Expert prediction
WCC Tournament: Santa Clara vs No. 21 Saint Mary’s Preview, Odds, Predictions (March 9)
Pick rationale
Analysis & key factors
- The Broncos seek their first NCAA Tournament berth in the 21st century.
- The Gaels earned a share of the WCC regular-season title.
- This marks the 242nd all-time matchup between the two WCC programs.
The late hours of the March 9 slate will have high quality basketball when the No. 21 Saint Mary’s Gaels face the Santa Clara Broncos in the WCC semifinals. The former shines as the solid favorite, presenting a remarkable duel to see who gets to the championship game.
How to Watch
- When: Monday, Feb. 28, 11:30 pm ET
- Where: Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
- How to Watch: ESPN2
NCAA Matchup Odds & Lines
| Team | Odds | Spread | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara | -113 | +4.5 | O 148.5 |
| Saint Mary’s | -107 | -4.5 | U 148.5 |
Game Preview
The Broncos (25-7, 15-3 WCC) have enjoyed a strong campaign as the third best squad in the WCC, seeing head coach Herb Sendek earn the 2025-26 WCC Coach of the Year after his peers selected him for the award. Santa Clara had the nation’s fifth-best scoring offense in conference games at 87.2 ppg to lead the league. They also led the WCC in 3-pointers (10.4) and steals (10.00) while ranking second in FG percentage (49.1), free throw percentage (78.3) and turnover margin (4.39). Allen Graves came off the bench in all 18 of SCU’s conference games to average 13.5 points and 6.6 rebounds, taking home WCC Freshman of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year honors for the season.
The No. 21 Gaels (27-4, 16-2 WCC) were excellent in conference play, getting a share of the WCC regular-season title alongside Gonzaga. The Gaels look to be on their way to being ranked in the top-10 in scoring defense in the country for the fifth consecutive year, currently ranked seventh in the country, allowing 64.2 PPG. Over these last eight, Mikey Lewis has been red hot for the Gaels, averaging 17.3 points per game. Paulius Murauskas comes next with 17.1 PPG, while Joshua Dent produces 13 PPG as he buried 21 of his 41 three point attempts this season.
Santa Clara vs Saint Mary’s Head-to-Head
The two programs have had 241 meetings in their history, and the result is 137-104 for the Broncos. The most recent matchup was in February this year when Saint Mary’s won 86-67 at home.
Santa Clara vs Saint Mary’s Predictions
This game will be a tossup as Santa Clara has the firepower offense to put pressure on Saint Mary’s elite defense to deliver on that side of the ball. As for the Broncos, they must figure out how to contain Mikey Lewis’ offensive production for the Gaels as it will determine who advances from this round to the championship game. Our betting pick here is for the Gaels to cover a 4.5-point spread.
- Free NCAAB pick: Saint Mary’s Gaels -4.5
NCAAB
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