The Broncos improved to 3-2 on the season this past Monday after beating Sacred Heart, 84-74. They were led by a high-scoring night by senior guard Jared Brownridge, who swished seven threes en route to dropping 32 points.
Brownridge (16.8 ppg) has free reign on offense, since he is their most aggressive and gifted scorer. However, with a 36.4 field goal percentage, he may want to share the ball more. Guard/Forward Jarvis Pugh (15.6 ppg), the team’s second option, is averaging almost the same amount of points and he’s taking seven less shots.
We’ll see if first-year head coach Herb Sendek, the same guy who help mold talented swingmen Julius Hodge (NC State) and James Harden (Arizona State), will soon direct an increase of opportunities for Pugh.
As they head to Orleans Arena Thursday, the team will parade an unappealing scoring average of 71.6 points on a satisfactory 45.4-percent shooting.
The Broncos are actually at the 58.3 percent mark from the perimeter; it’s their horrid 33.1 rate from three that’s bringing their shooting numbers down (48-for-145). Santa Clara is perhaps trying to shoot like their Bay Area neighbors, and they’re unfortunately failing hard.
Santa Clara is 3-7 SU (7-3 ATS) in their last 10 games on the road.
Losing several key players from last season are yet to cause problems for the Wildcats. Thanks to their newcomers stepping up, they have now opened with a 4-0 card. Three of their four victories have been by 12 points or more, all while holding opponents to a 40.9-percent shooting.
Headlining those newcomers is Lauri Markkanen. The seven-foot giant has emerged as the go-to scorer for the team, averaging 19.3 ppg. He’s also continuing to show his abilities on knocking down on mid-range jumpers and threes.
Guards Kobi Simmons (12 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.5 apg) and Rawle Adkins (11.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.5 apg), Arizona’s other prized recruits, are averaging identical numbers. Look for those two to also have their own spotlights soon. Junior point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright (10.3 ppg, 5.8 apg), meanwhile, is doing a decent job directing the offense and being the “elder statesman” in the team.
Unlike their opponents, the Wildcats are not three-point happy. It’s probably for the better, though, as they have only made 19 of 60 attempts, which leaves it to an ugly 30-percent rate.
Arizona is 7-3 SU (3-7 ATS) in their last 10 games.
