Broncos Score Big to Win at CSU Northridge
Updated 2010-11 Boxscores, Bios and Stats
Northridge, Calif. – Scoring zero points in the first half, Kevin Foster exploded for 22 points in the second half as the Broncos put six players in double figures to win 99-79 at CSU Northridge. Santa Clara is 11-1 under head coach Kerry Keating when scoring 80+ points. It was the most points on the road under Keating in four seasons and the most points scored by a Bronco team since it lost 93-90 at Pepperdine on Feb. 14, 2004. The six players in double figures were the most Santa Clara had since it had six players in double figures in a 93-70 win vs. UC Santa Cruz on Nov. 25, 2002.
"I'm really proud of our effort tonight. Our guys played together as a team and with a shorter bench with Julian Clarke and Michael Santos out (injuried), they trusted each other and pulled together," said Keating. With Foster on the bench with two fouls and zero shot attempts in the first half, Keating was pleased with the team going to the lockerroom with the lead. "We pulled together in the first half and outrebounded them for the game. We need to continue to make steps to get better, especially with Christmas coming up. We know our guys are excited to go home and it'll be special with a win tonight."
Santa Clara is 7-6 and CSU Northridge is 3-8 after making the 2009 NCAA Tournament as the Big West champions in 2008 and '09. Santa Clara will take a few days off before hosting the 44th annual Cable Car Classic on Dec. 29 and 30 in the Leavey Center. Santa Clara will host Delaware at 6 pm on the 29th and Fordham and American will play at 8 pm.
"All four teams are playing well and it should be a good tournament. Each team coming in for the Cable Car Classic, including our team, want to win the title. They respect the history of the tournament and we look forward to it," added Keating.
Santa Clara shot a season-high 56.1 percent from the field (32 of 57) and a season-high 47.4 percent beyond the arc (9 of 19). The Broncos collected 40 rebounds, 14 assists, six steals, three blocks and had 16 turnovers. They were 26 of 33 from the free throw line. CSU Northridge shot 44.6 percent from the field (25 of 56) and 31.3 percent beyond the arc (5 of 16). The Matadors collected 23 rebounds, 11 assists, nine steals, three blocks and had 12 turnovers. They were 24 of 27 from the free throw line.
Individually Santa Clara put six players in double figures. Kevin Foster, who only played seven minutes in the first half due to foul trouble, finished the game with 22 points, all in the second half. Evan Roquemore scored 16, Raymond Cowels III had 16, Marc Trasolini scored 12 and Chris Cunningham and Ben Dowdell scored 10 each. Cunningham had a team-high seven rebounds. Roquemore added six assists, Foster five and Trasolini scored five rebounds.
Rashaun McLemore scored 21 and Lenny Daniel added 17 for CSUN. Two players had five rebounds each.
Trasolini hit his first three at 13:05. CSUN went on an 8-1 lead to take a 16-13 lead at 9:30 with Foster heading to the bench with his second foul at 9:30. Trasolini and Roquemore hit back-to-back threes and Payne's steal resulted in a Roquemore lay-up at 8:37 and a 21-16 lead.
Daniel hit two free throws and then Cowels burned CSUN for another three and Dowdell scored on a three-foot jumper to put SCU 26-18 at 7:30. Two CSUN baskets were sandwiched between two Cowels free throws at 7:00 and a John McArthur bucket, 30-22 Broncos.
CSUN went on a 13-0 run to take a 31-30 lead at 4:00. Cowels hit a basket and a free throw to put SCU up 33-31 at 3:47. A CSUN free throw and then Trasolini hit two to make it 35-32 Broncos at 2:50.
The teams traded baskets with Payne hitting a two-foot jumper. Payne's two free throws gave the Broncos a 39-34 lead at 1:21. CSUN hit a bucket at 1:02 and the halftime score was 39-36 Broncos.
In the first half Santa Clara shot 42.3 percent from the field (11 of 26) and 45.5 percent beyond the arc (5 of 11). The Broncos collected 23 rebounds, six assists and two steals, and had nine turnovers. They were 12 of 18 from the free throw line. CSU Northridge shot 50.0 percent from the field (15 of 30) and 15.7 percent beyond the arc (1 of 6). The Matadors collected 13 rebounds, eight assists, six steals, two blocks and had five turnovers. They were 5 of 7 from the free throw line.
Cowels had 11 points and Trasolini added nine with five rebounds. Payne had five rebounds, five steals and five four points. Foster had no stats other than two turnovers in seven minutes of play in the first half. Lenny Daniel led the Matadors with eight points and three rebounds.
Foster scored two baskets, Cowels one and a steal by Cowels resulted in another Foster basket. Timeout CSUN at 16:27 with SCU up 51-44. Trasolini blocked a ball and Roqeumore knocked down a three to put SCU up 10 at 15:39.
A CSUN miss and a Bronco defensive rebound resulted in a Harrison dunk at the other end, 56-44 Boncos at 15:10.
After two CSUN free throws, Harrison made a dandy move under the basket to make it 58-46 Broncos at 14:12.
Foster tossed the ball in left-handed after two CSUN free throws to make it 60-48 Broncos at 14:08. Foster hit a three to make it 63-48 Broncos at 13:04. Foster hit another basket at 12:30 to make it 65-50 – at that point he had 13 in the second half alone. Two CSUN free throws and then McArthur scored under the basket at 11:30. A three by Vinnie McGhee at 10:58 was the first Matador field goal since Lizarraga scored on a lay-up at 17:14.
Dowdell tipped it in at 9:58 to put SCU up 69-57.
Foster crushed a three and was fouled, scoring his third four-point play of the year at 9:11.
Dowdell scored two free throws to make it 75-57, the largest lead of the game. Foster floated in to score and was fouled, hit the free throw, putting SCU up 78-57 at 8:03.
The Broncos added to their largest lead of the night, going up 21 with Foster scoring his 20th point, all in the second half. It is 23rd game with 19+ in his 52-game career.
The Matadors made four straight free throws and then Roquemore laid it in to give the Broncos an 80-61 lead. Two more CSUN free throws and Cunningham scored to push the lead to 20 again, 82-62 at 6:05. Roquemore and Cunningham hit back-to-back sets of free throws to push the lead to 86-62. CSUN answered with a three.
Foster added his 22nd points and the team's 80th at 3:33.
Trasolini scored the 95th point on an assist by Foster to put SCU up 95-71 at 2:02. McArthur's free throws made it 99-79, the final.