Basketball gearing up for postseason
By Ryan Donough
Men
The men's basketball team hopes that a strong performance at next weekend's West Coast Conference Tournament will earn them their first conference championship and NCAA Tournament berth in 12 years.
Currently, Santa Clara is in fourth place at 6-6 in conference play. The Broncos must win one of their next two games in order to clinch the fourth seed in the tournament. Should they do so, the Broncos would earn a first-round bye and play either No. 5 Pepperdine or No. 8 Loyola Marymount in the second round.
In their first meeting with Pepperdine, the Broncos eclipsed the 100-point barrier and won the contest 101-86. Senior guard Brody Angley set a then-career high in points and assists with 24 and 13, respectively. Freshman Ben Dowdell shot 100 percent from the field for 17 points of his own.
However, the Broncos fared poorly in their second meeting with the Waves two weeks ago, dropping the game 64-58. Pepperdine was led by freshman forward Malcolm Thomas, who contributed 11 points and brought down eight rebounds.
Despite center John Bryant's 25 points on perfect 11-11 shooting from the field, the Broncos were unable to leave Malibu with a win.
Head Coach Kerry Keating is familiar with Pepperdine's team, but still understands that he must look out for the Waves if they meet them in the first round.
"They are a dangerous team after losing their coach and are very talented and athletic," Keating said.
If the Broncos do advance out of the second round, they will face one of the top three teams in the conference, two of which are ranked nationally. No. 23 Saint Mary's, No. 24 Gonzaga and San Diego currently have a combined conference record of 31-5. Santa Clara had close losses to all three teams, the most notable coming against Gonzaga at home. The Broncos dropped the game in double overtime after outplaying the Bulldogs during regulation. Gonzaga forward Austin Daye was clutch in both extra periods, scoring 13 of his 22 points in overtime to seal the victory for the Bulldogs.
Keating knows that Daye must be guarded very closely whenever he is on the floor.
"He is a very talented player who has the ability to score from all over the floor and is very dangerous," Keating said.
Keating also must look out for junior Jeremy Pargo, who runs the offense for the Bulldogs, along with forward Josh Heytvelt and leading scorer Matt Bouldin.
Saint Mary's escaped Leavey Center with a 54-50 win, thanks to Bronco miscues down the stretch. Santa Clara held the ball with the game tied at 50, but turned it over, giving the Gaels the win on two Diamon Simpson free throws. Simpson has been a menace this season for Keating and the Broncos.
"He has a knack for the ball and rebounding," Keating said. "He is a big reason for their success, being a leader on the team."
Another player to look out for is freshman guard Patrick Mills, who leads the Gaels in scoring with just over 14 points per game.
Last season, the Broncos were ranked No. 2 in the tournament but fell one win shy of clinching an NCAA Tournament bid, losing to Gonzaga in the championship game 77-68.
Women
The Broncos currently hold the No. 2 position with a record of 7-5 in conference play with two teams (San Diego and Loyola Marymount) on Santa Clara's tail at 6-6. The format for the women's tournament is different from the men's, as no byes are awarded to any of the eight teams in the conference. The Broncos could face any number of teams, since the standings from third to seventh are separated by only one game.
In the first round, Santa Clara could face San Diego, Loyola Marymount, Portland, San Francisco and Saint Mary's. The Broncos have a combined 5-5 record against those squads.
Santa Clara will be at a disadvantage heading into the tournament with the injury to senior guard Chandice Cronk, who is out for the season after tearing her ACL and MCL and fracturing her tibia earlier this month. Cronk was leading the Broncos in scoring prior to her injury. Head Coach Michelle Bento-Jackson knows the loss of Cronk will be difficult.
"Obviously losing a player like Chandice Cronk is huge, and now everyone knows they need to give a little bit more," Bento-Jackson said.
With Cronk out, the Broncos will have to look elsewhere for their scoring and leadership. According to Bento-Jackson, everyone should contribute, but the senior leadership of forward Jen Gottschalk and guard Tracey Walker should help.
"They have been leaders throughout the year, and Tracey Walker has played in a lot of big games," Bento-Jackson said.
With so much uncertainty as to whom the Broncos will face, Bento-Jackson believes they just need to play up to their potential, including doing what they do best.
"In general, each team provides challenges for our team, and all we need to do is bring our A-game," Bento-Jackson said.
The women's tournament begins March 6. Tickets for both men's and women's games can be purchased through the Santa Clara ticket office.
Contact Ryan Donough at (408) 551-1918 or rdonough@scu.edu.