SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Five games against 2015-16 postseason teams, two contests vs. Pac-12 Conference schools and an appearance in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational highlight the 2016-17 Santa Clara men's basketball nonconference schedule.
The Broncos, heading into their first year under head coach Herb Sendek, will play eight of their 13 nonconference games in Leavey Center, beginning the regular season on Nov. 11 against Northern Arizona during the opening day of the 50th Annual Cable Car Classic. UC Davis and Tennessee State, which played in last year's CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, round out the four-team field in the three-day event.
Sendek's first season will be the final one at Santa Clara for two-time first team All-West Coast Conference guard Jared Brownridge, who already ranks fifth in school history in career points (1,716) and headlines the return of the team's top eight scorers, including KJ Feagin, a member of the 2015-16 WCC All-Freshman team. Brownridge scored a league-high 20.6 points per game and Feagin led all freshmen at 11.4.
The Broncos enjoy a five-game homestand to begin the season, including the opening two contests of the Las Vegas Invitational. They face Northern Colorado (Nov. 19) and Sacred Heart (Nov. 21) before meeting perennial NCAA Tournament participant Arizona on Nov. 24 at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, home of the WCC Tournament. The following day, Santa Clara will play either Vanderbilt or Butler, both NCAA Tournament teams last spring, in the event finale.
The Broncos conclude the opening month of the season with a home game against UC Irvine (Nov. 30), which has been to the postseason the last two years, including an appearance in the 2016 CIT Championship game. The Anteaters game starts a stretch of four straight against teams from the state of California.
On Dec. 3, Santa Clara renews its rivalry with San José State on the road before heading home to play Cal State East Bay (Dec. 10) and UC Riverside (Dec. 13).
Nonconference action ends with a pair of tough road games, playing at Washington State (Dec. 17), its second Pac-12 opponent of the year, before heading to Valparaiso (Dec. 22).
The 18-game WCC schedule will be announced later this summer.
The Broncos will play one exhibition game, facing Life Pacific College on Nov. 5 in Leavey Center. That will be the second opportunity for fans to see the new, one-of-a-kind floor designed by NIKE.
The initial chance occurs on Aug. 12, when Sendek has invited Bronco fans to a 'First Look' event where they will get a chance to view a practice as the team prepares for an August exhibition tour to Italy.
The Broncos play three exhibition games in Italy. The team departs Aug. 20 for the 11-day trip and has 10 practices leading up to the tour. Dates and opponents have not been set.
The season ticket renewal process is underway and concludes Friday, Sept. 16. Prospective season ticket holders may place a $50 deposit for priority access once the renewal window ends. Beginning Monday, Sept. 19, new season ticket holders may begin selecting their seat locations.
For questions, please contact the ticket office weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. at (408) 554-4660 or BroncoTickets@scu.edu.
Nonconference Schedule Notes
• Arizona, Vanderbilt, Butler and Valparaiso all played in the 2016 NCAA Tournament. Tennessee State and UC Irvine appeared in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament.
• Herb Sendek will face one of his former assistants in Arizona head coach Sean Miller. There are currently 12 former Sendek assistant coaches, administrative assistants or graduate assistants serving as Division I head coach coaches.
• The Broncos have never faced Valparaiso or Vanderbilt.
• Three teams - San Jose State, UC Irvine and UC Riverside – were on the 2015-16 Santa Clara nonconference schedule. Santa Clara and San José State have met 33 of the last 34 years, including a stretch of 21 straight seasons.
• There are two Pac-12 schools – Arizona and Washington State – on the Santa Clara schedule for the first time since 2010-11.
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