The West Coast Conference Tournament championship brings together two of the league’s most explosive offenses as Santa Clara faces Gonzaga on Tuesday night in Las Vegas. Gonzaga enters the game with a 29-3 record and the reputation of a program that has dominated the WCC tournament for decades. They will try to win their final WCC Tournament over a team that might still need a win in this Santa Clara vs Gonzaga matchup to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
Pick: Gonzaga -6.5 ATS PRO
Confidence: 4 out of 5
Gonzaga enters the championship as the conference’s top seed and betting favorite. The Bulldogs are listed around a 6.5-point favorite. Their offensive efficiency has been excellent all season, scoring 85.3 points per game while shooting better than 51% from the field.
Santa Clara has been one of the most entertaining offensive teams in the WCC. The Broncos average 83.3 points per game and rely heavily on perimeter shooting and quick ball movement. Their semifinal victory over Saint Mary’s showed their ability to score late in tight situations.
That win for Santa Clara in the semifinals was probably enough to secure them an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament. But with the bias that the selection committee has toward teams from bigger conferences, the Broncos will likely want to leave no doubt that they are worthy of a spot in this tournament.
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Santa Clara Broncos
Stat | Santa Clara | Gonzaga |
|---|---|---|
Points per game | 83.3 | 85.3 |
Points allowed per game | 72.2 | 65.9 |
Team Field Goal % | 47% | 51% |
Rebounds per game | 35.5 | 40.1 |
Assists per game | 16.9 | 18.2 |
Score Projection: Santa Clara 79 – Gonzaga 87 ATS PRO
Win Probability: Santa Clara 36%, Gonzaga 64% ATS PRO
This WCC championship game has the potential to be one of the highest-scoring conference tournament finals of the week. Santa Clara has shown it can compete with Gonzaga. However, Gonzaga’s efficiency, rebounding advantage, and defensive consistency give them the edge. Graham Ike’s inside scoring and Gonzaga’s ability to control the glass should create enough separation late in the game. I'll lay the points with the Zags, though the Broncos should get into the NCAA Tournament anyway.
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