WCC Game 11: vs. USD

Game Preview/Recap
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Tip-off: Thurs., 7pm @ Leavey
TV: WCCNetwork
Line: Torvik- Broncos -13.5, 87% win prob; ESPN- 87% win prob, no line yet.

San Diego:
The Toreros are 11-14 on the season, 4-7 in the WCC, coming off the upset win over LMU. They had a decent win over USF early in league play; other two league wins are over Pepperdine.
Top Players / Stats:

  • 6-7, 230lb forward Marcellus Earlington (17.5pts, 6.8rebs, 38% from 3)
  • 6-7 forward Eric Williams Jr. (14.5pts, 9.5rebs, 37% from 3)
  • 6-4 guard Jase Townsend (15.4pts, 2.7 assists, 37% from 3)
  • 6-3 guard Seikou Sisoho Jawara (11.3pts, 3 assists, 38% from 3)

USD is a bit like Pacific and Portland, have had a revolving door of lineups, injuries, etc. Stanford transfer forward Jaiden Delaire has missed half the season, returned for a game but missed the LMU game and was apparently in a walking boot so don’t expect him to play. Eric Williams also missed the LMU game with an injury, not sure his status. Given all that, hard to stay who will start and what their rotation will look like.

Earlington is wide bodied and can score at all levels and presents a bit of a match-up challenge. Williams has been a beast on the glass at both ends. Broncos will need to block out those two and play with the physicality we saw @ USF.

3pt D will be something to keep an eye on again. USD doesn’t rely heavily on 3’s and they don’t have any lights out shooters but the 4 guys listed above are all capable.

Looking at advance analytics, USD is terrible on defense, last in the WCC and ranked ~350ish in the nation. Their eFG% is near the bottom in the country, they don’t have much rim protection and they are below average defensive rebounding team. Much like the USF game, this is one where our bigger front court and good sized wings have an edge, we need to take advantage of it attacking the rim and glass.

I want to see the Broncos play with the aggression and energy we saw vs. USF and take care of the little boring things (limit our TO’s, make FT’s, etc.). And hopefully Sendek has now seen enough of what Tilly and Tongue can do that we see both of them get solid minutes. Tongue in particular may be well suited to guard Earlington.

Prediction: Broncos 86-74 in a high scoring affair.

10 Likes
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92, thanks for another stellar pregame assessment. I’m in full agreement.

Separately, I think we’re seeing Carlos Stewart develop into a premier player in this conference right before our eyes. It’s hard to even remember that he got spotty, inconsistent minutes last year.

7 Likes
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Agree on Stewart. He had a rough 5 game stretch early in the season where he scored no more than 7pts in a game but since has picked it up in December and on in to WCC play. He’s currently averaging 17.3pts/game in WCC games.

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Current line: Broncos -11.5. Corrected

Hopefully the Broncos are laser focused on taking care of business tonight; if NIT is the goal, can’t afford any more slip ups vs. mid and lower pack teams.

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Don’t know where you’re seeing -17, looks like it’s 11.5 in Vegas books.

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It was -12 early this AM, now down to -11.5 as you noted… not sure why I typed -17…maybe subconscious wishful thinking???

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Gonna have to do it without BK tonight. Concussion.

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Anyone else trying to watch and there is no sound?

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Same problem.

Complete amateur hour.

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Also, the video feed is so choppy it’s almost unwatchable

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I have sound now at the 5 min mark, but it doesn’t match with what is happening in the game

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Apparently our defense is resting and we cant shoot. Looks like another bad loss if we don’t wake up in the second half. Need some energy.

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Problem is SCU has no real threat in the post… play extended zone on SCU and Sendek is just scratching his head and hoping that they make some contested 3’s

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Cardiac kids from early in the season returns.

Not pretty or how you script an ideal game, but survived.

LMU is better than USD IMO, Broncos are going to have to play cleaner/better Saturday.

4 Likes
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Nice comeback for the boys after sleepwalking through the first half and being down as much as 10 points a good way through the second half.

The rest of the league seems to be playing out to our advantage as well. SMC about to beat LMU. Gonzaga beat USF. Portland beat Pacific…and drumroll please, Pepp is up by 9 points on BYU with about 2 minutes left in the game.

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Never apologize for a win as we will take it. That being said, many words come to mind to describe our FT shooting. How does HORRENDOUS sound?

Completely unacceptable at this level and we got away with it tonight.

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While I’m not happy with our first-half play, we have to give credit to this team’s resilience. There were a number of KK-led teams, as well as some HS squads, that would’ve folded being down 10 points deep in the second half. This team never seems to quit.

I’d like to see us open some games with Tilley and Cam on the floor, rather than JB out there. Tilley’s game looks really nice, and Cam’s energy is infectious.

5 Likes
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I spoke too soon. LMU just tied up SMC to push the game into OT.

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What I like about my son. He is playing with PATIENCE. He gave that extra pass to Keyshawn at the top and set the screen for a beautiful 3 for Keyshawn to make. He fights on the boards. He is disruptive on defense. He is CONSTANTLY talking to his teammates, and he keeps a game face. He needs to keep working on his 3 and FT.

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LMU beat Saint Marys. So we NEED a WIN against them. That would really help us.

6 Likes