WCC Championship: Santa Clara vs No. 12 Gonzaga Preview, Odds, Predictions (March 10)
- The Broncos seek their first NCAA Tournament berth in the 21st century.
- The Bulldogs play their final WCC Tournament game this season.
- This marks the 108th all-time matchup between the two WCC programs.
The WCC Tournament will come to a close on March 10 when the No. 12 Gonzaga Bulldogs take on the Santa Clara Broncos in the championship game. The former shines as the solid favorite, presenting a remarkable duel to see who gets to automatically punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
How to Watch
- When: Tuesday, March 10, 9 pm ET
- Where: Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
- How to Watch: ESPN
NCAA Matchup Odds & Lines
| Team | Odds | Spread | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara | -115 | +8.5 | O 157 |
| Gonzaga | -105 | -8.5 | U 157 |
Game Preview
The Broncos (26-7, 15-3 WCC) are competing for the chance to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the 21st century. They are coming off solid wins over Pacific and No. 21 Saint Mary’s to reach the conference championship game. Four Broncos are currently averaging double-figure scoring throughout the tournament so far. Sash Gavalyugov leads the way at 17 ppg and is shooting 47.1 percent from 3-point range while also dishing out six assists. Elijah Mahi is averaging a near-double-double with 16 points and nine rebounds while Allen Graves is averaging 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks.
The No. 12 Bulldogs (29-3, 16-2 WCC) play their final WCC Tournament game as a member of the conference, taking part in the Pac-12 Conference. They enjoyed a bye to the semifinals as they took down Oregon State to reach the championship game. The Zags currently lead the WCC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.87, 5th in NCAA), assists (18.2, 12th), bench points (34.72, 5th), effective field goal percentage (.561), fast-break points (14.88, 23rd), field goal percentage (51.0, 8th), field goal percentage defense (39.5, 11th), defensive rebounds per game (28.09, 11th), scoring margin (19.4, 3rd), scoring offense (85.3, 19th), turnover margin (4.9, 5th), and turnovers (9.7, 27th). Graham Ike leads the squad as he ranks first in the WCC in scoring (19.9), second in rebounding (8.4), and first in field goal percentage (.565). In WCC play, he was first in scoring (21.9), in field goal pct. (.613), and second in rebounds (8.2).
Santa Clara vs Gonzaga Head-to-Head
The two programs have had 107 meetings in their history, and the result is 74-33 for the Bulldogs. The most recent matchup was in February this year when Gonzaga won 94-86 at home.
Santa Clara vs Gonzaga Predictions
The Bulldogs have enjoyed a dynasty reign over the WCC, constantly appearing in the championship game since the late-1990s. The Broncos will look to make their first NCAA Tournament appearance in decades and their first this century. Santa Clara has made waves as they pulled off the upset over Saint Mary’s in the semifinals, a win that Gonzaga should not overlook as this game will go down to the wire. Our betting pick here is for the Bulldogs to cover an 8.5-point spread.
- Free NCAAB pick:Â Gonzaga Bulldogs -8.5
