SCU Men's Basketball - Breaking News!! A Bash for Nash

It's been nearly twenty-four years since a crew-cut freshman from British Columbia led the Bronco's to a stunning 64-61 upset over Arizona in the 1993 NCAA Tournament.  Up until then, just the second time in NCAA history that a #15 seed beat a #2 seed!

Today, we know it was just the beginning of a stellar college and two-time MVP pro career. 

Sources from The Bucking Bronco readers, have confirmed Steve Nash will be inducted into the Bronco Hall of Fame on May 13, 2017.   Also honored, as teams, will be the NCAA tourney qualifiers of 1992-93 and 1995-96.  

This is a don't miss event and a deserving honor for not just Steve, but his teammates and Coach Dick Davey.  In 1992,  Davey had just taken the reins from Carroll Williams, who left him with a good core roster to build upon.  Enter Nash.  Under Davey, the teams during Nash's career qualified for three NCAA tourneys, reaching the second round twice.

You my recall how Steve Nash came to SCU.  

A former SCU assistant had seen Nash, but didn't feel he was a fit for their program.  He called Dick Davey to suggest he take a look.  Nash had sent VHS tapes to many colleges hoping to get interest.  No takers. According to Coach Davey, "the SCU coaches saw the tapes and knew this guy can play!"  Off to B.C. where they watched him live and were blown away.  Coach Davey told me, "I knew when I saw him warm up before the game he was a great talent."  Their major concern was if other schools knew.  They kept looking around the gym to see if any other schools were there.  Fortunately, none were.  

The 1993 take-down of Arizona was a classic.  Coach Davey said, "We had two weeks to prepare for what we knew would be a high seed, not knowing it would be Arizona.  Practices were run with our 5 on offense against 6 defenders allowing for the extra speed and athleticism we would play against.   Rebounding, limiting second chance points was vital."  

SCU got off to a great start to lead by 11.  Then, we stopped a furious Arizona second half comeback with Nash hitting 6 clutch free throws in the last 48 seconds.   This was followed by freshman Kevin Dunne's offensive rebound with 4 seconds left to preserve the upset.  That rebounding thing!  Pete Eisenrich led the Broncos with 19 points followed by DeWayne Lewis with 13.  Nash scored 10.

This was a "stacked" Arizona team; 24-4 on the year with a roster of five future pros, including Damon Stoudamire, Chris Mills, Khalid Reeves, Reggie Geary and Ed Stokes.  

Click the link below for the last 2 minutes of that game.  Awesome!  Proud!

SCU Upsets #2 seed Arizona in 1993 NCAA Tourney

Fantastic memories that create a "pining" in all of us for the future.  The timing of the honor, a rallying point for all Bronco fans.  Hopefully, a harbinger for our future of returning to national relevance.

The "seeds" of our own national resurgence are being sown.  As season ticket holders and fans we relish the day when we'll take down the next #2 seed! 

So, let's have a "Bash for Nash."  Show Steve and his teammates some Bronco love.  They deserve it!

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SCU vs Gonzaga - Coaches Preview - "Game On!"

Gonzaga comes to town Thursday "walking the dog" with a 17-0 start and lots of confidence.  Rightly so. Their stat sheet is uber. Nearly first in every key area.  Their roster, relatively young, big, solid, and deep. They expect to win.  They probably will...

But, to me, that's not what's this game is about.

It's a measuring stick of not just where we are, but where we want to go.  An examination of the learning curve of where our re-booted program is against the standard bearer in the WCC and the national relevance we are seeking.  

In talking with coaches this week, there is no fear, just excitement to compete against another highly ranked team and test our mettle.

The game plan.  Focus on the things we can execute to maximize our opportunities to put a leash on the Dogs and steal one from a team who hasn't been road tested much this season.  

Mark Few hates playing at Leavey.  Too many bad memories of great escapes.  Last minute victories that are haunting to coaches.  For the Zags, the stakes are much higher, carrying the weight of soaring national expectations.  Few knows teams with nothing to lose often don't...

