Time: 7 pm Pacific Watch: ESPN+ Opponent: Menlo College
As best as I can tell, the Menlo Oaks are an NAIA program making the move next year to DII. Menlo College is, as you may have guessed, located in Menlo Park, contiguous with the Menlo School and not far from Sacred Heart, which has produced many Broncos.
There seems to be a bunch of movement between the NAIA and DII conferences in the West, and I can’t quite be bothered to figure it out. But they appear to be in the Golden State Athletic Conference (NAIA) this year. Their games appear to be against NAIA competition, except a win against UCSC, who are DIII.
The Oaks are 8-1 and have a player averaging over 20 ppg. Of course, a loss would be an absolute disaster given their level.
Go Broncos - hopeful for no ‘hangover’ from Ohio State.
The Menlo game was surprisingly, frustratingly close last season. A different Leaupepe led that squad and was also a bruiser down low. Menlo has, seemingly, been a very successful NAIA program for the past couple of seasons. While SCU should never lose to any NAIA program, they need to be taken seriously. A good D2 or NAIA program can often give a better fight than a SWAC squad. SCU’s loss to the perennially solid D2 University of Alaska-Anchorage a few seasons ago is evidence of that.
That said, Menlo will be very small relative to SCU. Their tallest player is 6’9" and not a scoring threat. There isn’t much heft or height anywhere on their roster and most Broncos will be 3-6" taller than the player guarding them. The physical mismatch combined with the talent disparity should make this a blowout. And I don’t think Herb will let the team get caught sleeping twice. Hopefully the SELA game was the one good scare that the Broncos get from a far inferior squad this year.
I want to see O’Neil get in his groove initially. He was brilliant at Stanford but the rest of his games have been mostly forgettable given his talent. Benjamin has also struggled. I hope that they can get some confidence against Menlo. Then let’s see what the bench can do when SCU is safely in the clear. McEldon has really impressed me early on. He’s huge and already surpassing my expectations for coordination from a big guy getting used to the college game.
Don’t have much to say about this game other than we should win by more than we did last year. What I admire about these D2/NAIA teams is that they have guys that love basketball and are really good players, most likely dominated their high school leagues or more. It really shows how good you need to be to play at the D1 level. In some cases, the difference in skill is body size.
As an aside, does anyone ever notice to how D2/NAIA many of our Leavey sponsors are? Not all of them, but I do feel like we’re NOT in the middle of Silicon Valley when watching. We should have Cisco, Intel, Google, something that reflects what is around us. I do enjoy supporting the mid-size and Alumni based businesses for sure, but one would think the AD/Sponsorship folks would get out of their comfort zone and elevate their game a bit.
I did see the Hut on the sponsorship display last game - that got a laugh and a wish that I was there enjoying a cold one!
One other note - there are only two more home non-conference games after this: Utah State (12/13) and Yale (12/30).
If you’re local, get on out there - especially for USU, who is always good. SCU should be rewarded with a good showing for bringing to Leavey.
Can’t believe Yale is coming back out west after already visiting GU and LMU earlier. We get them just after visit Allen Fieldhouse… lots of travel for those Bulldogs.
Our size (and quality size) alone should win the day in this one even if we play mediocre to poor.
But I feel like we haven’t consistently used our size this season to dominate the glass and impose our will on the block and in the paint. That needs to change or we are destined for another low 20’s win season and NIT but not at all in the conversation for an NCAA invite.
And, hopefully the ugly, blowout loss to OSU didn’t damage the team’s confidence but instead served as a wake up call that they need to get and be better.
I’ve always figured that, given that they live and breathe this program, if any of the staff knew if existed (big if), they would probably read it from time to time.
Swig…that’s a good question! My guess is that Herb Sendek and assistant coaches don’t and could really give a you know what. However, I think someone associated with the men’s basketball program probably does.
This leads to my next point about Femme and Ohiobronco. I can appreciate Femme’s knowledge of the game, passion, and son’s best interests. However, Ohio’s comment is a valid one as nobody on here wants to hurt someone’s feelings, but many are reluctant (myself included) to say what Ohio said. Is he wrong? No, I do think it puts player in an uncomfortable position if these comments about my kid’s lack of playing time gets back to the coaching staff or those closely affiliated.
I don’t think Femme is necessarily wrong in her observations but to place such grievances on a public forum may not benefit Cam. Such discussions should take place privately between mother and son, and let player handle it as an adult.
Ohio, I have definitely felt it is a little tone-deaf to post on a fan forum after a WIN with a grievance that her son didn’t play or play enough. I mean this is a fan forum and it’s an W.
