Santa Clara vs Kentucky: N-C-A-A Clash

0:00On March 17th, Santa Clara heads into the NCAA tournament, aiming for a first round upset against seven-seated Kentucky on Friday in St. Louis. The Broncos earned an at-large bid after a strong 26 wins and eight losses season, finishing third in the West Coast Conference, despite a conference tournament final loss to Gonzaga. Coach Erb Sendeck knows the challenge ahead, stressing the need for a flawless effort on both ends to compete with Kentucky's talent and depth. He expects a rowdy crowd dominated by Wildcats fans, but his team is locked in on preparation and playing their best ball. Santa Clara relies on a balanced attack led by three double-digit scores, including leading man Christian Hammond at 15.8 points per. Game, Elijah Mahi at 13.9, and freshman standout Alan Graves, averaging 11.6. Graves has drawn NBA attention after earning both newcomer and six-man honors in the conference. Sendeck brings unique insight from his days as an assistant at Kentucky under Rick Patino

1:03in the early 90s, where he soaked up lessons on coaching. Excellent. He even kicked off the high school recruiting of current Wildcats head coach Mark Pope, though Pope chose Washington before transferring later. With those ties adding extra flavor, both squads gear up for a clash of styles in what promises to be an intense opener for Big Blue Nation.