After a 33 year drought, the Broncos earned a selection into the NIT. It was great to have them play in a post season tourney that starts with an "N".
Is this a banner year both in both our season record and maybe hanging another banner in Leavey? 21-12 is the second 20 win season in three years, but I believe it would have been three in a row if not for the Covid shutdown in 2020-21.
The season included quality wins over NCAA tournament teams in Cal State Fullerton, TCU, and St. Mary's and some good wins over name programs like Stanford, Nevada, and BYU. In addition to those, there were a lot of grinding out wins in the WCC over the lower half of the league, at home and on the road, that in the past, were games we lost.
All accomplished through Covid, key injuries, and a WCC schedule that had us playing our first six games in 17 days; four of which were against Gonzaga, St. Mary's, BYU, and USF. Trial by fire. IMHO, this turned out to be a benefit as we had to focus right away. The 3-3 start was capped by a buzzer beater win over BYU that gave us confidence. As a recap, the "predictors" pegged us finishing 6th or 7th in league, not third. In reality, we were one better possession away at USF and at St. Mary's from taking second.
As usual, it was a season that "could have been." Our best inside-out player, Josip Vrankic, missed eight games with Mono. In reality it was more like 11 games, as he had to get his game strength back. Pretty sure we don't lose four games in that stretch with him healthy. Then there were the "thud" games where we just couldn't make a shot against USF at Leavey, St. Mary's in the WCC semi-final, and Washington State in the NIT, shooting season lows at "prime time." The above, except Washington, "could of" vaulted us into the Big Dance vs the NIT, shattering the ceiling from the 25 year put down of athletics from prior SCU administrations.
We also needed better R & D. Not research as in game planning, but execution as in "rebounding and defense." We just had too much trouble guarding guards. Bouyea and Shabazz from USF, Nemhard and Bolton from Gonzaga, and, above all, Kuhse from St. Mary's; who took us apart in the pick and roll time after time and saved them from two more losses to us. Second chance points from opponents' offensive rebounds were like a nagging headache coming on just when you don't want them to. Through it all, our guys never gave up, which led to our fifth winning season in six years. Progress.
All in all, as season ticket holders and fans, it was fun to watch. Upsets, thunder dunks, torrid shooting nights, and court storming from students were things we are not used to seeing. The highs were very high which made the lows tougher to swallow - expectations.
I'll call it a banner year as it generated the most buzz and interest in Santa Clara basketball during Coach Sendek's tenure. Hoping this is a start of something bigger and not a one and done cameo. Let's celebrate this being off the schneid with an NIT invite after a 33 year wait.
Thanks to the Coaches and most of all, the players who showed us something to be proud of!