That said I really like Cam’s energy and effort, I do like Femme’s observations and her offering a perspective from a parent of a quality young man in the program.
As long as Cam is a Bronco, Femme is a Bronco so I’m good by that. Go Broncos.
I also have a son associated with the team and I can tell you that people associated with the team do occasionally see this blog. They don’t take anything said too personally but they are aware of the positive and negative. Personally, I think it is ok to highlight what a player does or does not do well but it should be balanced. I don’t post much as I don’t want anything my son tells me to slip into a public forum but I think this team can develop into a potential tournament team and I will enjoy watching the season.
Please keep the posts coming as I love to read everyone’s thoughts.
I try not to be very critical of the players, understanding of course that these are young men who in all instances are trying their best. I try to keep all my comments at a “program” level. With only a handful of limited exceptions, the basketball program and its players have brought a positive impact to the Mission Campus for a century.
I’ve always found, in general, this place to be a positive gathering place for SCU folks to keep tabs on the program. I think many of us live away from the Bay Area, so we don’t get to talk much with other SCU folks. It is increasingly a long dang time since my wife or I wore the block SC, so this place is an important link for me.
Every good college football or basketball program has a forum, and every strong program has “fans.” SCU deserves the same. And we’re lucky to generally graduate rational and literate folks who keep this place really civil.
College Basketball has changed so much with respect to transfers. I don’t know if anyone here is old enough to remember (and I only hear from my dad) but there was time, I think, when Mark McNamara’s transfer from SCU to Cal was considered a huge deal. Many years the SCU roster would have four classes with no transfer in or out. Things have changed.
The transfers brought in have been pretty dang good to this point.
I loved Keyshawn Justice (and he’s barely getting time in the G League) but I don’t think he would even start on this team if he were around this year.
This team will run into a “next man up” scenario and I hope everyone on this deep bench is ready. Because those minutes (due to injury or illness or whatever) will be there and will be crucial.
This is a great point that should be repeated over and over and over. Depth could be the difference in Jan/Feb when student-athletes across the country get hit with a wave of COVID or RSV or whatever nasty bug is next up. Let’s also not discount the possibility of injuries…no one wants to see injuries, but they happen and it’s best that the team is fully prepared with a “next man up” mantra.
Regarding the transfers, I have been really impressed with Tyeree Bryan this season and the ability to shot create and provide energy that he brings. Seems like Herb likes him coming off the bench as a 6th man, but wouldn’t mind seeing him in closing lineups for upcoming games that will go down to the wire since he really is a dynamic athlete and can play with any other 4 guys we have on the court.
Regarding Femme, if I were a player on the team I’m not sure I would want my parent posting on a message board, but I’m not on the team so as an alumni/fan, I appreciate the passion! Also appreciate Cam’s passion and stay ready attitude as well, along with others on the team who don’t get regular run but are still engaged. A huge problem with SCU basketball since I’ve been involved with the school (roughly 20 years) has been apathy from the student/alumni base and any form of passion is welcome (provided of course it doesn’t turn nasty/hostile).
'Dunne- Agree on Bryan, kind of the unsung hero so far IMO. The top dogs are and will probably continue to be Marshall, Bal and Tillie, but Bryan’s contributions have been significant and important especially for someone coming off the bench. It’s a huge benefit to the team to be able to bring Bryan off the bench for Marshall, Bal or Benjamin with no drop off and in some situations and match-ups it’s a net gain. There are no glaring holes in Bryan’s game…he’s athletic, plays above the rim, good size for a guard, defends and rebounds, can both knock down 3’s and attack the basket and is an adequate ballhandler.
After Marshall, Bal and Tillie, Bryan is part of that next ‘tier’ in our rotation including O’Neil, Caffaro, Benjamin that forms our Top 7. In a way, it’s almost like we have 7 starters as Bryan and Caffaro have on occasion played more than the starters.
It’s great that we have passionate parents on the forum but like others this really isn’t the forum to complain about your own sons playing time.
So many of these kids were high school superstars or 3 or 4 star recruits. But that doesn’t matter once you step onto the collegiate floor. What matters is today, not yesterday. Every day is a proving day. And the more competition a D1 team has or brings in the better for Santa Clara to get out of its 30 year mediocrity level. To remind some of the newbies or those not as close to SCU history, this is a program that went to the Sweet Sixteen 7 times in a span of 18 years from ‘52-70 and the Elite Eight 5 times in the same period. Our program can’t live in the past either but it shows you we can or actually should be a Gonzaga in basketball, we have the ability to do it. Now we just need to do it.