Kentucky vs Santa Clara: Big Men Battle

0:00On March 19, Kentucky takes on Santa Clara in the first round of the men's NCAA tournament. The 7th-seated Wildcats face the 10th-seated Broncos on Friday, March 20th, at 12.15 p.m. Eastern Time from Enterprise Center in St. Air, Louis. You can catch it live on CBS or stream it through the March Manus Live app, Paramount Plus, or HBO Max. Both teams finish the regular season at 26 wins and 8 losses, with Kentucky ranked 28th in Kenpaham in net ratings while Santa. Clara sits at 35th and 40th. Kentucky had a solid but uneven year under Coach Mark Pope, starting as a pre-season top 10 team but fading to an SEC also ran. This marks their lowest seed since an 8th in 2014. Santa Clara meanwhile returns to the dance for the first time since the mid-1990s when Steve Nash led them. They held their own in the West Coast conference, splitting with St. Mary's, and trailing only Gonzaga. Fans are buzzing about the clash of big lineups, as both squads rely on size and side.

1:03Santa Clara dominates offensive rebounds and loves to fire threes, ranking near the top nationally there, but they rarely get to the free throw line. Averaging just 16.4 attempts per game. Kentucky fouls often at 18.4 per game and gives a few second chances while holding opponents under 32% from beyond the arc. The key match of comes down to who's bulk controls the boards and perimeter defense. Santa Clara thrives when hitting over 35% of its threes, but struggled against physical foes like Gonzaga. Kentucky had issues with big teams like Florida and Michigan State but should limit the Broncos outside game. Expect a tie battle where Kentucky pulls ahead at the line, winning 80 to 75. The victor likely faces Iowa State next, setting up another heavyweight showdown.