SANTA CLARA, Calif. - After picking up a third-straight victory on Thursday, Santa Clara men's basketball will look to keep the ball rolling on Saturday evening as they head to Spokane to take on Gonzaga for a 7:00 p.m. PT tip on ESPN2. Bronco Fans can also tune in to Anthony Passarelli's audio only call through Sidearm Streaming (link above).
The Broncos (18-10) are looking to lock up their seed in the WCC Championship Tournament, and are currently in fourth in the league standings with a 9-4 record. In their last outing against LMU, Santa Clara shook off a sluggish opening 20 minutes by shooting 47 percent and holding the Lions to 33 percent in the second half en route to a 65-55 victory inside the Leavey Center. Johnny O'Neil and Brenton Knapper, who returned to the hardwood for the first time since suffering a knee injury against San Francisco, each tallied 15 points to lead the way while Camaron Tongue had a big night off the bench with 10 points and seven rebounds.
Santa Clara ranks 19th nationally in rebound margin (7.2) and has out-rebounded their opponents in all but one game in league play (home vs. Saint Mary's), including a 44-31 advantage over Gonzaga in the season's first meeting.
The Broncos are looking for their second win of the season over the Zags after knocking off the then-21st ranked Bulldogs 77-76 in January inside the Leavey Center. In order to do so, they will have to do it in a place that has been historically difficult to find success. The Broncos are 8-36 all-time on the road in the series and will be looking for their first win in the Kennel since Feb. 12, 2007.
Gonzaga ranks second in the WCC with an 11-2 record and sit at 21-6 overall. They have won five-straight games, including an 89-85 victory in Lexington over No. 17 Kentucky. Led by Mark Few in his 25th year at the helm, the Bulldogs boast the nation’s sixth-best scoring offense at 85.8 points per game and are third nationally in scoring margin (17.1). They also rank second nationally in shooting percentage at 51.4 and have the nation’s 16th-best field goal percentage defense (40.0).
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