Trasolini on WCC Live Tonight; Basketball Hosts No. 23 Saint Mary's Thursday at 8 pm
Catch Marc Trasolini on WCC Live Tonight (Wednesday) at 8 pm!
Santa Clara (15-10, 5-3 WCC) hosts No. 23 Saint Mary's (20-4, 8-1 WCC) and San Diego (5-19, 1-8 WCC) in West Coast Conference action this week at the Leavey Center. Saint Mary's will visit the Mission Campus on Thurs., Feb. 10 at 8 pm and San Diego will come calling on Sat., Feb. 12 at 5:30 pm. The Saint Mary's game will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU and called by Mark Neely and Miles Simon. The Broncos are 1-0 when Neely and Simon team up to call a Bronco game as the duo were at the mic for Santa Clara's 85-71 win over Gonzaga on Jan. 20. The San Diego game will be shown in the Bay Area on Comcast with Dave Benz and Jim Brogan making the call.
Santa Clara won 61-52 at San Diego on Jan. 13 and then fell 84-59 at Saint Mary's on Jan. 15.
Saint Mary's won its first meeting with the Broncos 21-18 on Feb. 26, 1910. Santa Clara leads the all-time series 131-77, including 62-23 in Santa Clara. The 209 meetings are the most the Broncos have faced a team in 104 years of Bronco basketball. Saint Mary's swept the season series in 2010 on the way to winning the WCC title and advancing to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16. The two teams won on their home floors to split the series in 2008-09.
Listen
The Saint Mary's game will be broadcast via the Bronco Radio Network on both KDOW 1220 AM and Broncos All-Access on the web at www.SantaClaraBroncos.com with the broadcast beginning at 7:45 pm. Anthony Passarelli is in his fourth season as the Broncos' play-by-play announcer. Coach Kerry Keating can be heard on KDOW 1220 AM on Sunday evenings from 9:10-9:20 pm in his radio spotlight on The Sports Ramble with an interview conducted by Passarelli. Out of the listening area, KDOW is streamed online live at www.1220kdow.com.
Broncos vs. Gaels
The Broncos are scoring 73.7 ppg while giving up 70.2 ppg. They are rebounding 35.6 to their opponent's 31.4 and shooting 43.6 percent from the field, including 34.9 percent beyond the arc.
SCU has three players in double figures: Kevin Foster (19.0), Marc Trasolini (12.3) and Evan Roquemore (11.0). Foster leads the WCC overall games in ppg and threes per game; and is second in the WCC play with 20.1 ppg. He is third nationally in threes made per game (3.3) and leads the country in threes made (83) and threes attempted (225). He has dished a team-leading 3.9 apg with 1.7 spg. Scoring double figures in 23 of 25 games this season, Foster scored just nine vs. Rice but hit the game-winning three and then hit eight at Pepperdine. Trasolini leads the team with 5.9 rpg and 1.1 bpg. Trasolini collected his fifth career double-double vs. CSU Bakersfield and had a season-high three blocks three times, scoring a season-high 22 vs. Fordham. He missed the UC Santa Cruz game with a sprained ankle.
Saint Mary's is averaging 81.3 ppg while giving up 64.8 ppg. The Dons are shooting 49.8 percent from the field, including 30.7 from beyond the three-point line. The Gaels are grabbing 36.0 boards and giving up 30.1. They are averaging 11.6 turnovers per game compared to Santa Clara's own 14.8 turnovers per game. SMC has three players averaging double figures: Mickey McConnell (16.3 ppg), Rob Jones (14.3 ppg) and Matthew Dellavedova (13.0 ppg). Jones leads the team with 7.6 rpg. McConnell is tops with 6.3 apg and Dellavedova scores a team-leading 1.3 bpg.
