Cal Basketball: Santa Clara Game Preview
CAL (5-3) vs. SANTA CLARA (8-2)
WHERE: Leavey Center, Santa Clara
WHEN: Saturday, 2 p.m.
TV/RADIO: No TV/810-AM
CAL-SANTA CLARA HISTORY: Cal leads 45-28 in a series that began during the 1918-19 season. Cal has won 3 in a row including 78-66 in Berkeley last season, and has prevailed in 6 of the past 7 meetings. The Bears are playing at Santa Clara for the first time since 1992-93, when a Cal team led by Jason Kidd beat the Broncos 80-73 at old Toso Pavilion.
CAL STORYLINES: The Bears had eight days off before visiting USF on Wednesday, where they allowed the Dons to convert 12 shots from beyond the 3-point line to win 76-64. It was Cal’s first trip to USF since the 1997-98 season. . . . Cal is 0-3 away from home, having also lost twice (to Duke and Texas) at Madison Square Garden. The Bears have lost three of their past four games after a 4-0 start. . . . Cal has not won a non-conference road game since beating Seattle 81-59 on Dec. 19, 2017. . . . Cal got a season-high 20 points from grad transfer Kareem South at Santa Clara, but leading scorer Matt Bradley (17.6 points) was held out of the starting lineup for what coach Mark Fox called a minor disciplinary issue, and never found a groove. He scored 11 points. Bradley continues to be accurate: 50 percent FG, 49 percent on 3’s, 95 percent on FTs. . . . Junior forward Grant Anticevich is averaging 11.4 points, 8.0 rebounds and shooting 10-for-16 (.625) on 3’s in Cal’s five wins, but just 3.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1-for-5 on 3’s in the team’s three defeats.
SANTA CLARA STORYLINES: The Broncos also are coming off their poorest performance of the season, a 98-67 loss at Nevada that halted a five-game winning streak. Santa Clara trail 53-29 at halftime, shot 35 percent from the field, made only 4 of 29 attempts from the 3-point arc, and was out rebounded 40-24. . . . The Broncos’ 8-1 start to the season was their best since 1968-69, when they opened the season 21-0. SCU is 7-0 at home (including an 8-point win over Washington State), 0-2 on the road (with an 18-point loss to Stanford). This game kicks off a 6-game homestand for the Broncos. . . . Santa Clara features a balanced offensive attack with five players averaging between 9.5 and 11.1 points, topped by guard Trey Wertz (11.1 points, 3.5 assists). He is among the five leading scorers from last season who returned this year. . . . The Broncos have no seniors on their roster. . . . Santa Clara is coached by Herb Sendek, who has a career record of 465-348 with stints at Miami-Ohio, North Carolina State and Arizona State before arriving at Santa Clara for the 2016-17 campaign.
CAL GAME NOTES: Click here
SANTA CLARA GAME NOTES: Click here
