Nov. 27, 2009
UTAH (1-3) @ SANTA CLARA (1-3)
Sunday, November 29 - 2 p.m.
Leavey Center (4,500) - Santa Clara, CA
WATCH LIVE: SantaClaraBroncos.com
GAME #5: Santa Clara opens a four-game homestand Sunday against defending Mountain West Conference champs Utah. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. The Broncos have already played Iowa, UCLA and Oregon this season.
TV/RADIO/INTERNET: A live video broadcast will be available on Santa Clara's official athletics website (SantaClaraBroncos.com). Sam Farber (play-by-play) will call the action courtside from the Leavey Center. Live scoring will also be provided via GAMETRACKER on (SantaClaraBroncos.com).
GAME NOTES:
# Jennifer Mountain is in her second season as Santa Clara head coach
# Utah won the MWC last season, advancing into the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament
# Neither team as put up big offensive numbers this season
# Santa Clara held an eight-point lead over Oregon before losing 88-71 Tuesday
# 12 of the Broncos' 16 players are underclassmen
# The young backcourt of Alyssa Shoji, Meagan Fulps and Ashley Armstrong combined for 44 points Tuesday
# Alyssa Shoji is the only Bronco to score in double-figures in all four games
# Freshman Meagan Fulps was Colorado's 2009 5A `Player of the Year'
# All-WCC forward Lena Gipson was held to six points in Eugene
# Gipson - one of the WCC's premier players - led the league in rebounding (9.9) last season
# Lena Gipson's 307 rebounds last season was the 5th-best total in WCC history
# Santa Clara is averaging 21.5 turnovers per game
# The Broncos easily defeated Sonoma State 73-43 in its home-opener Nov. 7
# The Utes beat Minnesota 60-59 in their home-opener Nov. 17
# Utah lost to No. 2 Stanford 60-41 Friday night
# UP NEXT: Home games against UC Davis (Dec. 3), South Dakota (Dec. 6) and CSU Bakersfield (Dec. 11)
SANTA CLARA: The Broncos held an early lead over Oregon and also played Iowa and UCLA tough in the first half despite having lost three straight. The Broncos are extremely young. Freshman guard Meagan Fulps - a highly touted recruit from Colorado - had 16 points at Oregon, scoring off the dribble and from the perimeter. Sophomore Alyssa Shoji also impressed in Eugene, sparking Santa Clara to a 14-6 lead and tying the game at 27 with a three. Shoji led the West Coast Conference in three-point shooting percentage within league play last season. The 88-71 loss to UO might have been closer had SCU's top scorer and rebounder Lena Gipson not gotten into immediate foul trouble. Gipson, a junior forward, led the WCC in rebounding (9.9 pg) last season. She earned all-tournament honors at the Hawkeye Challenge in Iowa City. SCU has already been bitten by the injury bug with Becky Goll and Telisha Anderson expected to miss extended time. The Broncos are trying to rebound from a 4-27 season a year ago.
UTAH: The Utes have won seven of the past 10 Mountain West Conference regular season titles - including winning the MWC last March. 27th-year head coach Elaine Elliott led Utah to a 23-10 record a year ago, advancing into the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Last Sunday Utah was soundly beat by UCLA 69-33 on a neutral floor in San Diego. On Friday Utah lost to No. 2 Stanford 60-41. The loss followed a 60-59 home win over a Minnesota team Santa Clara will play December 16. Senior forward Kalee Whipple was a First Team All-MWC pick last season. Whipple scored 17 points in the win over Minnesota but was held to just six against UCLA. Utah has added depth in the paint, welcoming 6-foot 3-inch freshman center Taryn Wicijowski, who has immediately earned a spot in the starting lineup.
RECENT RESULTS/UPCOMING GAMES:
W, 73-43 - SONOMA STATE (11/7)
L, 67-51 - @ Iowa (11/14)
L, 77-51 - vs. UCLA (11/15)
L, 88-71 - @ Oregon (11/24)
vs. UTAH (11/29)
vs. UC DAVIS (12/3)
vs. SOUTH DAKOTA (12/6)
vs. CSU BAKERSFIELD (12/11)
TICKETS: The SCU athletics department is offering a series of ticket specials for the 14-game home schedule. Season ticket packages start at just $50 for adults and $25 for youth and seniors. Season ticket reserved seating is new for 2009-10 and is being offered at the low price of $75 for the entire season. To purchase tickets or for more information contact 408-554-4660.