Coaches keys.  Disrupt.  

Everything in the half court flows through the bigs,  Karnowski and Collins.  They can both score it and are good passers.  We'll show a variety of defensive looks here.  Straight up with "E", show and release double teams, try to bait so we can either get some steals or force a late in the clock three.

Their guards are big, quick, and can shoot and drive it.  Williams-Goss is their main "go to".  We'll try to guard with a posse of JB, KJ, Hauser, Wardlow, and Healy.  Force the action over the high screen/rolls and try to make their looks as hard as possible.  Having Wardlow back is a plus for us because his size can stop some of their one on one success. 

It's a pick your poison, defense by triage plan.

For us, it's about executing our screen/rolls and moving the ball to spots where we know we can be successful.  Jared, as always, will be hounded and doubled to limit his looks.  This can create openings for Feagin, Hauser, Healy, Henrik, and Nate to do some damage.

If KJ can penetrate, that creates options for him to dish or finish and draw fouls.  We'll push the ball when opportunities arise and be patient otherwise - try to control the tempo to our pace.

It's a tough test.  I know our coaches and players will give it their best.  Our "grade" my not be reflected in the final score; more a progress report on our journey to national.

As fans, we can try to make Leavey SO loud to make it claustrophobic for the Zags and do our part to disrupt.  

I know one thing for sure.  We'd all love it if the Zags left Leavey with one "Fewer" win.

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Who's Going To Be The "Dog" Catcher in the WCC?

Let's just get it out of the way.  Two games in, the WCC final standings predictions are all over the place. Depending upon your source, SCU will finish fifth, seventh, or eighth.  For me, it's actually OK that we're not predicted to win the WCC - this year.  

BUT....We can be "unpredictable."

We can be the "wild horse" in the corral.  You know, the one nobody wants to ride or try to break.  For my "buck" that's a good edge for us to take to the floor.  Be feisty, stubborn, and unpredictable.   

As this team learns a whole new system under Coach Sendek, we're a bit schizophrenic right now.  That may be our wild card.  A team that takes Arizona to the final minutes, beats Valpo on the road and a team that let one slip away at Washington State.  

Ask USF.  Coming to Leavey touting an 11-3 non-con record and a swagger to go with it.  "Stampeded" by a harassing defense and solid offense,  left with a cold bus ride home and a lousy New Year's.  Nice!

Unpredictable...

I don't really care where we finish in league.  I do care about being strong against the "top three."  Winning two vs them would at least send a message:  "We're coming for you!"

You may remember, Mark Few started a "Fewd" at the end of last season when he basically called out the "middlers" in the WCC as needing to step it up.  His digs were both blunt and smart.

It definitely rattled cages around the league.  EVERYONE is upping the ante to be better.  SO, let's give him what he wants.  

The question is, who's going to be the "dog" catcher?  Maybe St. Mary's who has had success versus the Zags last season.  BYU?  BYU must beat Gonzaga once and probably finish second to salvage a chance for an NCAA bid.  

The answer?  It has to come from the middlers.  The teams Few called out.  SCU, USF, Portland, etc. have to be the dog catchers. You know the dog catchers?  They always show up when you least expect them.  That's how it's going to happen.  A loss or two when least expected.

A good spot for the dog catchers is either February 2, 4, 9 or 11. Three Zag road games deep into the season. At BYU.  SCU in Spokane on the 4th.  Down to LMU on the 9th and then at St. Mary's on the 11th.  IF, it happens, that could put the Zags in a 3 loss league situation.  In the "doghouse" where they may HAVE to win the WCC tourney.  Game on!

I'd love us to have that mindset, that edge.  The spoilers.  A win for SCU and "Fewer" wins for the dogs, would not only be a "step up" but a big step in the right direction.  Sounds great, but not easy.