Sticky Hands
Santa Clara's steals streak is reaching national proportions. Santa Clara's consecutive games with 6+ steals is the fourth-longest in Division I with the Broncos collecting 10+ steals six times during the streak. During the stretch Troy Payne has collected a career-high six steals three times, including two straight games at Pepperdine and at LMU. Kevin Foster grabbed a career-high six steals at LMU. Check out the top 5:
1. 28 - Louisville (15-8-6-6-9-11-10-19-11-12-9-7-8-11-7-9-14-9-10-6-11-6-13-9-10-6-8-6) (next game: at Notre Dame 2/9/11)
2. 22 - Valparaiso (6-6-9-9-8-7-10-8-6-12-9-8-7-6-8-7-9-9-10-11-7-10) (next game: at Detroit 2/10/11)
3. 18 - Houston Baptist (7-12-10-6-8-11-7-9-10-10-6-9-6-11-10-8-9) (next game: at Texas Pan American 2/9/11)
4. 16 - Santa Clara (8-8-10-6-7-10-14-6-9-6-6-7-11-14-11-6) (next game: vs. Saint Mary's 2/10/11)
5. 14 - Texas Southern (6-11-6-6-8-9-7-11-11-9-6-9-10-7) (next game: at Jackson State 2/12/11)
Comparing
There are some interesting comparisons after Santa Clara's first 25 games last season and the first 25 games this year. Santa Clara is 15-10 and 5-3 in the WCC this season and was 9-16 and 1-7 in the WCC last season. See the following positives on this season as compared to last:
*Increased points per game from 65.1 to 73.7
*Increased scoring margin from -5.6 to +3.5
*Increased FG made from 552 to 598 and FG % from .412 to .436
*Increased 3 pt FG made from 117 to 178 and 3 pt FG & from .297 to .349
*Increased 3 pt FG made per game from 4.7 to 18.8
*Decreased opponent 3 pt FG made % from .395 to .354
*Decreased opponent 3 pt FG made per game from 6.92 to 5.72
*Increased FT made from 407 to 469 and attempts from 582 to 643
*Increased FT made per game from 16.3 to 18.8
*Increased rebounds per game from 34.2 to 35.6
*Increased rebounding margin from -0.6 to +4.1
*Decreased opponent rebounds per game from 34.2 to 31.4
*Increased assists per game from 10.4 to 13.4
*Decreased opponent assists per game from 14.1 to 11.9
Needs Three
Kevin Foster has hit 83 threes this season, but hit a speed bump at USF when he went 0 for 10 beyond the arc (Feb. 5). He is just one south of the old record Steve Nash held for 14 years (set in 1995) when he hit 84. Foster broke Nash's single season record as a freshman in 2009 with 85. Foster is one-two in threes attempted on the Bronco single season list. His freshman year he attempted 232, which is the single season school record, and he has attempted 225 this year.
To enter the top 10 of the West Coast Conference single season list for makes Foster will need to hit 98 this season. There are four WCC players that have hit 98 in a season: Jared Stohl of Portland (2010), Ross DeRogatis of USD (2007), Blake Stepp of Gonzaga (2003) and Casey Frandsen of Portland (2002). The WCC single season record is 126 by Jeff Fryer of LMU in 1989. He is also No. 2 on the list with 141 in 1990.
Foster was 13 of 13 from the free throw line at LMU on Jan. 29, finishing with 28 points. His 13 of 13 performance was the best 100.0 percent mark for a Bronco since Steve Nash hit 21 of 21 vs. Saint Mary's in a 75-71 Bronco win on Jan. 7, 1995. It was the most free throws hit by a Bronco since Nash hit 17 of 18 vs. Maryland on March 15, 1996. Foster was the sixth Bronco to hit 13 free throws in a game.
Foster put together a pretty impressive resume for the month of January. Review some of his accomplishments:
* Finished the month leading the WCC in scoring (all games and WCC only). No. 3 in the NCAA in threes made per game and led the nation in threes made and threes attempted overall
* Double figures in 7 of 8 games, hitting 6+ threes in three games. 5 games with 19+ points (and points totals of 26, 36, 28 in league games).
* 36 points vs. Gonzaga in SCU's first win at home since 2001 (Jan. 20). Most points for any player in the WCC this year and most vs. Gonzaga in a year.
