With LMU Win, Broncos Sweep LA Road Trip for First Time Since 2005
Become a Fan of Santa Clara's Facebook page today
With four Broncos finishing in double figures for the second straight game, including Kevin Foster's 28 points, Santa Clara won at LMU 79-72. It was Santa Clara's first sweep in LA (Pepperdine and LMU) since 2005. Santa Clara is 13-9 and 5-2 in the WCC and LMU is 8-13 and 1-6 in the WCC.
Santa Clara hosts UC Santa Cruz on Tues., Feb. 1 at 7 pm prior to traveling to San Francisco to face-off with USF at 7 pm on Sat., Feb. 5. The USF game will be televised regionally on Comcast.
"We were able to get out to a great start and that's huge on the road and that was the difference in the end," said Bronco head coach Kerry Keating. "LMU is very capable of making shots because they are an offensively-minded dangerous teams. Evan played really well and some of his play was key. Marc tweaked his ankle in the first half early and was able to play through some pain and hit a clutch free throw for us towards the end," said Bronco head coach Kerry Keating. "This was a big trip for us to be able get the sweep. We were able to overcome some adversity being in foul trouble on the road tonight. Everybody contributed and did something that helped us win both of these games which is really really important. I would like to think we are showing some signs of maturity. We responded more positively and we able to finish both games. Now we have to step up and respond. We have to stay focused, healthy and humble and continue to work hard and get better."
Santa Clara shot 48.1 percent from the field (25 of 52), including 53.3 percent from beyond the arc (8 of 15). The Broncos grabbed 31 rebounds, 17 assists, one block and 14 steals. They shot 84.0 percent from the free throw line (21 of 25) with 16 turnovers. LMU shot 38.6 percent from the field (22 of 57), including 45.5 percent from beyond the arc (5 of 11). The Lions grabbed 35 rebounds, 11 assists, five blocks and nine steals. They shot 71.9 percent from the free throw line (23-32) with 19 turnovers.
Santa Clara was led by Foster's 28 points, including a perfect 13 of 13 from the free throw line. The 13 of 13 was the best effort for a Bronco since John Bryant was 13 of 16 in the Broncos 89-88 overtime win over UTEP on Dec. 30, 2008 to win the Cable Car Classic. Foster added a career-high six steals (five at Pacific, Nov. 22, 2009). Marc Trasolini added 16, Evan Roquemore hit 15 and Ben Dowdell scored 11 points. Payne had a career-high 12 rebounds and tied his career-high for the third time this season with six steals.
Vernon Teel had 21 points, Drew Viney scored 13 and Ashley Hamilton 12 in the Lions losing effort. Hamilton grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.
Santa Clara started the game on an 11-0 roll with threes by Foster (19:48) and Roquemore (18:51) followed by a five-footer by Foster at 18:10. Dowdell stole the ball and Foster drained his second three of the game to put SCU up 11-0 at 16:48.
Viney put the Lions first points on the board at 16:07 and followed up with a free throw. Dowdell scored under the basket at 15:01 and then Trasolini added a score to make it 15-3. Dowdell hit a free throw to make it 16-3 at 11:50.
Hamilton hit a free throw at 9:55. Viney followed him to the free throw line at 9:04 and hit both. Trasolini and Niyi Harrison scored on back-to-back baskets to put SCU up 20-6.
Teel scored just the second basket for the Lions and hit a free throw. Foster was fouled by Egbeyemi when shooting a three and he made all three free throws to put SCU up 23-9 at 7:25. Viney hit a three to make it 23-12 at 7:14, but Dowdell followed up with a bucket quickly.
Teel was fouled by McArthur, his third in the half, and he made both. Foster was fouled by Egbeyemi again, this time shooting a two-pointer, and he made both, 27-14 Broncos.
Foster was fouled by Viney in a hustle play and he sank both, 31-17 Broncos at 4:26. Armstead followed it up with a three, but Dowdell answered with a five-foot floater to put SCU up 33-20 at 3:46.
Raymond Cowels III crushed a three after Hamilton's two free thows to make it 36-22 Broncos. The Lions scored four straight on free throws to make it 36-26 and then Santos turned the ball over to give LMU a dunk. Foster responded with a pair of free throws to put SCU back up 10 at :40.4. Foster was 9-9 in the first half from the free throw line.
Santa Clara shot 50.0 percent from the field (12 of 24), including 50.0 percent from beyond the arc (4 of 8). The Broncos grabbed 15 rebounds, 10 assists, one block and nine steals. They shot 90.9 percent from the free throw line (10 of 11) with 11 turnovers. LMU shot 25.9 percent from the field (7 of 27), including 33.3 percent from beyond the arc (2 of 6). The Lions grabbed 18 rebounds, five assists, one block and seven steals. They shot 70.6 percent from the free throw line (12 of 17) with 13 turnovers.
In the second half, Trasolini (19:29) and Roquemore (18:26) scored on back-to-back threes between one by Viney (18:46). Trasolini scored to put SCU up 46-31 at 17:40.
Foster scored his 20th point of the game on a three at 17:01. Roquemore hit a floater with time running out to go up by 20 at 15:54. Timeout Lions! After a Trasolini basket the Lions went on a 6-0 run before Foster drained a five-footer in the lane at 12:35 on a poorly defended play.
Foster grabbed his career-high sixth steal on a turnover by Hamilton at 12:23. But SCU couldn't convert and Ireland scored as did Teel to make it 55-43 at 10:35. Foster rallied with the rebound to score at 10:08, but the Lions went on a 5-0 run to scratch within 11 at 7:48. Trasolini was shoved behind while working to score and hit both free throws at 7:06.
Viney sank a three to cut the Broncos lead to 10 at 6:44. Teel scored a three-point play to pull LMU within seven at 6:05 (59-52). Roquemore sank a three at 5:35.
The teams traded baskets and then Foster scored at 4:27 to make it 66-54. Viney hit a six-footer to pull the Lions within eight at 3:29. Timeout Lions. Roquemore drove the length of the floor to score, 68-58 Broncos at 3:12. Teel scored on a three-point play to make it 68-61 Broncos at 2:39.
Foster picked up his fourth foul defending Teel and he missed both, but Dowdell picked up his fourth foul as well. Roquemore turned the ball over and Egbyemi hit a three to make the lead two.
Trasolini was fouled when putting the ball up at 1:19 and he hit on to put SCU up by three, 69-66. Ireland fouled Roquemore to pick up his fourth of the day and the Bronco freshman sank both to make it 71-66 at :57.7.
With :44.7 left, Ireland was fouled by Roquemore and he missed it with Dowdell grabbing it. He was immediately fouled. After a Lions timeout Dowdell hit both to put SCU up 73-68 at :43.4.
Dowdell fouled out at :39.9 and Teel hit both to make it 73-70 Broncos. Roquemore came off a double-team in the back court to pass it to a wide-open Trasolini who dunked the ball at :31.6 to make it 75-70.
Viney picked up his fifth foul at :22.0 to exit the game on his own offensive end to finish the game with 13 points. After a full timeout by the Lions, Foster was fouled and he sank both, 77-70 Broncos.
Teel scored at :14.2 and then on the inbounds Foster was fouled again at :13.6. Foster sank both again to go 13 of 13 from the free throw line to finish out the game with 28 points. Santa Clara won 79-72.