Click here to read the Bronco Game Notes
Santa Clara hosts Cal State Fullerton in its 2014-15 home opener on Fri., Nov. 14 at 7 pm. The Broncos will return to the Leavey Center the following night to host San Diego Christian at 7 pm. After this weekend, Santa Clara won't return home until its Sat., Dec. 13 match up with Washington State.
Santa Clara and Cal State Fullerton will meet for only the third time on Friday with the series split at 1-1. In their last meeting, the Broncos lost their first game of the season at CSF on Nov. 16, 2013, 86-73, after opening the season with two wins. The Titans shot 53.8 percent from the floor as Alex Harris scored a team-high 19 points. Brandon Clark scored 23 points to go with 5 assists and 4 rebounds. Jared Brownridge nearly matched Clark's performance as he scored 21 points after connecting on 5 of 9 shots from behind the arc in just his third career game for the Broncos. Denzel Johnson also scored in double-figures with 12 points and 5 rebounds. Clark, Brownridge and Johnson return to the starting lineup for Santa Clara this season.
In their only meeting prior to last season, on Dec. 2, 1994, the Broncos won 79-65 in the Coors Lite Classic in Fresno, Calif. Then-sophomore Steve Nash had a double-double against the Titans as he scored 21 points with 12 assists and six rebounds. Kevin Dunne added 11 points and Brendan Graves scored 12.
Santa Clara hosted San Diego Christian last season in exhibition play, winning 89-60 on Nov. 2, 2013.
Them
Cal State Fullerton returns three of its top five scorers from a season ago. Redshirt seniors Alex Harris (15.6 ppg) and Steve McClellan (7.5 ppg) as well as sophomore Sheldon Blackwell (6.1 ppg) hope to remain in the top five as they led the team in starts from a season ago. The Titans went 11-20 last season, finishing tied for 6th in the Big West Conference with a 6-10 conference record.
The Titans struggled away home finishing with just 3 wins in 15 chances on the road. At home in Titan Gym, Fullerton finished about .500 with an 8-6 record.
San Diego Christian was 8-16 last season, including 4-10 in GSAC play. The Hawks are led by first-year head coach Edgar Mendez, a former head coach in the Mexican Professional league team.
Us
The Broncos return their top two scorers this season in guards Jared Brownridge (17.2 ppg) and Brandon Clark (16.9 ppg). Brownridge led the team with 95 three pointers a season ago. His 567 points scored last season shattered the Bronco freshman record and placed him at No. 2 all-time in points scored for a Bay Area freshman. He finished his freshman year with 24 points vs. Gonzaga in the WCC quarterfinals, as the Broncos fell 77-75 on a last-second layup by the Zags David Stockton. It was his 14th game with 20+ points, which put him at No. 3 on SCU's single season list for 20+ points a game.
All-time Top Freshman Bay Area Scorers
1. Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Cal 590
2. Jared Brownridge, SCU 567
3. Winford Boynes, USF 542
4. Ryan Anderson, Cal 539
Clark hit 86.8 percent of his free throws (145-167) and finished No. 14 on the single season points list with 557. He had 12 20+ point games last season and he also became the 32nd Bronco in school history to score 1,000 career points. He currently sits at No. 29 with 1,042 points.
Santa Clara also welcomes back seniors Denzel Johnson (4.2 ppg) and Yannick Atanga (3.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg). Playing in all 33 games last year as freshmen, Jalen Richard (3.9 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.4 apg) and Nate Kratch (3.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.2 apg) also return. The Broncos will lean on these six returning players at the start of the season to help the first-year Broncos adjust to playing at Santa Clara.
Fresh
The Broncos welcome four true freshmen to their team, forward Matt Hubbard from Colville, Wash., guard Stephen Edwards from Muskogee, Okla., forward Evan Wardlow from Lake View Terrace, Calif., and guard Kai Healy from Sydney, Australia. In addition, the Broncos have two redshirt freshmen, forward Jarvis Pugh from Murphy, Texas and center Emmanuel Ndumanya from Anambra, Nigeria. In the offseason, the team also added forward Dominic Romeo, a graduate student from Notre Dame with one year of eligibility left. The Broncos are expecting to redshirt Healy this season.
Ladder
Brandon Clark is No. 29 on the all-time points scored list with 1,042. He needs 39 points to move past No. 28 Dan Wiess (1,070, 1984-88) and 79 to move to No. 25 (Scott Lamson, 1,120, 1981-85).
