WCC Tourney Game 1: vs. USD

Game Preview/Recap
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Tip-off: Today, 7pm
TV: ESPN2 & ESPN+
Line: ESPN- Broncos - 11.5, 86% win probability; Torvik- Broncos -7.2, 75% win prob.
Rankings: Broncos (106 - NET / 124 - Torvik); USD (252 / 244)

San Diego:
Toreros are 18-14, were 7-9 in the WCC and beat Pepp last night in their first tourney game.
Starting Lineup:
6-10 center Steven Jamerson III ( 8.6pts, 8.4rebs, 1.0 block)
6-8 forward Kevin Patton Jr. (9.5pts, 4.5rebs, 1.5 steals, 1.5blocks, 33% from 3)
6-6 wing PJ Hayes (10.6pts, 40% from 3)
6-2 guard Deuce Turner (15.5pts, 37% from 3)
6-0 point guard Wayne McKinney (13.6pts, 3assits, 35% from 3)

Deuce Turner had been nursing an injury for much of the season and had been coming off the bench while they managed his minutes but they inserted him in the starting lineup a few games ago. He has been on a hot shooting streak and ended up the as the 2nd leading scorer during league play at 17.6pts / game and put up 23pts and 30pts in his two games vs. the Broncos.
With the exception of Hayes, the Toreros start a fairly athletic lineup, McKinney is a quick point guard and attacks the basket well. Patton was selected for the all-Frosh team, is raw but long and athletic, can defend multiple positions and leads them in steals and blocks. Jamerson has improved throughout the season and is a solid post defender. He has been prone to some foul trouble so hopefully Tilly and Caffaro go right at him and draw some fouls…big advantage for the Broncos if Jamerson is sitting on the bench.

USD often mixes their defenses…saw both man and a 3-2 zone last night and I believe they did the same in both Bronco match-ups. Broncos need to quickly recognize the defense and get in to their correct offense. Against the 3-2 zone need to get the ball to middleat the FT line to guys like O’Neil, Ensminger, Tilly or our wings Marshall/Bal/Bryan then attack the basket, look for dump-offs to posts or kick-outs for 3’s.

While it’s understandable to look to a match-up w/ SMC on Monday, the Broncos need to come out focused on USD…first things first.
The Broncos have been prone to very slow starts and we really don’t want to see that tonight and don’t want to have to play Bal, O’Neil, etc. ~35mins. Ideally we have a comfortable lead in the 2nd half and can use our bench and keep the starters minutes to under 30.

Prediction: Broncos advance to semis, 79-67.

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This would be an ideal time for grad transfer Jalen Benjamin to play his best basketball as a Santa Clara Bronco. He will be needed!

Go Broncos!!!

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It looked to me like they mixed up the zone at various points in the game, not just 3-2.

Looking at the season-long stats posted by @92bronc, looks like very nice balanced scoring by the Toreros starting 5. I’ll reiterate what has been said on the boards the past few days, let’s see us try to disrupt USD’s rhythm from the outset, play some full or 3/4 court press. I’d think that USD will be a little bit tired after playing last night.

I really thought Pepp was going to pull it out when they hit that 3 to tie it with about 30 seconds or so left in the game. Kudos to Lavin and his players for not succumbing to the Waves’ second half comeback effort.

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Great point pistol.
I don’t expect Knapper to play.
Need someone to play decent D on McKinney at the point of attack and prevent him from getting in to the lane regularly.
I imagine Benjamin or Bryan will be matched up on McKinney. And assuming Knapper is out, we may also see some PT for Hammond.

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They may have. I only watched about 2/3 of the game.
Saw 3-2 but it was fairly ‘amoeba’ or match-up zone-ish.

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From what I’ve heard Knapper didn’t tear anything in his knee but is out for tonight’s game. And fwiw Tilly didn’t practice on Thursday.

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Boarding my flight shortly. Destination: Orleans Arena

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lets do this. KSCU fellas are so locked and loaded right now, we will be in radio row tonight (possibly right behind Flemming and Farnham so you may see and be like hey I know these guys)!

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I tend to think that playing the night before helps in the first half (bodies still somewhat warm) and hurts in the second when the fatigue creeps in. That doesn’t bode well for the cold-start Broncos. But USD only hit 3 field goals in the entire second half against Pepperdine which actually played halfway decent defense down the stretch (too little too late for Romar).

I hope the Broncos come out with strong defense that makes USD struggle while SCU calibrates the offense.

Give me 75-61 SCU in a game where Santa Clara explodes and puts it away out of halftime. CMJ has one of his electric games to extend his college career and gets 25.

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Cheer hard, @buckets Cheer hard.

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LL…Appreciate update. The Knapper news isn’t surprising, but Tilly is. Hope it’s nothing serious that prevents him from playing.

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Looked like a bruised rib in person, hope it’s not broken

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Just heard Caffaro is out for tonight’s game due to a concussion in Thursday practice.

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Yikes. The Broncos can get by without Caffaro tonight, but he would be absolutely essential Monday against Saxen. And I don’t think concussions clear just four days.

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https://kscu.org/ we are live from the Orleans if you want to tune in!

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How many practice concussions is that?! Cannot catch a break

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We are so much the better team, have to believe we’re going to break this game open. It seems we’re in a rush to do nothing offensively, and still can’t inbound the ball.

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Cam with authority!! Love to see it.

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that was so fire that dunk almost made me fall out of my announcing seat

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An energetic 1st half, with really good ball movement. With 12 assists on 15 made baskets. USD has no answer on the boards.

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