Day one of the 2026 NCAA Tournament was electric, an day two could bring more of the same. Kicking off the action for Friday are the No. 10 Santa Clara Broncos (26-8) and the No. 7 Kentucky Wildcats (21-13) at 12:15 p.m. ET on CBS.
As 3.5-point favorites, Kentucky enters this game as favorites to advance. Can the Broncos play spoiler and pull off the upset?
Who may have an advantage for Friday’s Santa Clara vs. Kentucky pick against the spread? Use PrizePicks Team Picks to make predictions on game winners, spreads, over/unders, and more.
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Santa Clara vs. Kentucky Prediction, Spread, Over/Under
It’s been a stellar season for the Santa Clara Broncos. They've flown under the radar behind the West Coast Conference’s big two in St. Mary's and Gonzaga but have quietly put together a 28-6 record while going 15-3 in conference play.
Santa Clara finished just one game out of first place in the conference and went on to upset St. Mary’s in the WCC Tournament semifinals before losing to Gonzaga.
The Broncos have been led this season by sophomore G Christian Hammond, who averages a team-high 15.8 points while shooting 40% from 3-point land.
It’s been a so-so year for Kentucky, but all would be forgiven with a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. This is a talented team, but it just hasn't been able to put together a consistent stretch of games, leaving UK just 10-8 in conference play.
Their engine is senior guard Otega Oweh. Oweh has increased his scoring average from 16.2 PPG last year to a team-high 18.2 this season. He’s also a bulldog defensively, leading the team with 1.8 steals per game.
Santa Clara vs. Kentucky Spread, Over/Under
The Wildcats enter Friday’s game as 3.5-point favorites, returning a 1.61x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win outright.
The Broncos are the underdogs with a 2.22x payout if they win, via PrizePicks Team Picks, where you can earn money with your picks in 35 states.
- Spread: Kentucky Wildcats -3.5 (1.92x payout)
- Over/Under: 158.5 (1.96x payout on over)
- Game Winner Payout: Broncos 2.22x | Wildcats 1.61x
Team Picks data is live as of writing and is subject to change.
🔥 Get College Basketball Predictions and Picks from the experts for the NCAA Tournament
Santa Clara vs. Kentucky State Prediction on Spread – 3/20/26
Here are the key stats to know before locking in your Santa Clara vs. Kentucky prediction on the spread for Friday, March 20, on PrizePicks.
- Santa Clara is 18-15-0 (54.5%) against the spread (ATS) this season.
- Kentucky has underperformed relative to the spread as a favorite. As 3.5-point favorites or greater, they're just 9-11-0 (45%) ATS.
- These are two incredibly evenly matched teams, with KenPom having Kentucky just 2.19 points better in net rating. Bart Torvik has Santa Clara ranked two spots ahead of the Wildcats in their net power rankings.
- When teams match up well, the turnover battle can oftentimes make up the difference given razor-thin margins. That's where the numbers favor the Broncos, who are 21st in turnovers created at 20.1 per game.
- Kentucky is one of the worst teams at creating chaos defensively, ranking 228th and forcing just 15.8 turnovers each night.
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Make Santa Clara vs. Kentucky Picks on PrizePicks
Will Santa Clara continue its strong season with a first-round victory, or can Kentucky finally realize its potential and prove that SEC teams are a different breed?
You can make your Santa Clara vs. Kentucky picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money. Just pick players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and cash in if you’re correct. With Team Picks, make predictions on winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 35 states.
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