VIDEO: Sendek, Justice Preview WCC/San Diego

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Riding a five-game winning streak, Santa Clara men's basketball opens West Coast Conference play on Saturday against San Diego.

Tipoff between the Broncos and Toreros is set for 2 p.m. in Leavey Center.

Santa Clara (13-2) is coming off a convincing 92-57 win over Alcorn State on Sunday as Keshawn Justice posted a career-high 24 points, Trey Wertz scored 17 and Josip Vrankic pulled down nine rebounds and dished out seven assists.

The Toreros (7-9) have won four of six, but are coming off a 64-58 loss at Loyola Marymount on Thursday in their WCC opener.

QUICK HITS...
• The Broncos are closing out a season-long six-game homestand.
• Seven players are averaging at least 8.0 points, including three in double digits led by Trey Wertz (12.5 ppg), Guglielmo Caruso (11.6), and DJ Mitchell (10.5). Josip Vrankic is averaging 9.6 points, Jalen Williams 8.5 and Tahj Eaddy 8.1 and Keshawn Justice 8.0. Caruso is the top rebounder at 5.5 per game and Mitchell second at 5.3. Wertz is averaging a team-high 4.0 assists pg. Vrankic is averaging 4.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.
• Santa Clara's record is its best through 15 games since starting a school-record 21-0 in 1968-69 on the way to a 27-2 mark and a trip to the NCAAs. The Broncos have won at least 13 of 15 to begin a season for only sixth time in school history. They were 13-2 in 1911-12, 1930-31, and 1936-37, and 14-1 in 1946-47.
• Santa Clara has won its last 15 home games, dating to last season. That streak is the third longest in school history and ranks first all-time during the Toso Pavilion/Leavey Center era (since 1975-76). Santa Clara has not lost at home since a 66-55 defeat to Saint Mary's (Feb. 14, 2019).
• The Broncos have won 19 of their last 20, including 17 straight, nonconference home games. The lone loss in that stretch was to Idaho State on Dec. 7, 2018.

YEAR FOUR UNDER SENDEK...
The Broncos are heading into the their 113th year, including fourth under Herb Sendek, who has been successful in each of his three previous head-coaching stops. With a resume that includes 18 postseason appearances and three conference coach of the year awards, Sendek, was one of the three youngest coaches with 400 or more career victories. Having led the Broncos to winning records in two of his three seasons, he is in his 26th season as a collegiate head coach with stops at Arizona State, North Carolina State and Miami (Ohio).

THE SAN DIEGO SERIES...
In a series that began in 1953, Santa Clara leads, 48-38, with wins in nine of the last 14 meetings. The teams split two matchups in each of the last three years. The Broncos have won four of the last five at home.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES...
• Over the last two games, Trey Wertz is averaging 22.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists. He has connected on 81 percent (17 of 21) from the floor, including 78.6 percent (11 of 14) behind the 3-point line in that span.
• Keshawn Justice is averaging 16.3 points on 59 percent shooting from the floor, including 56.3 percent from behind the 3-point line, over the last three games.
• Jalen Williams had connected on 75 percent from the floor (9 of 12) during the last two games.
• Guglielmo Caruso notched his third double-double of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds against Cal (Dec. 7). That total is tied for third in the WCC this season. He posted first career double-double vs Cal Poly (Nov. 8) when he pulled down a then career-high 10 boards to go along with 15 points. The sophomore followed up with another double-double vs Washington State (Nov. 12) with a career-best 22 points and 10 rebounds.
• Caruso, Wertz and Josip Vrankic have started all 15 games. Williams and Justice have joined them the last five games.

HOME COOKING
The Broncos are on an historic run at home as the team's current 15-game winning streak is the third-longest in school history and the most ever in Toso Pavilion/Leavey Center.

At 13-0, Santa Clara has set the record for consecutive home victories to start a season. The Broncos had 11 twice, in back-to-back seasons, which established the school record of 22 straight home wins.

BY THE NUMBERS
0...Number of seniors on the roster
1...Guglielmo Caruso leads the WCC in field-goal percentage (66.4).
1...Santa Clara is blocking 4.4 shots per game which is first in the league.
1...Santa Clara ranks first in the WCC in assists at 17.9 per game.
2...Santa Clara ranks second in the WCC in field-goal percentage defense (39.4).
6...The Broncos have connected on at least 50 percent from the field in seven games this season. They did it seven times all last season.
48...Josip Vrankic's 48 straight starts lead the team.
70...The Broncos were 10-3 last season when scoring at least 70 points. They are 12-0 this year.

�� | Coach @HerbSendek & Keshawn Justice (@tiggo3justice) discuss nonconference success (best start in 5️⃣ 1️⃣ years) and getting the @wcchoops season started on Saturday. #TeamFirst | #StampedeAhead | #WCCHoops pic.twitter.com/JgiHaI32gr

— Santa Clara Men's Basketball (@SantaClaraHoops) January 4, 2020

RADIO/LIVE STREAM
Anthony Passarelli (play-by-play) and John Stege (analyst) call the action during the season on radio and through WCC Network at home. All Broncos home games and West Coast Conference contests (not on an ESPN platform, CBS Sports Network or BYUtv) will also be streamed through WCC Network (local blackout restrictions apply for games broadcast over the air). As in the past two seasons, nearly all games can also be heard on either KDOW-AM 1220 or KTRB-AM 860. In addition, any of this year's games can also be heard on the Tunein app. Saturday's game can be heard on KTRB-AM 860 or through Tunein. Click here for the complete list of 2019-20 radio broadcast outlets.

TICKETS
There are a number of ticket options for 2019-20, which has eight home games remaining. Single-game and game-plan packages are on sale. For questions, contact the Santa Clara Athletics ticket office at (408) 554-4660 or BroncoTickets@scu.edu. The ticket office and doors to Leavey Center open one hour prior to tipoff.

FAN EXPERIENCE PACKAGES
Group-ticket options and Fan Experience Packages are available through the Santa Clara ticket office, which is open weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Contact Jesse Moreno, the team leader of sales and service, at (408) 554-4628 or jpmoreno@scu.edu for further details.

PARKING
Parking is $10 in the main campus parking structure, which is located on Palm Drive through the main campus entrance (500 El Camino Drive). The Leavey Center parking lot, located on Accolti Way off El Camino Real, is reserved for season-ticket holders. Click here for a campus map and parking restrictions.

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