Feb. 17, 2004
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This Week
Santa Clara (7-16, 3-7) hosts San Diego (6-17, 1-9) at home on Thursday and then visits Bay Area opponent Saint Mary's (13-11, 5-5) on Saturday. The Broncos defeated the Toreros by eight points in San Diego earlier this month, and took an eight-point loss to the Gaels in late January.
Scouting the San Diego Toreros
Series Record: SCU leads 26-16
First Game: Santa Clara won (59-41) on Jan. 4, 1985 in Santa Clara
Last Game: Santa Clara won (60-52) on Feb. 5, 2004 in San Diego
Largest SCU Margin of Victory: 37, twice, last on Jan. 31, 1997 (80-43) in Santa Clara
Largest USD Margin of Victory: 17 on Jan. 24, 1990 (80-63) in Santa Clara
San Diego Record in 2002-03: 13-17 (5-9)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 8/4
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/2
Scouting the Saint Mary's Gaels
Series Record: SCU leads 27-16
First Game: Santa Clara won (75-32) on Jan. 6, 1979 in Santa Clara
Last Game: Santa Clara won (73-68) on Feb. 22, 2003 in Santa Clara
Largest SCU Margin of Victory: 43 on Jan. 6, 1979 (75-32) in Santa Clara
Largest SMC Margin of Victory: 26 on Jan. 20, 1989 (90-64) in Moraga
Saint Mary's Record in 2002-03: 11-17 (4-10)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 7/6
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3
WCC Championship Coming to SCU in 2004
The WCC Women's Championships will return to the Bay Area in 2004 and 2005, as announced by Commissioner Michael Gilleran. The change is a result of the WCC's decision to rotate the league's premier event between the Bay Area, Pacific Northwest and Southern California, each for a period of two consecutive years. The 2006 and 2007 tournament will move to the Pacific Northwest before heading to Southern California in 2008 and 2009.
The 2004 Tournament will be held at the Leavey Center. In 2005, the event will move approximately 50 miles north to the University of San Francisco, where games will be played at War Memorial Gymnasium. This will be Santa Clara's eighth time as host, most recently in 2000.
WCC Special Ticket Offers
A variety of ticket discounts and promotions are being associated with the WCC Women's Basketball Championship. These offers are good for any and all sessions of the upcoming league tournament.
Groups: Groups of 10 people or more may purchase tickets at $2/session; Groups of 20 people or more may purchase tickets at $1/session.
Take a Kid to the Game: Kids get in free with an adult paid admission.
Movie Theatre Stubs: Buy one, get one free with movie theatre stub from Century 21-25 Theatres in San Jose.
SCU Chamber of Commerce: Buy one, get one free with coupon.
San Jose Mercury News: Kids get in free with an adult paid admission.
Thomas' Three-Point Perfection
Junior guard Quinn Thomas had the hot hand from long range in January, hitting 50 percent from three-point land. Her third trey at Portland on Jan. 31 marked the 142nd of her career, putting Thomas solely in second place in the Bronco recordbooks for three-pointers made. She surpassed former teammate and 2002 graduate Becki Ashbaugh, who was actually in attendance that night, as she drove up from the University of Oregon, where she is currently attending law school. Thomas is currently at 148, and needs just 10 more to set a new mark, by passing Julie Lienert's record of 157, set from 1988-91. Thomas leads the league in three-point field goals made per game, averaging 2.32. She has a 36.0 percentage from long range, ranked fifth in the conference.
Statistically Speaking
Santa Clara is ranked 25th nationally in three-pointers per game, averaging 6.8 per contest. The Broncos lead the WCC in three-point field goals made per game (6.61) and three-point field goal percentage (.348), while ranking second in field goal percentage (.407), assists (13.87) and in three-point field goal defense (.307). Individually, Ashley Graham is fourth in three-point field goals made (1.70) and fifth in assists (3.61). Quinn Thomas is tops in three-point field goals made (2.32), eighth in percentage (.346) and 12th in scoring (10.6). Jennie Rondel is ranked 14th in scoring (10.0) and seventh in field goal percentage (.467), while Whitney Sutak is ranked fourth in three-point field goal percentage (.385).
WCC Streak in Jeopardy
Santa Clara has finished at or above .500 for 13 consecutive seasons. The Broncos need to win out against San Diego, Saint Mary's, Gonzaga and Portland to keep that streak alive.
Unbeatable at Leavey vs. the WCC
The Broncos have won 39 of its last 45 regular season home league contests played in Leavey, dating back to the last six-plus seasons.
Home Struggles
After a perfect 12-0 season at the Leavey Center in 2001-02, Santa Clara's 10 home losses of the 2003-04 season are not being taken lightly. Defeats to UW-Green Bay, No. 10 Georgia and BYU marked the first time the Broncos had lost three home games to start the season since 1977-78, when SCU finished 4-20. In the 25 seasons the program has been playing at the Leavey Center, the women have only lost 10 home games two other times, last seen during the 1988-89 campaign, when the Broncos went 5-12 at home.
A Look Ahead: Broncos Close Regular Season
Santa Clara will close the regular and West Coast Conference seasons at home against Gonzaga and Portland.
Live on the Internet
Santa Clara's entire schedule returns to the Internet, as a live audio broadcast will be available for a third season on www.SantaClaraBroncos.com. Additionally, Leavey Center contests can be followed online with a live statistical tracker, also located on SCU's official athletic website. By logging on, fans receive real-time updated statistics direct from the official scoring computer, allowing users to listen to the audio broadcast and keep up with the statistics simultaneously. Anthony Passarelli returns as the voice of the Broncos for a third season.
More Media Coverage
The University's student radio station, KSCU 103.3 FM, is scheduled to air the entire women's home WCC schedule.
