The Santa Clara Broncos will look to avenge a 95-53 January crushing by Gonzaga when they meet the Bulldogs tonight at the Leavey Center. The Broncos are not exactly lighting it up as they prepare to face the first place Zags; they have lost two of their last three games entering this evening's battle. The action is set to start at 11:00pm ET in Santa Clara, CA and will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
Gonzaga vs Santa Clara College Basketball Picks at Bodoglife.com have the home team Broncos listed as a +10 home underdog.
Gonzaga is cruising its way to an easy West Coast Conference title, the only question remaining is if they can capture the top spot with an unblemished WCC record. The Zags are 12-0 in conference action and they have a three game lead over second place Portland with just three games left on the schedule. The Bulldogs 21-5 overall mark has earned them a number 17 ranking in both the AP Poll and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.
Mark Few's squad has won two games in a row and 12 of their last 13 entering this evening's foray with the Broncos. Their last outing was a 92-58 blistering of the Pepperdine Waves in Spokane, Washington. The Zags defense forced 21 Pepperdine turnovers in addition to tallying 13 steals and six blocks. Their offense hit 56.9 percent from the field and had four players score in double figures. Senior forward Josh Heytvelt dominated the affair, scoring 28 points and racking up 14 rebounds.
Gonzaga is 7-2 on the road this year where they average 79 points per game and allow 68.4 in return.
Santa Clara is just 6-6 in West Coast play and they are a lackluster 14-15 overall. Their mediocre record has them sitting in fourth place in the conference standings. The Broncos last outing was indicative of their recent play as they suffered a heart-breaking 66-67 loss in overtime at San Francisco.
Kerry Keating's team had 18 turnovers and hit just 2-of-16 from beyond the arc against the Dons. On a positive note, freshman guard Kevin Foster did score 20 points in the narrow defeat.
The Broncos are an impressive 10-2 at the Leavey Center this year. They have dropped in an average of 70.7 per game there and held visitors to just 57.7 per contest.
Bodoglife.com's Gonzaga vs Santa Clara College Basketball Picks:
Gonzaga Bulldogs -10 (-110)
Santa Clara Broncos +10 (-110)
