Santa Clara couldn’t close as both teams had early exits from the West Coast Conference

March is undeniably the most exciting time of the year for college basketball players and fans. The 2023 West Coast Conference tournament in Las Vegas was no exception, as March 2-7 were jam-packed with teams vying for a March Madness berth. With the regular season wrapping up and the focus shifting towards conference tournaments and the postseason, the Santa Clara Broncos’ new faces, returning stars and future hall-of-famers came together in their most high-stakes games so far this year.

Both the Santa Clara men’s and women’s basketball teams had a lot to prove in order to earn a postseason appearance in either March Madness or their versions of the National Invitation Tournament. We were fortunate enough to be in attendance, serving as KSCU courtside commentators as the Broncos competed.

The Santa Clara women’s team took to the court against Pepperdine at the Orleans Arena in the first game of the entire tournament. Throughout the first three quarters, they looked well on their way to upending the Waves, despite facing defeat in their two regular season matchups. However, when an injury to Santa Clara’s Marya Hudgins depleted the already wounded frontline, the Broncos couldn’t hold on to their 14-point third-quarter lead. Santa Clara fell to Pepperdine 63-60 and bowed out of the WCC tournament after the first round.

“Both teams battled and played hard, and I was proud of them,” said head coach Bill Carr during the post-game press conference. “Sometimes you just get beat.”

Carr acknowledged differences between Santa Clara’s domination in the first half and the less-assertive second, giving credit where it was due to the Waves’ impressive comeback.

“The plan wasn’t any different [in the second half]; they just made plays,” he said. “That happens and I don’t think we were in bad positions– they just made plays. Credit to Pepp.”

The #3 seed Santa Clara men’s basketball team didn’t compete until Saturday night. Due to the prior Loyola Marymount University vs Brigham Young University game running long, the nightcap quarterfinal vs the University of San Francisco didn’t tip off until 9:50 pm.

The third matchup of the Battle of the Bay this season turned into an instant classic. The Broncos dominated regulation time, but with two minutes remaining, San Francisco stars Khalil Shabazz and Tyrell Roberts turned it on, made tough shots and defended with their lives. San Francisco pulled through to a 74-74 tie, bringing the game into overtime. The action picked up from there and resulted in a deadlock at 81 after the first overtime, sending it to a lethal second. The Dons out-played Santa Clara to secure a 93-87 win.

Shabazz finished the game with 38 points and Broncos Carlos Stewart and Brandin Podziemski each finished with 22.

“The only thing I have to say is I am extremely proud,” said head coach, Herb Sendek. “They played their hearts out. Certainly credit to San Francisco–that was an incredible college basketball game.”

Podziemski was proud of his team’s performance nonetheless, and attributed the outcome to the Broncos inability to defend the perimeter and keep the Dons from the foul line.

“I think it came down to them shooting 35 free-throws and making 14 threes,” he said. “I don’t think we got tired, but that was the biggest difference.”

In the end, Santa Clara wasn’t able to reach the top of the mountain. For the women’s team, it was simply a missed opportunity to advance to the second round while having a 14-point third quarter lead. As for the men’s team, their game vs USF was one that got away via a Khalil Shabazz supernova game, eliminating any March Madness hopes.

Riding a seven-game winning streak coming into Vegas, Santa Clara had all the swagger in the world until that double overtime extravaganza kept them up until 12:20 a.m. on Sunday morning. The loss left the Bronco men’s team feeling uneasy about earning a National Invitational Tournament bid going forward, despite their 23-9 record. They’ll be sweating it out during the committee selection show on Sunday, March 12 at 6:00 p.m., which determines the field for the tournament and where they will meet their fate about the future.

When you peel back the curtain, you get to see the emotions that these athletes and coaches shoulder. They don’t want to go home. For some players and teams, it’s the last time this team will be together. As we spoke to both opposing teams in the media room, they were just as professional and open as our own.

And who doesn’t want to talk basketball in a conference room at 1:00 a.m. with a shot voice, thanks to a double overtime thriller? Pepperdine women’s basketball and USF men’s basketball were consummate professionals and exemplary both on the court and in the green room, making the West Coast conference tournament a transcendent and fulfilling experience despite early losses for Santa Clara.

Vegas, we’ll see you next year, in the hopes that the Broncos can finally make it back to the Big Dance.

Images courtesy of Tejas Akula, KSCU