Career 1,000 Points Scored
- 1. Kevin Foster (2008-13) 2,423
- 2. Kurt Rambis (1976-80) 1,736
- 3. Harold Keeling (1981-85) 1,731
- 4. Brian Jones (1996-01) 1,722
- 5. Marc Trasolini (2008-13) 1,699
- 6. Steve Nash (1992-96) 1,689
- 7. Dennis Awtrey (1967-70) 1,675
- 8. John Bryant (2005-09) 1,667
- 9. Londale Theus (1976-80) 1,643
- 10. Evan Roquemore (2010-) 1,615
- 11. Ken Sears (1951-55) 1,586
- 12. Kyle Bailey (2001-05) 1,571
- 13. Mike Stewart (1970-73) 1,446
- 14. Bud Ogden (1966-69) 1,437
- 15. Nick Vanos (1981-85) 1,399
- 16. Mike Gervasoni (1964-67) 1,393
- 17. Travis Niesen (2002-06) 1,380
- 18. Jens Gordon (1985-89) 1,356
- 19. Marlon Garnett (1993-97) 1,346
- 20. Ralph Ogden (1967-70) 1,280
- 21. Mitch Burley (1985-89) 1,258
- 22. Frank Sobrero (1957-60) 1,256
- 23. Ron Reis (1988-92) 1,246
- 24. Nathan Fast (1996-00) 1,182
- 25. Scott Lamson (1981-85) 1,120
- 26. Raymond Cowels III (2009-13) 1,090
- 27. Brody Angley (2004-08) 1,074
- 28. Dan Weiss (1984-88) 1,070
- 29. Brandon Clark (2010-) 1,042
- 30. DeWayne Lewis (1990-94) 1,032
- 31. Jim Young (1951-54) 1,016
- 32. Glen Hubbard (1972-76) 1,012
Exhibition Play
The Broncos won their lone exhibition 82-72 at the Leavey Center on Nov. 7 vs. Cal State East Bay. Watch the highlights here. The team was led by 2014 WCC Newcomer of the Year, Jared Brownridge, as he scored 23 points to go along with 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Brownridge connected on 4 of 6 shots from beyond the arc. Brandon Clark also scored in double-figures with 15 points. Yannick Atanga was one rebound away from a double-double with 10 points and 9 rebounds.
The Broncos saw playing time from 12 of 14 players, including minutes from six players making their first appearance for the team. Santa Clara led by as many as 20 points in the second half after holding a three-point halftime lead. The Broncos shot 46 percent from the field and 44 percent from 3-point range.
Tournaments
The Broncos will travel to Orlando, Fla. to take on Tennessee in their opening game in the Orlando Classic on Nov. 27. The tournament will take place on at the ESPN World Wide of Sports Complex Nov. 27-30. Click here for more information on the Orlando Classic.
Last season, Tennessee posted 24 wins and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. This contest will be the Broncos' second matchup against 2014 NCAA tournament teams. Santa Clara will have traveled to East Lansing, Mich. to play the No. 18 Spartans on Nov. 24. Michigan State won 29 games and advanced to the Elite 8 last season.
Based on their results against Tennessee, the Broncos will match up with either Kansas or Rhode Island the next day. If the Broncos match up against No. 5 Kansas, they will play their third 2014 NCAA tournament participant within the same week. The Broncos will also play on Sunday and that match-up will be determined through the first two games.
Santa Clara will also host the 48th annual Cable Car Classic from Dec. 17-23, which is an annual event held at the Leavey Center. The tournament begins on Dec. 17 with Northeastern and Cal Poly. The Broncos open with Northeastern on Dec. 20 and close with Big West tournament champions and NCAA tournament participant Cal Poly on Dec. 23.
Blocks, Boards
Yannick Atanga is No. 6 all-time in Santa Clara history with 92 career blocks. He needs two blocks to pass No. 5 Kurt Rambis (93, 1976-80). Atanga had 30 blocks last season. After leading the WCC in rebounds in 2012-13, Atanga was No. 2 on the team in rebounds last year with 5.0 rpg. He has collected 10+ boards in 11 career games. A native of Yaounde, Cameroon, Atanga spent time playing with the Cameroon National Team in China as part of a four-nation tournament in the summer of 2013. Playing basketball since he was 12 years old and now sporting a 7-4 wing span, Atanga dreams of one day working for the United Nations as a peacekeeper in Africa.
Career Blocked Shots
1. John Bryant (2005-09) 246
2. Marc Trasolini (2008-13) 176
3. Nick Vanos (1981-85) 159
4. Jens Gordon (1985-89) 133
5. Kurt Rambis (1976-80) 93
6. Yannick Atanga (2010-) 92
7. Robert Garrett (2011-) 81
8. Brendan Graves (1994-96) 70
9. Mike Norman (1980-84) 65
10. Rhea Taylor (1988-92) 63
Season records kept only since 1978-79