VIDEO: Vrankic, Mitchell on Saint Mary's Victory/Team Growth

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - After picking up its first road win of the season, Santa Clara men's basketball closes out a stretch of three away from home on Thursday against top-ranked Gonzaga.

Tipoff between the Broncos and Bulldogs is set for 8 p.m. in McCarthey Athletic Center. The game will air nationally on ESPN2.

Santa Clara is coming off a thrilling win at Saint Mary's on Saturday. Josip Vrankic had 22 points, including the game-winning layup with 9.4 seconds left, and DJ Mitchell added 16 for the Broncos who rallied to scored 12 of the final 16 points in a 67-66 win over the Gaels.

Gonzaga (18-1, 4-0) has won 10 in a row overall and is a perfect 10-0 at home on the season.

QUICK HITS...
• The Broncos are capping off a season-long stretch of three straight on the road.
• Seven players are averaging at least 7.0 points, including four in double digits led by Trey Wertz (12.2 ppg), Guglielmo Caruso (11.6), DJ Mitchell (11.1) and Josip Vrankic (10.3). Keshawn Justice is averaging 9.0 points, Jalen Williams 7.9 and Tahj Eaddy 7.1. Caruso, who has been out of the lineup, is the top rebounder at 5.5 per game. Mitchell is second at 5.3 and Vrankic third at 5.1. Wertz is averaging a team-high 3.8 assists per game and Vrankic is second at 3.4.
• Santa Clara's record is its best through 18 games since 1977-78 when the mark was also 15-3. The 14-2 start was the best since opening a school-record 21-0 in 1968-69 on the way to a 27-2 mark and a trip to the NCAAs. The Broncos won at least 14 of 16 to begin a season for only fourth time in school history: 14-2 in 1930-31 and 15-1 in 1946-47. Santa Clara has been victorious in 15 of the opening 18 games just nine times: 18-0 in 1968-69, 17-1 in 1946-47, 16-2 in 1911-12 and 15-3 in 1930-31, 1939-40, 1967-68 and 1969-70.
• Santa Clara has won its last 16 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).

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).

INDIVIDUAL NOTES...
• Injuries are starting to take a toll and Guglielmo Caruso is the newest addition with a lower right leg injury that will keep him out indefinitely. He was injured against Alcorn State (Dec. 29). Ezekiel Richards (ankle), who played in seven games as a reserve, and Miguel Tomley (knee), who has not seen action, have been ruled out for the season.
• Over the last four games, Trey Wertz is averaging 15.4 points on 64.4 percent (29 of 45) shooting from the floor, including 68.2 percent (15-for-22) behind the 3-point line in that span.
• Keshawn Justice is averaging 15.0 points on 53.6 percent shooting (30-for-56) from the floor, including 48.1 percent (13 of 27) from behind the 3-point line, over the last six games.

THE GONZAGA SERIES...
In a series that began in 1946, Gonzaga leads, 63-30. The Bulldogs have won 28 of the last 29, including 19 straight, meetings. Santa Clara's last victory occurred on Jan. 20, 2011, when the Broncos downed the Bulldogs, 85-71, in Leavey Center. Santa Clara's last win on the road was an 84-73 triumph on Feb. 12, 2007.

BY THE NUMBER...
0...Number of seniors on the roster
1...The Broncos need just one win to match their total from last season (16-15).
1...Guglielmo Caruso leads the WCC in field-goal percentage (66.4).
1...Santa Clara is blocking 4.2 shots per game which is tied for first in the league.
2...Santa Clara ranks second in the WCC in field-goal percentage defense (40.1).
3...Santa Clara ranks third in the WCC in assists at 16.7 per game.
4...Number of returning starters - Tahj Eaddy, Trey Wertz, Josip Vrankic and Guglielmo Caruso
8...The Broncos have connected on at least 50 percent from the field in eight games this season. They did it seven times all last season.
9...Number of underclassmen (four sophomores and five freshmen) scholarship players on the roster.
9...Josip Vrankic registered his ninth career double-double (22 points/10 rebounds), including second this season, in the win over Saint Mary's.
18...Santa Clara ranks 18th in the nation in assists per game (16.7).
18...The Broncos rank No. 18 in the nation in field-goal percentage (48.0).
51...Josip Vrankic's 51 straight starts lead the team.
70...The Broncos were 10-3 last season when scoring at least 70 points. They are 13-0 this year.

�� | @JosipVrankic and DJ Mitchell (@DonovanJM0) discuss Saturday's thrilling @wcchoops road win over @saintmaryshoops and the development of the team, which at 15-3 has its best record through 18 games since 1977-78. #TeamFirst | #StampedeAhead | #WCCHoops pic.twitter.com/MUdHcLs8qx

— Santa Clara Men's Basketball (@SantaClaraHoops) January 14, 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 KDOW-AM 1220 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 seven 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.

It's another #BOGO ticket time for @SantaClaraHoops...
For the next 2️⃣home games, buy one, get one FREE! Don't miss out as the team is off to its best start (15-3) since 1977-78 and won the last 1️⃣ 6️⃣in Leavey Center.
➡️ https://t.co/XnPha0NEyu pic.twitter.com/ZEBcFlhalS

— Santa Clara Broncos (@SCUBroncos) January 14, 2020

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.

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