* Tied the SCU record with 8 threes vs. USF (Jan. 8). Broke WCC record for attempts with 20 in the same game -- shooting 40% from three.
* 19 points in win over Portland (Jan. 22), scoring his 1000th career point as a sophomore (first sophomore in Bronco school history).
* 13 of 13 from the free throw line at LMU (Jan. 29). First time since 1995 a player at SCU has done that. Career-high six steals in the game.
* Shot 40 of 52 from the free throw line, hitting 77 percent -- twice what anyone player in the WCC shot during the month.
Foster is creeping up the single season and career record charts:
Single Season Records
Three-Pointers Made
1. Kevin Foster (2008-09) 85
2. Steve Nash (1994-95) 4
3. Kevin Foster (2010-11) 83
4. Steve Ross (2001-02) 74
5. Marlon Garnett (1996-97) 9
Three-Pointers Attempted
1. Kevin Foster (2008-09) 232
2. Kevin Foster (2010-11) 225
3. Kyle Bailey (2004-05) 198
4. Steve Nash (1994-95) 85
Marlon Garnett (1996-97) 85
Career Records
1,000 Points Scored (Top 25 of 28)
1. Kurt Rambis (1976-80) ,736
2. Harold Keeling (1981-85) ,731
3. Brian Jones (1996-01) ,722
4. Steve Nash (1992-96) ,689
5. Dennis Awtrey (1967-70) ,675
6. John Bryant (2005-09) 1,667
7. Londale Theus (1976-80) ,643
8. Ken Sears (1951-55) ,586
9. Kyle Bailey (2001-05) 1,571
10. Mike Stewart (1970-73) ,446
11. Bud Ogden (1966-69) ,437
12. Nick Vanos (1981-85) ,399
13. Mike Gervasoni (1964-67) ,393
14. Travis Niesen (2002-06) 1,380
15. Jens Gordon (1985-89) ,356
16. Marlon Garnett (1993-97) ,346
17. Ralph Ogden (1967-70) ,280
18. Mitch Burley (1985-89) ,258
19. Frank Sobrero (1957-60) ,256
20. Ron Reis (1988-92) ,246
21. Nathan Fast (1996-00) ,182
22. Scott Lamson (1981-85) ,120
23. Kevin Foster (2008- ) 1,079
24. Brody Angley (2004-08) 1,074
25. Dan Weiss (1984-88) ,070
Three-Pointers Made
1. Steve Nash (1992-96) 63
2. Kyle Bailey (2001-05) 225
3. Marlon Garnett (1993-97) 10
4. Ethan Rohde (2002-05) 192
5. Kevin Foster (2008-) 190
Three-Pointers Attempted
1. Kyle Bailey (2001-05) 679
2. Steve Nash (1992-95) 56
3. Kevin Foster (2008-) 528
Marlon Garnett (1993-97) 528
5. Brian Jones (1996-01) 526
Our Assie!
Ben Dowdell, acknowledging earlier this season that his senior year "will be the one that defines my Bronco career", has posted double figure scoring in eight games this season, including four of the last six. Dowdell tied his career-high with 22 points vs. Portland on Jan. 22. He last scored 22 vs. Niagara on Dec. 29, 2007. The total vs. the Pilots topped his previous career-high in WCC play from his freshman year (21 vs. Dons on Feb. 25, 2008).
Starting all 25 games this year, Dowdell is averaging 7.8 ppg and 4.5 rpg. Last year after 25 games he was averaging 6.4 ppg and 4.0 rpg. Dowdell has posted double figures 22 times in his career: eight times this year, five times his junior year and nine times his rookie campaign.
He has played in 115 career games with 85 career starts. He needs to play in two more games to vault into the Broncos' career games played top 10 list. Sitting at No. 8 with 117 games played: Mitch Henke (2004-08), Brian Jones (1996-01) and Travis Niesen (2002-06). Dan Weiss (1984-88) is No. 7 with 119 and Jens Gordon is No. 6 with 120 (1985-87). Santa Clara has at least eight games left and if he plays in each game, he will be tied with Brody Angley (2004-08) and Mitch Burley (1985-89) with 122 games played at No. 3 all-time.
