- Matchup: Santa Clara Broncos vs Kentucky Wildcats
- Date: Friday, March 20, 2026
- Venue: Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO
- Broadcast: CBS
- Odds/Point Spread: Santa Clara (+3)
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The Santa Clara Broncos (26-8) are heading to the Enterprise Center on Friday to clash with the Kentucky Wildcats (21-13) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Kentucky enters as 3-point favorites, with the over/under set at 160 points.
In their previous game, the Santa Clara Broncos faced Gonzaga, suffering a 79-68 defeat. Santa Clara recorded a shooting percentage of 38.2% (26 of 68) and hit 9 of their 34 attempts from beyond the arc. At the free throw line, they achieved a solid 87.5% by making 7 of their 8 attempts. The Broncos secured 33 rebounds, including 13 on offense, while dishing out 13 assists and forcing 8 turnovers, resulting in 7 steals. On the defensive end, Santa Clara permitted Gonzaga to shoot at 52.8% (28 of 53), with Gonzaga also racking up 24 assists and 4 steals. Gonzaga managed 32 total rebounds (12 offensive, 20 defensive) but did not record any blocks. They converted 13 of 23 free throws for a 56.5% success rate and made 10 out of 25 three-point attempts. The Broncos committed 20 fouls, while Gonzaga was called for 9.
Christian Hammond was a standout performer for the Broncos, achieving a shooting percentage of 56.3%, along with 3 assists, playing 33 minutes, and grabbing 2 rebounds. He contributed 24 points on 9 of 16 shooting.
Santa Clara brings a solid record of 26-8 into this game. They average 10.8 turnovers per game and commit 19.5 personal fouls. The Broncos secure an average of 35.7 rebounds and have registered 570 assists this season, ranking them 25th nationally in assists. They have a 3-point shooting percentage of 34.6% (344 of 994) and hit 73.6% from the free throw line. Averaging 82.9 points per game, they rank 38th in Division I, and they shoot 46.8% from the field.
Defensively, the Broncos force 14.1 turnovers and average 15.4 personal fouls. Opponents are shooting 32.7% from three-point range, while Santa Clara allows 72.4 points per game, ranking them 136th nationally. The Broncos give up a 45.1% field goal percentage (852 of 1,891) and 33.2 rebounds per game as a team. They rank 330th in NCAA in terms of assists allowed, having conceded a total of 518 this season.
The Kentucky Wildcats last played against Florida, falling to a score of 71-63. In this matchup, the Wildcats secured 21 defensive rebounds and 8 offensive boards, totaling 29 rebounds. They committed 11 turnovers but recorded 9 steals. The Florida team committed 19 fouls, leading Kentucky to the free throw line for 20 attempts, where they converted 16, hitting 80.0%. Kentucky struggled from the three-point line, making only 5 of 23 attempts (21.7%). The Wildcats shot 21 out of 59 from the field, completing the game with a shooting percentage of 35.6%. On the other side, Florida converted 22 of 58 field goal attempts at a rate of 37.9%, finishing 15.0% from three-point land with 3 of 20 shots. Kentucky allowed Florida 45 total rebounds (16 offensive).
Denzel Aberdeen contributed significantly for the Wildcats, hitting 5 of 11 shots for a 45.5% shooting percentage, along with 5 rebounds. He recorded 17 points over 35 minutes of play and added 3 assists.
The Wildcats come into this game with a 21-13 record this season. They average 18.4 personal fouls per game and shoot 72.8% from the charity stripe. Kentucky records 16.0 assists per game (63rd in the nation) while committing 10.5 turnovers. They have scored a total of 2,746 points this season, averaging 80.8 points per game, and average 37.5 rebounds.
On the defensive end, Kentucky allows 31.6% shooting from beyond the arc (252 of 797) and gives up 73.0% from the free throw line. They relinquish an average of 13.9 assists and 34.4 rebounds per game, checking in at 227th and 185th, respectively, nationwide. The Wildcats rank 182nd in points allowed per game, averaging 73.8, while managing to force 11.1 turnovers and allowing opponents to shoot 42.5% from the field (86th in college).
Will Santa Clara cover the spread in this NCAA matchup?
Prediction: Bet on Santa Clara (+3)
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