Santa Clara-Pepperdine Game Notes
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - After a thrilling 76-72 road victory Thursday against Loyola Marymount, Santa Clara continues its Southern California trip Saturday facing Pepperdine.
The Waves were upended Thursday by San Francisco, 82-72, at home. Saturday will be the final home for the Pepperdine seniors, including all-time leading scorer Stacy Davis.
The teams met on Jan. 14 in Santa Clara with the Broncos securing a 62-60 victory when Jared Brownridge nailed a corner 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left.
SANTA CLARA (10-17, 6-9) at Pepperdine (16-11, 9-7)
Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016 • Firestone Fieldhouse (3,104) • 5 p.m. PST
TV: Barry Tompkins (play-by-play), Dave Miller (analyst), Kelli Tennant (courtside)
Live Stream: TheW.tv (blackout in local markets)
Radio: KSCU (103.3 FM) - Anthony Passarelli (play-by-play) and John Stege (analyst)
Live Stats: www.StatBroadcast.com
Tickets: www.PepperdineSports.com
Radio/Live Stream: Anthony Passarelli (play-by-play) and John Stege (color) will call the action for the Broncos on KSCU 103.3 FM. The game can be heard over the air or online through tunein. All Broncos home games and West Coast Conference contests (not on an ESPN platform) will also be streamed through TheW.tv (local blackout restrictions apply for games broadcast over the air).
Quick Hits...
• After dropping their first seven games of the season, the Broncos, led by ninth-year head coach Kerry Keating, have gone 10-10 since Nov. 29.
• Jared Brownridge, in his third year as a starter, ranks No. 30 nationally in the scoring (20.0 ppg). He has hit 82.6 percent of his free throws (fourth in the WCC) and his 133 makes from the charity stripe are tied for No. 43 in the NCAA this year. He also ranks tied for 23rd nationally in 3-point field goals (78). Brownridge is one of three players in the nation to rank in the top 45 of both those categories. He is joined by Stefan Moody (Ole Miss) and Frank Eaves (Appalachian State).
• KJ Feagin, the team's second-leading scorer (11.5 ppg), has emerged in the last two months as consistent scoring option and distributor. The freshman guard has scored in double figures in 13 of the last 19 games after hitting that mark just once in the first eight games. He has posted eight or more assists three times in WCC action and ranks second in the league among freshman (ninth overall) in assists (3.8 pg).
• Junior forward Nate Kratch leads the team in both rebounding (8.3 pg/fourth in the WCC) and FG percentage (53.1/sixth in the WCC), and is third in scoring (9.5 ppg).
• Despite playing less than three seasons, Brownridge already ranks second in school history with 266 career 3-pointers and 11th in scoring (1,615 points). In addition, his career scoring average (17.6 ppg) ranks tied for No. 5 on the Broncos all-time chart and his career 3-point field-goal percentage (42.2) is tops in school history. After missing most of preseason practice Brownridge had an uneven start to the year, but started to heat up in December. He has scored in double figures in the last 18 games, averaging 21.4 points on 45.4 percent shooting from the floor, including 45.3 from behind the 3-point line.
• Nine of Santa Clara's 17 losses have been by eight points or less, including seven that were within three and four in overtime. The Broncos are 5-7 in games decided by four points or less, but have won the last two.
• The Broncos have three players on the shelf. Sophomore guard Evan Wardlow (broken right wrist) has missed the last 16 games. Sophomore forward Jarvis Pugh (knee) missed the previous seven games before playing against Saint Mary's (Dec. 23), but sat out the last 13 though is close to returning. Junior guard Brendyn Taylor (concussion) missed seven games and freshman forward Tony Lewis (leg) has not played this season.
Boost From the Bench...
The Broncos have won two of their last three games and in both of those victories, the bench has provided some offensive punch. Led by 16 points from Matt Hubbard, the Broncos received a season-best 39 bench points in a 74-71 victory over San Diego (Feb. 11). The four bench players also shot a combined 52 percent from the floor (14 of 27) and dished out 12 assists with only three turnovers. In Thursday's win vs. LMU, the four bench players tallied 25 points on 8 of 16 shooting with 22 of the team's 36 rebounds. Brendyn Taylor had nine points, while Nate Kratch chipped in eight point and eight rebounds in his first game coming off the bench this season.
Additional Scoring Punch...