Freshman Finery
Evan Roquemore was nine of 10 at USF on Saturday. His seventh free throw tied the Bronco freshman record for free throws made and his eighth of the night broke the record. Roquemore is 100 of 121 from the charity stripe in his rookie campaign. The school record for free throws made was 98 by then-freshman Brian Jones (1996-97). Jones still owns the freshman record for free throws attempted as well with 142. Roquemore needs 22 attempts to break that record, sitting at No. 4 on the list. Steve Nash owns the freshman free throw percentage record at 82.5 in 1992-93. Roquemore is sitting at 82.6 percent, which would break the record if the season ended today.
Roquemore has started 17 straight games after coming off the bench the first eight games of his freshman year. Averaging 11.0 ppg, 3.8 apg and 3.4 rpg, he had a career-high eight assists at SMC and a career-high in points vs. Northern Colorado. He has been perfect at the free throw line in eight games this year: 6 of 6 vs. Rice, 10 of 10 vs. Northern Colorado, 6 of 6 at San Jose State, 7 of 7 vs. Washington State, 6 of 6 at CSU Northridge, 1 of 1 at Saint Mary's, 8 of 8 vs. Gonzaga and 2 of 2 at LMU.
See the chart below for Roquemore's other marches up the Bronco freshman record marks.
Rocking Rookie Records
Scoring Average
1. Kurt Rambis (1976-77) 5.3
10. Evan Roquemore 2010-11) 1.0
Three-Pointers Made
1. Kevin Foster (2008-09) 5
9. Evan Roquemore(2010-11) 4
Three-Pointers Attempted
1. Kevin Foster (2008-09) 32
9. Evan Roquemore (2010-11) 86
Three-Point FG Pct. (Minimum 20 made)
1. Steve Nash (1992-93) 408
3. Evan Roquemore (2010-11) .395
Free Throws Made
1. Evan Roquemore (2010-11) 100
2. Brian Jones (1996-97) 8
Free Throws Attempted
1. Brian Jones (1996-97) 42
4. Evan Roquemore (2010-11) 121
Free Throw Percentage(Minimum 30 made)
1. Evan Roquemore (2010-11) .826
2. Steve Nash (1992-93) 825
Assists
1. Brian Jones (1996-97) 19
3. Evan Roquemore (2010-11) 94
Don't Dunk on the Broncos
With 1,079 career points, Kevin Foster has quite a ways to go to reach Kurt Rambis' school record 1,736 points scored (1976-80). If he does collect the record, he can thank Southern California, Fordham and San Francisco for five points.
First, Donte Smith of Southern California (Nov. 15) was whistled for a technical foul in pre-game warm-ups when he dunked while the officials were out on the floor (against NCAA rules). Foster shot and made two free throws prior to the start of the game.
Then Brian Freeman of Fordham (Dec. 30) was whistled for a technical foul for dunking in pre-game and Foster again stepped to the line to sink two free throws prior to the tip-off.
Finally an unidentified player with the Dons (Feb. 5) was whistled for a technical foul for dunking in pre-game and Foster again stepped to the line to sink one of two free throws prior to the tip-off.
In an unofficial survey nationally, it is the first time nationally this has happened to the advantage of the same school three times this season.
Say Something Nice About Each of Us
0 (Roquemore) - Named the 20th best freshmen this season by BasketballProspectus.com recently. Broke the Bronco freshman school record for free throws made with 100 at USF. 11 of the last 18 games he has hit double figures, including 13 vs. Gonzaga, 14 at Pepperdine and 16 at USF. Dished out a career-high eight assists at Saint Mary's and scored a career-high 18 points vs. Northern Colorado.
01 (Payne) - WCC Defender of the Year candidate. After starting 40 straight games, gave up his starting role for 11 games before earning it back prior to the Zags game. Backed it up in Gonzaga game when he scored a then-season-high 11 points and then nine points and nine rebounds vs. Portland. He tied a career-high with six steals at Pepperdine, also tying a season-high with 11 points; and followed that up with 8 rebounds and 11 points at LMU. Has had 13 games this season with 6+ rebounds. Last season in his first 25 games that had happened just six times.
