- Matchup: Santa Clara Broncos vs Gonzaga Bulldogs
- Date: Thursday, January 8, 2026
- Venue: McCarthey Athletic Center, Spokane, WA
- Broadcast: ESPN2
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The Santa Clara Broncos (13-4) are set to visit the McCarthey Athletic Center this Thursday, eager to take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs (16-1).
In their most recent game, the Santa Clara Broncos clashed with San Diego, clinching a decisive 98-70 victory. During this contest, the Broncos committed 16 personal fouls compared to San Diego’s 11. They successfully converted 9 out of 24 attempts from beyond the arc. On free throws, San Diego managed to achieve a 69.2% success rate by hitting 9 of 13 tries. The Toreros secured 23 rebounds (7 offensive, 16 defensive) but failed to register any blocks. They recorded 16 assists and made 7 steals throughout the game. Defensively, the Broncos conceded a shooting percentage of 43.3% from the field, allowing 26 of 60 attempts. Santa Clara tallied a total of 24 assists and forced 16 turnovers, acquiring 13 steals along the way. In rebounding, they dominated with 48 total boards, including 19 offensive. At the free throw line, the Broncos were flawless, sinking all 10 of their attempts for a perfect rate of 100.0%. The Broncos concluded the game with a shooting percentage of 50.0% (37 out of 74) and nailed 14 of 41 three-point shots.
Christian Hammond was a standout player for the Broncos, contributing 21 points on 9 of 13 shooting. He logged 28 minutes and nabbed 4 rebounds while finishing with an impressive shooting percentage of 69.2%, along with 2 assists.
The Broncos arrive at this matchup boasting a 13-4 record this season. They currently average 12.1 turnovers per game and commit 19.7 personal fouls per contest. As a unit, Santa Clara is securing 37.1 rebounds per game and has recorded 316 assists this season, which ranks them 5th in Division 1 for assist rates. Their three-point shooting stands at 32.8% (169 of 515), while they convert 70.7% from the free throw line. They are averaging 82.5 points per game, placing them 87th in D-1, shooting 46.7% from the field.
On the defensive end, the Broncos are forcing 14.6 turnovers each game while committing 15.9 personal fouls. They allow a 32.3% shooting percentage on three-pointers and rank 108th in the nation for points allowed per game (70.4). The Broncos’ defense permits an opponent field goal percentage of 43.8% (406 out of 928), relinquishing 30.9 rebounds per game as a team. They rank 334th in Division 1 for allowing assists, having surrendered 253 this year.
In their last outing, the Gonzaga Bulldogs secured a convincing 82-47 win over Loyola Marymount. The Bulldogs gathered 29 defensive rebounds and 10 on the offensive end, totaling 39 boards in the process. They turned the ball over 8 times while earning 9 steals in the game. Loyola Marymount incurred 9 personal fouls, allowing Gonzaga 10 free throw attempts, of which they converted 4 for a 40.0% success rate from the line. From beyond the arc, Gonzaga managed to hit 6 of 20 attempts (30.0%). Overall, the Bulldogs completed 36 of 67 field goals, achieving a shooting percentage of 53.7%. Defensively, Gonzaga allowed Loyola Marymount to shoot 19 of 63 from the field, equating to a 30.2% shooting rate for their opponents, who connected on 26.1% of their three-pointers (6 of 23) and went 3 of 7 (42.9%) from the free throw line. The Bulldogs allowed Loyola Marymount 28 total rebounds, including 8 offensive boards.
Graham Ike played a crucial role for Gonzaga, scoring 16 points on 7 of 12 shooting for a field goal percentage of 58.3%, along with 7 rebounds and 3 assists in 29 minutes of play.
Gonzaga has a record of 16-1 this season. Offensively, they are shooting 52.4% from the field, which ranks 8th nationally. The Bulldogs have amassed a total of 1,557 points this season (averaging 91.6 points per game) and pull down 43.4 rebounds on average. They average 20.1 assists per game (7th in college basketball) and turn the ball over 10.4 times per contest. Gonzaga commits 18.1 fouls per game and converts 69.9% from the charity stripe.
On defense, Gonzaga ranks 54th in the nation in points allowed per game at 67.4. They force an average of 14.7 turnovers and limit opponents to a shooting percentage of 38.8% (22nd in D-1). The Gonzaga defense allows 29.0% shooting from beyond the arc (132 of 455), with opponents hitting 67.8% of their free throw attempts. They yield 12.5 assists and 32.2 rebounds per game, ranking 115th and 72nd respectively in D-1.
Who will emerge victorious in tonight’s NCAA matchup against the spread?
Prediction: Bet on Santa Clara
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