Let's be honest.  The Zags have a 15 year head start.  While we we're building out our beautiful campus, they were building a Men's Basketball WCC dynasty.  That, oh BTW, put them on the national map and has created a fundraising bonanza.  

Now, at least, visible steps are in place to cause Mark Few to hear footsteps in the near future as we build back our tradition of MBB success.  

I predict we will get there.  We can start by being unpredictable this WCC season.  Be one of the wily dog catchers.  Using our "nets" by raining jumpers when the dogs come to Leavey.  

For all the middlers in the WCC, the disrespecting by Few has created a posse, bent on getting their man.   Every posse needs a great Bronco to ride and here we come.

He started the "Fewd."  Now we need to finish it!  Hopefully sooner than later...

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SCU Men's Basketball - It's Time to Listen Up

It's about time that the "voices" of SCU Men's Basketball are heard.

Believe it or not, there are lots of voices tuned into MBB.

There are the voices of the University, finally going public on becoming nationally competitive.

There are the voices of the season ticket holders, fans, and alums who have been most "vocal" about the history of mediocrity.

Even The Bucking Bronco is a voice for all MBB fans to chronicle the story unfolding; can we get to a national top 20 program that our A.D. states as the goal?

But the real voices of the Broncos may be the loudest, the most dedicated, and the best promoters we have for MBB.

  

I'm talking Anthony Passarelli and John Stege.  Most know of them.  No worries, if you don't, you will.  Why wait, here they are.  

  

                                                 

Just like we are "amping up" our program, we are turning up the wattage on our live radio broadcasts.  Their radio skills have been there since the beginning - we're just taking them to new "heights."

Passarelli is a 20+ year broadcasting veteran doing the play by play.  A real pro and a Bronco all the way.

Stege is a former Bronco player and now the color caller for us.  Stege's SCU career might be best known for his take down of UCLA's Swen Nater in 1972; where he and Swen were ejected over a convo about the "little Dutch boy."  Stege was the backup to All American Mike Stewart and Swen was the backup to some unknown named Bill Walton.

It might be a jump ball as to who is more dedicated to MBB than these two.  Seven years together calling the action and "airing" the highs and lows of MBB, first on KDOW and now KLIV 1590.

While, as season ticket holders and fans, we have both screamed and squirmed in the stands, this duo has been the one constant voice for MBB.  There for the players and all of us to make the call.  

The operation is a bit like a Silicon Valley startup.  Start small.  A budget so tight, it squeaks.  Mega hours in prep and execution.  Then, above all "deliver" quality content - live.  All this dedication for a MBB "product" that has been in need of a reboot for years.

They must be doing it for the money right?  NOT.

They're just like us.  They believe we're going national.  They have been "championing" our journey for years in the hope of that elusive championship.  I have to give them the "game ball" for that persistent effort.

Their audience is much like we are as season ticket holders; smaller, but a dedicated posse on this stampede to becoming national.

Just like the MBB program, the re$ources for the broadcasting team are growing.  Bigger station, more games on air, and now they'll be "roadies" travelling with the team to tell our story.

So, it's time to "listen up."  No more deaf ears.  We've all heard the strategy and the goal for MBB.  It's out there and we will all be held accountable.  

Yes, ALL.  We need to get behind the program.  Raise it up, just as we've been raising our voices for MBB to be competitive.  

Our part in this journey, along with Anthony Passarelli and John Stege, is to keep raising our voices in the hopes it leads to raising championship banners! 

  

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Santa Clara Men's Basketball - Leaving Las Vegas - What did We Learn?

Leaving Las Vegas, we had played our seventh game of the season.  Seven can be a very lucky number in Las Vegas.  Unfortunately, for the Broncos, it wasn't the lucky seven. 

It was the seven where you're close to winning your bet, the odds tilting in your favor and then, with one roll of the dice - or with MBB, a possession or two - boom, done.

