Kentucky vs Santa Clara: Tournament Showdown

0:00On March 18, Kentucky Wildcats faced the Santa Clara Broncos in the first round of the NCAA tournament as a 7-seed against the 10-seed. The game tips off in St. Louis in less than 48 hours. Kentucky boasts 63 tournament appearances, the most in college basketball, with a strong 132 and 56 record overall. Projections show a tight contest, with Ken Pong predicting a 2-point Kentucky win and others calling it a toss-up. The betting line sits at Kentucky minus two and a half, with a total of 160 and a half. The Wildcats have won and covered in all four games this season as a favorite by three points or less. Kentucky is thrived in St. Louis, winning seven of eight tournament games there, including the 1978 national title. They've never lost to a double-digit seed before the pandemic, but dropped two in their last four appearances. Santa Clara earned 15 West Coast Conference wins this year. A program record, but holds just five victories in 21, tries against current.

1:02South Eastern Conference teams. Kentucky played 19 games against other tournament teams this season, more than anyone else. Players like Otega O.A. could set records with more scoring, while Colin Chandler has hit double figures just once lately. Santa Clara's freshmen stand out, but their last South Eastern Conference win came against Texas A&M back in 1999. Several squads bring momentum into this bracket clash, setting up plenty of intrigue under the arch.