03 (Cunningham) - Although he hasn't played in the past eight games due to a sore back, Cunningham started the previous eight games and he is shooting a career-best 61.9 percent this season. It is the seventh-best shooting percentage for a season in Bronco history.
04 (Perricone) - Has played in three games this season and hit his first career field goal in the first game (Houston Baptist) and a three-pointer in two games: Bethany and UCSC.
10 (Dowdell) - Tied a career-high with 22 points in the win over Portland. Previous career-high came his freshman year vs. Niagara on Dec. 29, 2007. Shot season-best 7 of 10 from the field, making 8 of 10 free throws. Has 11 games this season with 5+ rebounds and hit double-figures in four of the last six games.
13 (Santos) - Gave SCU 16 good minutes off the bench in the Gonzaga game and followed it up with 20 strong minutes in Portland win. Coach Keating was happy to see him healthy after suffering with a sprained hand for a couple weeks and said he had an excellent week of practice. Had season-high six rebounds and career-high four assists vs. Bethany.
14 (Gamble) - Hit his first career points with two three-pointers in four minutes vs. Bethany. He put up four shots and grabbed two rebounds during that span as well. Hit two free throws in career-high six minutes vs. UC Santa Cruz.
15 (Trasolini) - Has hit double figures 11 of the last 13 games. 76 points from a career 1,000 points (would be 29th player in school history). Has 49 career double-figure games and 27 15+ point games. His five career double-doubles rank No. 1 on the team this year. Is the only player in the WCC to be named to the Capital One Academic All-District team the past two years. Sports a 3.51 GPA in Finance.
21 (Foster) - Scored his 1,001th career point with a three at 1:36 in the first half in the Portland win; finished game with 19 points. Now has 1,079 which is quickly No. 23. First sophomore in school history and 28th player overall to score 1,000+ career points. Scored a career-high 36 points in the Gonzaga win - the sixth-best ever by a Bronco in a home game. First player in school history to hit six plus threes in three games in a season. He has now done it six times this year!
22 (Mensah) - Fourth-year walk-on hit his first career free throws and first career three-pointers in the five games he has played in this year. Has already been accepted to the Law Schools at Santa Clara University and American University; and is waiting to hear back from Cornell, Georgetown, George Washington and Howard.
24 (Clarke) - Has only played in three games early due to a foot injury.
25 (McArthur) - His 11 rebounds vs. Santa Cruz were the most for a Bronco freshman since John Bryant snagged 13 vs. Portland on Jan. 7, 2006. After being named the Bay Area Player of the Year out of famed De La Salle last year, he has played 9.1 mpg where he has collected 3+ rebounds in seven games, playing double-digit minutes eight times including 19 vs. Houston Baptist, 16 important minutes in the Gonzaga win and 25 vs. UC Santa Cruz.
31 (Harrison) - Scored a season-high 12 points at Pepperdine, his first time in double figures this season after hitting double figures nine times last season.
33 (Bach) - Carrying a 3.48 grade point average in Marketing, he has come off the bench in four games this season, including 12 minutes vs. Bethany where he dished out a career-best four assists. Scored career-high 9 points in career-high 14 minutes vs. UC Santa Cruz.
42 (Cowels) - Starting in nine games this season and 20 throughout his two-year career, Cowels hit a season-high four threes vs. Northern Colorado and was 6 of 6 from the free throw line vs. Washington State. He scored a career-high 24 points vs. NCAA Tournament-bound Wofford last season, hitting five threes.
44 (Atanga) - The Yaounde, Cameroon native is being red-shirted this season.
19+ = 28
Kevin Foster was nicknamed 'Microwave' by his father during his youth the Detroit Piston's Vinnie Johnson. Johnson earned the nickname 'the Microwave' from Boston Celtics guard Danny Ainge for his ability to score many points in a short period of time, heating up the offense. He has scored 15+ points in 39 of 64 career games and he has scored 19+ in 28 career games.