Ten point losses to good teams isn't bad.  Respectable.  For SCU fans, coaches, and players "R" was NOT what they wanted and NOT what they were playing for.  It was a "W."

No settling.  "R" does not punch NCAA bids.

So, what did we learn in Las Vegas and how did this translate on the floor since returning?

We learned we have an "RPI" problem to address and it's not the NCAA RPI I'm talking about.  It's our Reliability to Potential Index.  Huh?  What's that?

It's our ability to consistently play to our Potential that earns us more respect and in the future more "W's." 

Maybe this sounds funny or bogus, but IMHO it cuts to the heart of the changes and growing pains we are seeing on the court.

Potential is really hard to measure.  

Is taking # 9 ranked Arizona to the final three minutes before losing our top potential?  Was our 18 point second half deficit, that we cut to 4 against Vanderbilt, our top potential?  

Are the recent losses to Irvine and SJS, where we shot 34% & 28% for the game, our downside potential?  

I'm sure the coaches and players are wrestling with this identity crisis and working hard to determine our "RPI."

Las Vegas gave us a double RPI bump.  Both our Reliability Potential Index and our NCAA RPI rose; due to the strength of schedule against a top ten ranked opponent.  

Since leaving Las Vegas, we've given back some of the R and P cred we earned.  

How do you coach this Forrest Gump* identity?  

How do you coach against it?  Opposing teams have to respect what we did in Las Vegas and our potential to beat anyone, but also know our Achilles Heel - prove we can beat them from the 3pt line.

I can assure you, season ticket holders and fans didn't know they were going on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride when they bought their tickets.

But, here we are...

Searching to find our real "RPI"... growing pains.  It's both great and hard to watch.  Beautiful at times and painfully awkward at others.  

Going national isn't easy.  Twenty years of angst bubbling for everyone involved. 

When?  Not this year.  

We'll get there when our "RPI's" both internal and NCAA are going in opposite directions.  

That means we're playing consistently to our potential and our NCAA RPI rating drops into the 50-75 range; NCAA tourney bid worthy.

That day will be a truly beautiful thing!

* "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get."

*  SCU RPI - Reliability to Potential Index - How often we perform to our Potential

*  NCAA RPI = Relative Performance Index - Used by the NCAA Selection Committee

SCU Men's Basketball - Are We on "Schedule" with our Schedule?

Sara' la nostra stagione di basket e' bello come il viaggio in Italia?

Will our Men's Basketball season be as beautiful as their trip to Italy?

It's hard to beat the beauty of Lake Como, but for the remaining Men's Basketball season ticket holders, a winning record and maybe an upset along the way would be "molto bene." 

Winning solves most problems and that's what it will take for MBB to ease the sizable indigestion of many season ticket holders in this transition to national prominence.

After years of loyalty, they feel their pockets have been picked in the name of excellence.   Excellence was projected nine years ago and never came.  Loyalty remained, but somehow in this transition 

went unrewarded.

This will be a season to see if SCU is "on schedule" to make us believers in becoming national.

As I've mentioned before, a major part of going national is recruiting, but, just as important, is scheduling. Both are HARD! Better opponents attract better players, which leads to more wins, fans filling the stands, which leads to becoming national.

If you want the details on why scheduling in MBB is so hard, see my post "We Play Who" from October 20, 2015.   

IMHO, the schedule does set us up for success.  It's almost like someone really thought about it and even got the WCC to play nice to a team not named Gonzaga.

Of course, improvement from last year (11-20) isn't that hard. However, with the roster "hand" the coaches have been dealt, they'll need a draw to an inside straight to be a factor in league.  

SCU MBB ranked pretty much 9th in all the WCC key stats last season.  One of our biggest challenges this year will be stopping or slowing driving the middle like it was an "autostrada."

Our preseason RPI is 249.

That said, a 5-0 start is doable, but not probable.  There's just too much to learn and not enough "cramming" time; even with the extra Italy practices.  The players are coming from a "run your route" system to the equivalent of a "read option" scheme.  Read option requires instinctive decision making, precision spacing, non-stop communication and trust.  They're being taught vs told what to do.  Heady new skills to absorb.  

