Kentucky Wildcats vs Santa Clara Broncos: First Round Showdown

0:00On March 18, Kentucky Wildcats take on the Santa Clara Broncos in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday at 12.15pm. It's a 7 vs 10 matchup, marking the Wildcats first ever 7 seed. The winner advances to face the victor from the two vs 15 clash between Iowa State and Tennessee State. Kentucky rarely lands in this bracket spot, but they've built a powerhouse resume in opening games since the tournament grew in 1985. The Wildcats hold a 30 wins to 4 losses record in the round of 64, going 25 and 2 when seeded 5 or higher. Even as underdogs or lower seeds, they thrive with just a couple of stumbles. They've met Santa Clara once before, beating the Broncos 74 to 60 back in 2006 at home. This season's SEC grind and tournament run have Kentucky entering St. Louis Sharp and Confident, while Santa Clara faces a step up in competition. History favors the Wildcats in these openers, so expect a strong push Friday to keep their streak alive and head into the weekend matchup.