NCAA First Round: Santa Clara vs Kentucky Preview, Odds, Predictions (March 20)
- The Broncos make their first NCAA Tournament in the 21st century.
- The Wildcats made their 63rd all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
- This marks the second all-time matchup between the two programs.
The second half of the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament will begin on Friday afternoon as the Santa Clara Broncos take on the Kentucky Wildcats. The latter stands out as the slight favorite, paving the way for a possible upset to take place in this contest.
How to Watch
- When: Friday, March 20, 12:15 pm ET
- Where: Enterprise Center, St. Louis, Missouri
- How to Watch: CBS
NCAA Matchup Odds & Lines
| Team | Odds | Spread | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara | -108 | +3 | O 157.5 |
| Kentucky | -112 | -3 | U 157.5 |
Game Preview
The Broncos (26-8) are having their best year in decades, making their first NCAA Tournament this century despite losing the WCC Championship Game to Gonzaga. Santa Clara is a high volume, 3-point shooting team, averaging 29.2 attempts and 10.1 makes from distance, both tops in the WCC. Freshman Allen Graves was chosen as both the Freshman of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year in the conference, averaging 11.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game off the bench. On another note, Christian Hammond is the leading scorer for the Broncos, averaging 15.8 points per game.
The Wildcats (21-13) were fortunate to get an At-Large bid to the NCAA Tournament despite underperforming to their usual standards. Otega Oweh is the undisputed star on this squad, providing 18.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game on 46.3% shooting from the field. Meanwhile, Mo Dioubate is third on the team in scoring, averaging 11.3 points per game in his last seven appearances. He’s also second on the team in rebounding, pulling down 5.4 boards per contest.
Santa Clara vs Kentucky Head-to-Head
The two programs have had one meeting in their history, and the result is 1-0 for the Wildcats. The most recent matchup was in December 2006 when Kentucky won 74-60 at home.
Santa Clara vs Kentucky Predictions
The Wildcats have shown the resilience to punch their ticket to the Big Dance, but their overall lack of consistency leaves them vulnerable to poor starts. This plays to Santa Clara’s advantage, who have displayed the quality needed to keep up with some of the best teams in the country. If Allen Graves and Christian Hammond deliver strong scoring performances, that may spell trouble for the Wildcats. Our betting pick here is for the Broncos to cover a 3-point spread.
- Free NCAAB pick:Â Santa Clara Broncos +3