Of the first 5 games, including the Cable Car teams of Northern Arizona, Davis, Northern Colorado, and Sacred Heart, only Tennessee State has a pre-season RPI under 250.  

After the Cable Car, the Las Vegas Invitational features some tough NCAA tourney teams in Arizona (9)*, Butler (53), Vandy (71) but also a chance for a "statement" upset.  

Home from Las Vegas, the next six are a combo of four winnable games plus two hard roadies @ Washington State (215) and Valpo (31).  A 3-3 stretch here would be very good.  

The WCC schedule is better for us than last year in that it's not front loaded with Gonzaga and St. Mary's. BUT, four of the first six games are on the road starting at BYU (67).   

Five of the first six league games are chances for SCU to be relevant early in the WCC standings.  Good chances for "W"'s  are USF, Portland, LMU, USD, and Pepperdine.  A 4-2 WCC start might give us some "MO" heading into "big three" games vs Gonzaga (16), BYU (67), and St. Mary's (29) in late January.

Here's where the WCC sort of played nice, for once.  The January games vs the "big three" are all at Leavey! If we are going to do some damage - this is the spot...

We close the WCC with five of the last eight games away.  The home games being Pepperdine, San Diego, and Pacific.  The WCC season ends @ St. Mary's where the ghost of the Jared Brownridge "dagger" 3pt shot still haunts Randy Bennett.

All in all, the schedule is a good first step for our new coaching regime.  It takes years of negotiation and planning.  The Las Vegas, PAC 12, and U.C. games give us enough "legit" games vs patsies. Adding a name game like Valpo was a deft move for a strong roadie before BYU.

Our success?  Hard to predict.  The team took a big hit recently when floor leader K.J. Feagin (WCC All Frosh Team) went down with a foot fracture.  Return time is unknown.  

Given the current roster injury setback, I feel that a better than .500 season would show some positive vital signs.  A heartbeat, a pulse of better things to come.  More interesting to me are the results given the same "clay" of a roster.  Can they be molded into winners?  That's coaching and developing the existing talent.

In my book, 16-15 would put us "on schedule".  Not excellence, but a signature win in the mix, more encouraging.  Fewer losses in the last five minutes when ahead would prove coaching impact.  

A "Lake Como" type season would be 18-13.  That would take another "name" win and one of the new recruits to step in with major impact.  

For the remaining loyal season ticket holders, after only two winning seasons in the past nine years - bellissimo!  

*Pre-season RPI ranking

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Santa Clara A.D. Renee Baumgartner's First Year Report Card

The hiring of Renee Baumgartner last June as Santa Clara's new A.D. ignited a bonfire of reactions from the SCU community.

On the one hand, she blew away the selection committee with her vision and energy.  On the other hand, it blew the minds of many alums and local press who couldn't imagine how the University may have squandered such an enormous opportunity.

Perhaps most important in the whole process was the ENERGY it created that awakened an athletic community buried in mediocrity for decades.  

Now, one year later, it's time for a report card.

Renee and I talked at length about her vision and goals for the first year and the realities of where we are with the program and in particular, Men's Basketball.

One thing, I can say for sure, is the energy hasn't dissipated. In fact, to be liberal with Physics' Laws, it has become Kinetic Energy...

We're talking major movement...

Let's face it, most of Santa Clara athletics, and pointedly MBB, was like the "old stuff" in the house up in the attic.  The academic part of the house was a poster for Architectural Digest.  Then, after the President's Commission on Athletics found a potential trea$ure in the attic where athletics was boxed, the "U" decided a new A.D. was needed to take on this challenge.

Alongside the hiring, Fr. Engh declared our intent was to become nationally relevant and competitive.  BTW, Men's Basketball would be the major "horse" to ride.

