The Santa Clara Broncos kickoff their 2011-2012 regular season schedule Friday evening as they host UC Merced. The Broncos are coming off a successful 2010-11 campaign that saw them finish 24-14 and defeat Iona on the road to claim the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament title. The Broncos return preseason All-WCC player Kevin Foster who led the West Coast Conference in scoring a season ago with 19.4 points per game.
The Broncos 2011-12 schedule features a challenging mix of conference and non-conference opponents. The WCC is always a challenge, but it is made even more so this season with the addition of Brigham Young University. Santa Clara will look to bull its way into the upper echelon of the conference, which currently features BYU, Gonzaga and Saint Mary's.
Santa Clara's non-conference schedule includes a trip to Anaheim to compete in the ESPNU 76 Classic. The Broncos open against Mountain West favorite New Mexico and then face either Oklahoma or Washington State. They will play a third game from there against one of Villanova, UC Riverside, St. Louis or Boston College. The 76 Classic should get them fully prepared for their January 5 WCC opener at Portland.
Here is a rundown of Santa Clara's 2011-2012 college basketball schedule (home games in bold/caps, all times pacific):
November
11 FRI. UC MERCED 7:30 PM
15 Tues. UC Santa Barbara 7:00 PM
19 SAT. SAN JOSE STATE 7:00 PM
24 Thurs. New Mexico 6:00 PM (ESPNU 76 Classic)
25 Fri. Oklahoma/Washington State TBA (ESPNU 76 Classic)
26 Sun Championship/Consolation Game TBA (ESPNU 76 Classic)
December
3 SAT. CSU NORTHRIDGE 7:00 PM
11 Sun Washington State 1:00 PM
13 TUES. PACIFICA 7:00 PM
17 SAT. PACIFIC 2:00 PM
21 Wed. Houston Baptist 5:00 PM
29 THURS. EASTERN MICHIGAN 8:15 PM (45th Annual Cable Car Classic)
30 FRI. AIR FORCE/WAGNER TBA (45th Annual Cable Car Classic)
January
5 Thurs. Portland 8:00 PM
7 Sat. Gonzaga 5:00 PM
12 THURS. SAN DIEGO 7:00 PM
14 Sat. BYU 5:00 PM
21 SAT. SAINT MARY'S 8:00 PM
23 MON. LOYOLA MARYMOUNT 7:00 PM
26 THURS. SAN FRANCISCO 7:00 PM
28 Sat. Pepperdine 7:00 PM
February
2 THURS. PORTLAND 7:00 PM
4 Sat. San Diego 4:00 PM
9 Thurs. San Francisco 8:00 PM
11 Sat. Saint Mary's 8:00 PM
16 THURS. GONZAGA 8:00 PM
18 SAT. BYU 4:00 PM
23 THURS. PEPPERDINE 7:00 PM
25 Sat. Loyola Marymount 8:00 PM
29 Wed. WCC Play-In Game TBA
March
1 Thurs. WCC First Round TBA
2 Fri. WCC Quarters TBA
3 Sat. WCC Semifinals TBA
5 Mon. WCC Finals TBA