Published Mar 19, 4:19am ET by
Demilade Adelekun - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Mar 19, 4:19am ET
The 10/7 line is historically one of the most upset-prone in March. Will the Broncos be able to pull off the upset?
|
|
|---|---|
| Kentucky Wildcats | -162 |
| Santa Clara Broncos | +136 |
Kentucky is 21-13 overall and the 7th seed in the Midwest Region — the program's lowest seed since 2014.
For More March Madness Betting Odds and Predictions, See the Full Hub
The Wildcats finished 4-6 down the stretch of the year. They have struggled to play to the Kentucky standard, to say the least. Otega Oweh is the star of the team. He is good for 18 a game and is a consistent slashing threat. Can he take the Wildcats on a run in March?
Santa Clara is 26-8 overall and the 10th seed in the Midwest Region. Their first NCAA Tournament appearance since the mid-1990s, when Steve Nash was running the show.
Herb Sendek, a former Kentucky assistant, has built something real in Santa Clara. The Broncos are a top-25 offense nationally, averaging 10.1 made threes per game and forcing 14.1 turnovers per night. They're 17-1 when hitting better than 35% from three and 9-7 when they don't. It's simple, if they get hot from behind the line, they will win the game.
Santa Clara is the highest-rated 10-seed in the tournament. Kentucky is the second-worst 7-seed. Sendek knows this program, his team shoots the ball extremely well, and the Broncos match up better than most against Kentucky's physicality. We're going with the upset. Our pick is Santa Clara on the moneyline (+136).
|
Pick
Santa Clara (+136)
|
New Player Bonus
50% up to $1000
|
