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The Santa Clara Broncos (19-8) visit the BYU Cougars (16-12) on Thursday night! Action tips off at 9:00 p.m. ET. Below we continue our College Basketball odds series with a Santa Clara-BYU prediction, pick, and how to watch.
Santa Clara has won three straight games to improve to 7-5 and sits in third place in the WCC. The Broncos covered 50% of their games while 58% went under the projected point total. BYU has lost two straight games and sits at 6-7 and in sixth place in the WCC. The Cougars covered 54% of their games while 50% went over. This will be the second meeting of the season between the conference foes. Santa Clara covered at home a month ago, winning 83-76.
Here are the Santa Clara-BYU college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Santa Clara-BYU Odds
Santa Clara: +4.5 (-102)
BYU: -4.5 (-120)
Over: 148.5 (-115)
Under: 148.5 (-105)
How To Watch Santa Clara vs. BYU
TV: CBS Sports Network
Stream: Paramount Plus
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Santa Clara Could Cover The Spread
Santa Clara has been a constant team all season after they went 12-3 in non-conference play. They picked up solid wins over DePaul, Iona, and Boise State but suffered big losses to Utah State and San Jose State. Although they did have a three-game losing streak at the end of January, they've otherwise been strong in WCC play. While they played No. 13 Gonzaga and No. 17 Saint Mary's tough at home, they were blown out on the road. Nevertheless, the Broncos still sit inside the top 100 within the advanced ratings as they come in at No. 92 in KenPom and No. 91 in NET. They've gone just 3-6 in Quad 1 and Quad 2 matchups and have a critical Quad 4 loss. With that, Santa Clara does not currently project to make the NCAA Tournament.
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Offensively, Santa Clara boasts a solid offense that ranks 51st nationally in scoring with 76 PPG. They love to chuck from deep as they rank 52nd in the country in three-point percentage and average 8.1 threes per game. The Broncos are a solid offensive-rebounding team as they rank fourth in the WCC in offensive rebound rate. Defensively, they do a great job protecting the rim as they average the third-most blocks in the conference.
Santa Clara's high-powered offense features three players averaging over 13 points per game. Sophomore guard Brandin Podziemski is their go-to guy as he ranks third in the conference in scoring with 19.4 PPG and third in rebounding with 8.0 RPG. Additionally, Podziemski is a pest on defense where he ranks third in the WCC with 1.9 steals per game.
Fellow sophomore Carlos Stewart was the star of the show in their earlier win over BYU as he scored 21 points on 53% shooting. The undersized guard is a consistent scorer who averages 15.5 PPG. Although he is coming off a six-point game on Saturday, look for him to bounce back against a familiar foe.
Why BYU Could Cover The Spread
BYU hasn't been able to find success in WCC play following an encouraging non-conference slate. Despite a brutal schedule, the Cougars managed to go 10-5 with wins over Dayton, No. 18 Creighton, and Utah. However, they did suffer losses to South Dakota, Utah Valley, and Butler. In conference play, they've been incredibly strong at home with their only losses coming by one to both No. 13 Gonzaga and No. 17 Saint Mary's. Thanks to their tough schedule, BYU still finds itself inside the top 100 in the advanced rankings. BYU comes in at No. 81 in KenPom and No. 92. They've gone just 3-8 against Quad 1 and Quad 2 opponents and have four Quad 3 and Quad 4 losses. Because of that, BYU does not currently project to make the NCAA Tournament.
Offensively, BYU isn't anything special but they do play at the third-fastest pace in the WCC. The Cougars are an elite rebounding team, however, as they rank second in the conference in both offensive and total rebound rates. BYU does struggle to hold onto the ball, however, as they lead the conference in turnover rate. They make their mark on the defensive end as the Cougars hold the second-highest defensive rating in the conference. Additionally, the Cougars rank second in the conference in blocks.
BYU boasts an incredibly balanced offense as four players average between 11 and 13 points per game. Sophomore forward Fousseyni Traore leads the team in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 12.9 PPG and 7.8 PG. Although he struggled in their earlier loss to Santa Clara, the sophomore has averaged 18.3 PPG across his last three games.
Final Santa Clara-BYU Prediction & Pick
BYU is nearly unbeatable at home and thus I expect them to get revenge on Santa Clara for their earlier loss and cover as home favorites,
Final Santa Clara-BYU Prediction & Pick: BYU -4.5 (-120)