In my first interview Renee said, "Judge me on the results not the rumors."  

OK. Will do.

She outlined her major goals to be Branding, Marketing, Organization, and Fundraising.

Branding

The Bronco image that was deteriorating to "nag" status is being rejuvenated with a younger, fresher, and bolder persona.  "We're on a Mission" still exists, but the mantra is now the "Stampede" - no trotting allowed.  From the office carpets to the etched basketball floor, it's all NEW.  Fields, locker rooms, uniforms, workout rooms, etc.  Oh, and by the way - MBB COACHES.

Organization

Big changes.  Re-aligned D1 sports and rec sports to get sharp focus.   Boom.  Intense hiring to bring in high level "been there, done that" national caliber resumes.  Not just in MBB, but in other key areas.  If you need any more clarity on the University commitment to this national effort, just ponder the hiring of Herb Sendek and his staff.  An order of magnitude jump shift....Forget the $$, I'm talking serious credibility.

Marketing

The Marketing budget in past years was "thin".  It mainly consisted of a weekly email update and a nice Bistro.  OK, for where we were, but not acceptable to an A.D. whose charter is to go national.

Everything is changing.  Added staff with good experience and budgets to engage the broader SCU internal and external community.  One of the big primary focus areas is to energize an apathetic student body using a social media app that informs, promotes, and includes "rewards" for participation.  

Package this with more communication, events, and outreach designed to pack the stands for all games; not just Gonzaga.  Soon, better and more recognizable opponents will be on the schedule for home and home games that should create a "draw" for everyone. The idea is to build momentum.  A great start to this was the Jared Brownridge video done last year.   An outstanding piece.  Click the link below to view.

For example, there is a First Look event on August 12th that will give fans an opportunity to see the players and coaches in action with a meet and greet afterward.  It won't be like "Craziness in the Kennel" in Spokane, but a good start.

All Marketing is propelled by winning and the underlying mantra from Renee is "to create a championship culture" that permeates into all teams and yes, to us, the supporters and fans.  Come to the First Look event tomorrow night and you'll get a chance see if the "vibe" is there.

Fundraising

Going national doesn't fly on an economy budget.  I have to say the "U" is now "all in" by committing more significant $$ to athletics from its operating budget.  Another big change.  

The creation of an Excellence Fund is now in place to build the war chest needed to drive championship level successes.  Everyone will be asked to participate and for season ticket holders, required.

The new season ticket holder package makes that very clear.  Want a "chairback" seat, you'll need to donate.

  

I've heard from a number of loyal ticket holders feel "unseated" by the seat pricing and donation.  When I asked Renee the strategy, she said "the department research of higher level teams showed SCU was significantly under market" and "we created a package where there's a seat choice and price for everyone."  It's true to form that SCU has asked fans to pay upfront for the promise of being nationally competitive.  Some long standing loyal fans are "worn out" from promises.

While I'd like tickets to cost less, I do feel we, as fans, need to get on board.  NEVER has the University put its money where its mouth is like this time.   There is a working "Master Plan" with athletics as a centerpiece that will entirely makeover our facilities to a level where we can recruit on a par with more elite teams.  Ok, we're not talking Duke and Kentucky, but when new recruits come to SCU they'll be saying "wow" vs "oh".  

It's happening.

I could go on and on as there is so much going on.  Renee has created a hurricane of  activity and energy.   Championship Culture.

How do I grade all this after one year?  I have to say "incomplete".

The assignment is not done.  The outlines are terrific, "A" type thinking.  The drafts look promising, but until more of the above are done, we'll have to wait to see the final to raise the grade. 

Believe me, it's hard to give an "incomplete" to a "complete" makeover of our program.  So MUCH in process.

The next big piece of the assignment will be due in early March 2017 after the schedule and WCC Men's tournament.  

One thing for sure, we should all go to "class" and see this unfold. 

I hope it's the best class we've ever taken...

SCU Momentum Video

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