The Broncos have been searching for additional scoring threats and lately sophomore forward Matt Hubbard and junior guard Brendyn Taylor have provided some offense. After a stretch of scoring a total of six points in four games, Hubbard has averaged 8.5 in the last six, including a career-high 16 vs. San Francisco (Feb. 6). He has also hit 45.2 percent from the field (19 of 42) in that span. Taylor has put together his most productive stretch, using his athleticism to average 6.8 points during the last six games on 50-percent shooting from the floor (12 of 24). He has also dished out 13 assists, including a career-high six vs. San Diego (Feb. 11), and just three turnovers, while averaging 19.0 minutes.
Tidbits...
• With five 3-pointers Thursday vs. LMU, Jared Brownridge (266) moved from third to second on the school's career list, passing Steve Nash (263/1992-96). Brownridge has a ways to go to reach all-time leader Kevin Foster (431/2008-13).
• Brownridge (38) scored 30 or more points for the sixth time in his career and third time this season at Portland (Jan. 30). His 14 field goals were a career high (12 at Pepperdine, March 1, 2014). Brownridge is the only player in school history to post 38 or more points in a game three times. In fact, only one other player has done it twice. Ken Sears had 39 at Saint Mary's (Feb. 28, 1955) and then 41 vs. Pacific (March, 4, 1955).
• Since an 0-for-3 performance from the free-throw line at Pacific (Dec. 21), KJ Feagin has connected on 39 of 43 free throws (90.7 percent). He has improved from 59.1 to 81.2 percent from the line in the last 12 games. Feagin has moved to No. 6 in the WCC in free-throw percentage, second among freshmen.
• During the first 15 games of the season, Santa Clara only had as many as three players in double figures six times. In the last 12 games, three or more players have reached double figures eight times. The Broncos are 8-6 when at least three players reach double figures, including 3-0 with four players scoring 10 or more.
• Brownridge has scored 20 or more points in nine of the last 17 games and 10 times on the season. He has connected on seven or more 3-pointers four times (seven vs. Arizona, Nov. 26; seven at Nevada, Dec. 18; career-high eight vs. Pacific, Dec. 23; seven at Portland, Jan. 30).
Scouting the Waves...
Pepperdine, 16-11 (9-7 WCC) on the season, has won two of its last three games after dropping three in a row. Guard Lamond Murray Jr. and forward Stacy Davis have led the offensive attack. Murray Jr. is averaging a team-high 15.8 points per game and Davis checks in at 15.0 and is collecting a team-best 8.8 rebounds per contest. Jett Raines is averaging 12.7 ppg on a team-best 51.4 percent from the floor. The Waves defend the 3-point line, but don't connect on many of their own. They are second in the league in 3-point defense (30.2 percent) and average a WCC-low 5.0 made 3-pointers per game. Pepperdine is tied for second in committing the second-fewest turnovers (with Santa Clara) in the WCC (11.4 pg).
The Pepperdine Series...
The series began in 1956 with the Broncos holding a 73-58 lead after winning last month at home. The teams split the eight games during the last previous seasons. The Broncos have won three of the last five games played in Malibu.
Trends...
• The Broncos have turned the ball over 10 or fewer times in nine of the last 14 games. They rank tied for second in the WCC in fewest turnovers (11.5 pg). They had 17 vs. San Francisco (Feb. 6) and 11 vs. Portland (Jan. 30), but 10 occurred in the second half vs. the Pilots. During a 60-minute stretch (the Gonzaga game through the first half of Portland), the Broncos posted only five turnovers. They had only six Thursday at Loyola Marymount, including none n the second half.
• Santa Clara has shot better from the floor in WCC games (42.4 percent) than it did during nonconference action (40.0).
• After averaging 13.7 free throws in the previous three games, Santa Clara averaged 23.2 in the last five. The Broncos hit 81.8 percent (36 of 44) in the last two games and are connecting at a 70.7 percent clip on the year (third in the WCC).
By The Numbers…
3...Jared Brownridge is third in the WCC in minutes played (35.6 pg).
3...Jared Brownridge is one of only three players in the NCAA to rank in the top 45 in both made free throws (t-43rd at 133) and 3-pointers (t-23rd at 78) this year. Frank Eaves of Appalachian State (t-35th in 3FGs/36th in FTs) and Stefan Moody of Ole Miss (t-35th in 3-FGs/t-7th FTs) are the others.
6...KJ Feagin is sixth in the WCC in free-throw percentage (81.5).
8...The Broncos have used seven different starting lineups this season (page 26). They had used the same one for 12 games until adjusting vs. LMU (Feb. 18).
12...Jared Brownridge (1,615) needs 12 more points to move from 11th to 10th on the school's career list. Evan Roquemore (1,627/2010-14) is currently 10th.
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