50.
After a pair of Boilermaker free throws, Cowels III scored from seven feet out to put the Broncos up 68-56 at 5:57.
Purdue then went on an 8-1 run to pull within five at 3:26, 69-64 SCU. Cowels III ended the run at 3:10 with a three from the corner, Broncos led by eight.
Harrison pulled in his 11th rebound on a Davis miss inside at 2:48. Foster scored his 25th point at 2:18. The two teams wrestled over a loose ball before Marcius grabbed it and dumped it in for two at 2:01. Timeout Purdue.
Foster laid it in at 1:55. The Boilers scored two buckets to pull within six again, 76-70 at 1:36.
B. Clark was mauled bringing the ball down the court and after a foul was called on Lawson at 1:32, he sank both to make the lead eight, 78-70.
McArthur fouled Marquis when scoring and he made the and one to pull the Boilermakers within five again, 78-73.
Lawson fouled Foster in the back-court and he sank both at 1:21 to make 80-73. R. Johnson scored inside and then stole the ball for a bucket and Roquemore was whistled for a blocking foul as R. Johnson scored the and one. The Broncos lead was clipped to two, 80-78 at 1:02.
Foster's hand was smacked but his three hit pay dirt with 34.5 left to put SCU up five, 83-78. It was his 413th career three and tied Virginia's Curtis Staples at No. 6 all-time. Timeout Broncos.
T. Johnson scored the and one when fouled by Atanga with 19.5 seconds left to make the Broncos lead just two again, 83-81.
B. Clark was fouled by Anthrop with 8.6 left on the clock. He sank both to make it 85-81 Broncos. Timeout Boilers.
T. Johnson scored with 4.6 seconds left and the Boilers whistled for time again – their last. SCU led by two, 85-83.
Foster was crushed on the inbounds pass at 4.1 and he sank one to make it 86-83.
Game Notes
Kevin Foster has made 413 career threes and he moved to a tie for No. 6 all-time in NCAA history (Curtis Staples, Virginia, 413, 1995-98). Foster has scored 19+ in 61 of his 129 career games. He has 15+ in 86 career games.
Kevin Foster started his 121st career game after setting the school record vs. LMU on Feb. 28. Foster played in his 129th game and moved to No. 3 all-time.
Marc Trasolini and Raymond Cowels III played in their 133nd career game and already own the school record. Playing in his 124th career game, Niyi Harrison moved to a tie at No. 6 all-time (John Bryant, 124, 2005-09).
Kevin Foster is No. 8 on the WCC list with 81 steals this season (single season). He is No. 2 in Bronco single season history, with Harold Keeling holding the school record with 82 (1989-93).
It is the second time in three years and just the third time in 17 years that Santa Clara has played in the post-season. It is the 17th post-season appearance in school history (20-17: 11-13 NCAA; 2-4 NIT, 5-0 CIT, 2-0 CBI).
Santa Clara is 1-4 vs. Purdue - last playing at Purdue on Dec. 18, 2000 when the Boilermakers won 98-52. Santa Clara played Purdue in the Cougar Classic in Provo, UT on Dec. 8, 1978 dropping a 71-62 decision. The teams met in the Cable Car Classic on Dec. 28, 1985 with Purdue posting an 84-56 championship game victory. The two also squared off on Dec. 27, 1999, a 70-55 Purdue win in Santa Clara.
