Dec. 21, 2009
CAL POLY SLO (5-4) @ SANTA CLARA (2-9)
Tuesday, December 22 - 5 p.m. PT
Leavey Center (4,500) - Santa Clara, Calif.
WATCH LIVE: www.SantaClaraBroncos.com
GAME #12: The Bronco women play at home Tuesday, December 22, hosting the Cal Poly Mustangs. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m at the Leavey Center, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara campus.
GAME PROMOTIONS: Tuesday is `Public Safety Department Night.' Officers will be setting up a D.A.R.E booth and vehicles will be on display outside the Leavey Center.
TV/RADIO/INTERNET: A live video broadcast of Tuesday night's game can be accessed via Santa Clara's official athletic website (www.SantaClaraBroncos.com). Sam Farber (play-by-play) will call the action live. Additionally, live scoring via GAMETRACKER will be provided on (www.SantaClaraBroncos.com).
GAME NOTES:
# Jennifer Mountain is in her second season as Santa Clara head coach
# The Broncos lost a close game at Boise State, 75-67, Saturday
# Santa Clara is 1-4 at home this season, losing twice at the buzzer
# Four of Santa Clara's nine losses have come by eight points or less
# All-WCC forward Lena Gipson had her sixth double-double vs. BSU, leading all SCU players with 17 points and 12 rebounds
# Gipson has 25 double-doubles in 42 career games at SCU
# Gipson (13.8 ppg) and PG Alyssa Shoji (13.9 ppg) have proven to be SCU's most consistent scorers
# Shoji made four 3s against BSU and leads the WCC in 3FG (2.8 pg)
# Gipson matched a career-high with 20 rebounds against CSU Bakersfield (12/11)
# Senior starter F Maggie Goldenberger (INJ ankle) missed Saturday's game vs. BSU
# Starting SG Meagan Fulps (10.6) is the top freshman scorer in the WCC
# Santa Clara has won 10-straight against Cal Poly dating back to 1981-82
# Cal Poly went 21-11 last season; 11-5 in the Big West
# The Mustangs (5-4) are wrapping-up a four-game road swing, beating USF and EWU
# Cal Poly has played four other WCC schools, most recently losing @ LMU 80-63
# Santa Clara prides itself on its community service activities and academic excellence.
...The team currently owns a 3.41 combined GPA.
# NEXT UP: A trip to Pittsburgh to play @ Robert Morris Monday, Dec. 28, then @ West Virginia Wednesday, Dec. 30
SANTA CLARA: The Broncos are looking to breakthrough with a win at home after losing twice at the buzzer on its home floor earlier this month. SCU is armed with two of the most talented players in the league, junior F Lena Gipson (13.8 ppg/9.9 rpg) and sophomore PG Alyssa Shoji (13.9 ppg/2.8 3FG pg). The team is extremely young; 12 of its 16 players are underclassmen. True freshman guard Meagan Fulps (10.6 ppg) has started in nine of 11 games. Classmates Ashley Armstrong (22 min pg) and Noe Viloria (15 pts vs. BSU Saturday) also figure to be a big part of Santa Clara's future. Second-year head coach Jennifer Mountain - who helped build her alma mater Gonzaga into one of the nation's best teams - is trying to retool a Broncos' program that went 4-27 last season. The team is looking to rebound after losing twice on the road last week, 91-51 @ Minnesota and 75-67 @ Boise State. SCU is in the midst of playing 7-of-9 away from home.
CAL POLY SLO: The Mustangs - who won 21 games last season - picked up two road wins on its current four-game stretch playing away from home. Tuesday's game will be Cal Poly's fifth against a WCC opponent.
Cal Poly vs. WCC this year:
W, 62-59 vs. PEPPERDINE (11/21)
L, 73-65 vs. SAN DIEGO (12/5)
W, 73-52 @ USF (12/13)
L, 80-63 @ LMU (12/19)
Additionally, Cal Poly beat CSU Bakersfield 89-80 at home on November 29th, a team Santa Clara lost to at the buzzer, 78-76, at the Leavey Center on December 11. All-Big West forward Kristina Santiago (18.1 ppg) was among the Big West leaders in FG%, points and free throw % as a sophomore last season. Front-court teammate, senior Becky Tratter adds 10.7 points per night and Irish import Rachel Clancey shoots 54% from the field.
THE SERIES: Santa Clara has won 10-straight against Cal Poly dating back to 1981-82. The last meeting came in 2007-08, a 79-72 road win for the Broncos. Cal Poly has played at Santa Clara seven times, losing the last five by an average of 26 points.
LAST TIME OUT: The Santa Clara women's basketball team hung tough with WAC-leading Boise State Saturday afternoon on the road, but came up just short, 75-67. Santa Clara (2-9) got as close as five with 4:54 left thanks to a long 3 by Meagan Fulps. All-WCC forward Lena Gipson scored 17 points and 12 rebounds and true freshman Noe Viloria had 15 on 5-of-7 shooting. Viloria - who had her number retired at Huntington Beach High School last year - played a season-high 27 minutes. She had missed seven of the first eight games with injury. Boise State (9-3) entered the week as the top team in the WAC. Jessica Van Hoogen made four 3s and led all scorers with 19. Van Hoogen led three BSU players who scored in double-figures.
RECENT RESULTS/UPCOMING GAMES:
L, 78-76 vs. CSU BAKERSFIELD (12/11)
W, 74-69 @ Pacific (12/13)
L, 91-41 @ Minnesota (12/16)
L, 75-67 @ Boise State (12/19)
CAL POLY (12/22)
@ Robert Morris (12/28)
@ West Virginia (12/30)
SAN JOSE STATE (1/2)
NEXT HOME GAME: Santa Clara hosts Silicon Valley rival San Jose State Saturday, January 2 at 7 p.m. The cross-town showdown will be `Get Fit Night' at the Leavey Center. The Coleman Avenue Jamba Juice is the game's featured sponsor.
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.