Kevin Foster finished his career as Santa Clara's all-time leading scorer, good enough for second place all-time in the West Coast Conference (67 points behind Hank Gathers). Standing in second place all-time is great, but Foster missed 771 shots that could have vaulted him well into first place. His 39.0% career field goal percentage made him one of the most inconsistent great players in recent memory.
There is the Kevin Foster that won the 2011 CIT MVP and 2013 CBI MVP as he led the Broncos to postseason glory. Then there is the Kevin Foster who missed the last 12 games of the 2012 season due to suspension. Despite the problems, losses, inefficiency and inconsistency these two were made for each other.
The 6'2'', 211lbs shooting guard from Katy, Texas chose Santa Clara despite interest from Vanderbilt. Like most freshmen, it took Foster a few games to get up to speed with the college game. He began the season as a reserve, averaging 6.5 points and 15 minutes over the Broncos first four games. His breakout game came against Arizona, in the fifth game of the season, when he scored 21 points and played 33 minutes. That would be his last game coming off the bench as a freshman.
As a starter, Foster averaged 15.6 points per game. For the season his average was 14.7 PPG, the best among West Coast Conference freshmen. That scoring pace led him to set numerous freshmen records at Santa Clara. His 486 points broke Kurt Rambis' record for scoring by a freshman and his 396 field goals attempted shattered the previous freshman record, also set by Rambis, of 217. His 85 three pointers made bested the previous record of 51 and the 232 attempts he took to set that record also set the record for three pointers attempted. Over the course of the season Foster totaled 1,000 minutes, 110 more than the previous freshman record set the year before by teammate Ben Dowdell.
Foster's work as a freshman earned him WCC Newcomer of the Year honors, which he shared with Portland's TJ Campbell. He was also given a spot on the all-WCC Freshman Team and an all-WCC Team Honorable Mention.
His sophomore season got off to a hot start. Over the first six games he scored 21, 19, 22, 14, 25 and 18 points. Unfortunately his season was halted just one day into the month of December when a fracture in his right fifth metatarsal forced him into surgery and out of the remainder of the season. Because the injury happened early in the season and he was unable to return, Foster qualified for a medical redshirt.
As a redshirt sophomore, Foster picked up right where he left off. He started every game that season and averaged a WCC best 20.2 points per game. He was named WCC Player of the Month for February and March.
Only twice during his redshirt sophomore season was Foster held (by defenses and/or his inefficiency) to single digits in scoring. In the third game of the season, a 69-65 victory at home over Rice, Foster scored nine points. On January 27th, 2011, in a victory at Pepperdine, Foster was held to just eight points on two of ten shooting.
He managed only 38.6% shooting from the field that season, thanks in large part to the NCAA leading 380 three pointers he attempted. However, he managed to connect on 36.8% of those threes. Foster finished the season as the nation's leader in three pointers made and attempted.
2010-11 was one of the best seasons in Broncos' history. As I mentioned above, this was the season he led them to the CIT title and claimed CIT MVP. Foster had huge performances during the Broncos' biggest games. In the two games against Gonzaga that season, Foster had 27 and 36 points. In the CIT he averaged 25.4 PPG.
Along with being named CIT MVP he earned all-WCC First Team honors.
That was a season of good, next came a season of bad.
In an exhibition before the start of Foster's junior season, teammate Marc Trasolini tore his ACL and was forced to redshirt. The points that Trasolini would have scored (12.8 PPG in 2010-11) were now available for another Bronco. Foster was not that Bronco.
His numbers dropped from 20.2 PPG to 17.8 as the Broncos struggled to find chemistry and success. While they managed through the non-conference with an 8-5 mark that included nice looking wins over Villanova, Washington State and New Mexico, the Broncos were nowhere near the level of the previous season. Once the WCC slate came around the team fell apart. Foster tried, but the Broncos lost their first five WCC games. Actually, they lost all 17 WCC games they played that season. Unfortunately, Foster only played in the first five.
In the early morning hours of Sunday, January 22, 2012, Foster was arrested on suspension of driving under the influence. The arrest occurred just hours after a 93-77 loss at home to then #23 Saint Mary's in which Foster hit five of eight threes and totaled 22 points.
His senior season was a chance for redemption. With both Foster and Trasolini back, and a wealth of experience gained as the supporting cast attempted to replace them, the 2012-13 Broncos were poised to make some noise. Foster put his past behind him, except for the low shooting percentage part of his past, and had a phenomenal year.
Foster was more inconsistent as a senior than perhaps any season since his first. While his scoring jumped back up to 19.3 PPG, he was held under ten points on five occasions. Of those the most glaring were a two point performance against Wagner in which he failed to make a field goal in 26 minutes of action (and you know he tried, a lot) and a four point performance at then #3 Gonzaga (in his defense the Zags, perhaps trying to prove they were legitimate, absolutely throttled the Broncos for an 85-42 victory).
He may not have been as consistent as he was during his other phenomenal season, 2010-11, but he was darn close and that would prove to be enough to reach a lot of major milestones.
On December 29th, the Broncos played a game that started at 9:00 AM Santa Clara time. At Cameron Indoor Stadium against then #1 Duke, Foster's 29 points helped the Broncos give the Blue Devils all they could handle. Santa Clara trailed by just two points at the half and looked poised to notch the biggest upset of the season but ultimately fell out of contention for a 77-90 loss.
On January 5th against then #10 Gonzaga, Foster scored his 2,000th career point. A week later, on January 12th against BYU, Foster broke the WCC's record for career three pointers made.
After a loss to the surging Lions of LMU in their first game of the WCC Tournament, the Broncos record was 21-11. With that record they were invited to participate in the College Basketball Invitational postseason tournament. The Broncos were back in the postseason for the second time in three years.
Foster averaged 26.3 points per game over the Broncos' six games in the CBI. For his efforts in leading the Broncos to the CBI title he earned CBI MVP honors. Those two trophies surely provided the icing on the cake that was an all-WCC First Team season as a senior.
I already mentioned Foster's place at or near the top of many Santa Clara and WCC records. On top of those he sits near the top of the NCAA's career three point records. Foster's 431 three pointers made rank fourth all time. His 1,184 three point attempts rank second, eight shots out of first place.
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