Santa Clara Broncos vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs Picks and Prediction for Thursday, January 8th, 2026
The Santa Clara Broncos (13-4, 8-8ATS, 10-6 O/U) meet the Gonzaga Bulldogs (16-1, 11-6 ATS, 8-9 O/U) in a WCC bout on Thursday evening, and we have you covered with the prediction. The Broncos posted a win against San Diego in their previous clash. The Bulldogs recorded a home win against Loyola Marymount in their recent action. Gonzaga won the only meeting against last season.
Can Gonzaga extend its winning streak with a massive home win on Thursday evening? Check out the Santa Clara vs. Gonzaga prediction. Do you need a boost in your handicapping? Try our NCAAB Picks!
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Broncos Remain Undefeated in Conference Play
The Santa Clara Broncos are attempting to remain undefeated in conference play. Santa Clara is 4-0 in WCC action. The squad had a tough schedule in non-conference play and posted a win against Minnesota and a loss against Loyola Chicago. The Broncos netted a victory against Portland to begin conference play.
The success continued with another victory against Pepperdine to start January. Santa Clara recorded a 98-70 home win against San Diego on Saturday in a bout that had the Broncos marked as 17-point favorites. Santa Clara shot 50% in the effort while keeping S.D. to a 43% efficiency. The Broncos have covered the spread in two of their past five games.
Christian Hammond is enjoying a dominant season. The sophomore guard has surpassed 20 points in seven games this season. Hammond scored 21 points on Saturday and has delivered an average of 17 PPG on the year. Elijah Mahi is also a huge threat. The senior forward has sunk 20 or more in three of his last five efforts. The senior forward has amassed an average of 15 PPG.
Bukky Oboye is efficient, connecting on 50% of his field goals in all but two games this season. The sophomore center has netted an average of 8.6 PPG. Brenton Knapper has reached double digits in three of his last five clashes. The senior guard scored 10 points on Saturday and is averaging 8.2 PPG. Sash Gavalyyugov comes off the bench and plays about 15-20 minutes. The freshman guard has posted an average of 6.9 PPG on the season.
The Broncos are ranked 55th in DI in Ken Pomeroy’s ratings. They are 3-1 on the road, including a win against Xavier. Santa Clara is potent in the offensive end. They have reached 90 points in two of their past three games. They are averaging 82.5 points on the year, marking them 156th. The Broncos are conceding an average of 70.4 points, placing them 70th.
Gonzaga Targets 10th Straight Win
The Gonzaga Bulldogs are targeting their 10th straight win. Gonzaga is again a contender for a national championship. They have dropped just one game in a defeat against a strong Michigan team. The Bulldogs have won nine games in a row. They downed Kentucky and Oregon in that span. Gonzaga stands at 4-0 in WCC play, including a win against San Diego.
Gonzaga opened January with an OT win against Seattle. The Bulldogs continued their dominant play in a dominant 82-47 home win against Loyola Marymount on Sunday to cover the big 25-point spread. Gonzaga connected on 50% of its shots in the win and kept Loyola Marymount to a 30% mark. The Bulldogs have covered the spread in two of their past five games.
Braden Huff is capable of taking over a game. The junior forward has reached 20 points in seven of his past 10 games. Huff was quiet in the win on Sunday and is sporting an average of 18.1 PPG. Graham Ike is hard to contain underneath the bucket. The senior forward has sunk 17 or more points in three of his last five games. Ike has recorded an average of 16.8 PPG on the year.
Tyon Grant-Foster is another steady player. The senior guard scored 19 last week and nine points on Saturday. He is averaging 11.9 PPG and 5.5 RPG. Mario-Saint-Supery has been shaky, shooting below 35% in five of his last six games. The freshman guard has reported an average of 8 PPG. Adam Miller has been kept to single digits in five of his previous six efforts. The senior guard is averaging 7.6 PPG
Gonzaga is ranked fifth in the country in Ken Pomeroy’s ratings. They dropped one spot to #8 in the recent edition of the AP Top 25. Gonzaga is an undefeated 7-0 in its home court, including a win against Creighton. They are posting an average of 97.4 points on the year, rating them sixth. The Bulldogs are keeping opponents to an average of 71.6 points, placing them 95th in the country.
Santa Clara vs. Gonzaga Pick
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  The Insiders Room | +1,793.00 |
| 2 |  Tony Karpinski | +1,731.00 |
| 3 |  Jesse Schule | +1,599.00 |
| 4 |  Rob Vinciletti | +1,284.00 |
| 5 |  David Delano | +1,232.00 |
Spread Pick for Santa Clara vs. Gonzaga
- Gonzaga Bulldogs -15 (5 units)
The Santa Clara Broncos are a good team, but it's been somewhat of an easy schedule, standing 139th in strength of schedule on Ken Pomeroy’s ratings, while Gonzaga ranks 42nd in strength. This Gonzaga Bulldogs team is as dominant as it gets. They have dropped just one game and have beaten several ranked teams, including wins against Creighton and Alabama.
Furthermore, the Broncos' defense is shaky, which is good news for a potent Gonzaga offense. They are averaging 125.6 points per 100 possessions compared to 118 points per 100 by Santa Clara. Also, the Bulldogs' defense is better, conceding 9.8 fewer points per 100 possessions. Gonzaga is winning by mammoth margins. Five of their past six home wins have been by 18 or more points. Go with Gonzaga on its home court.
Over/Under Pick for Santa Clara vs. Gonzaga
- Over 167 (5 units)
I expect a shootout. Santa Clara has a potent offense. They have scored at least 78 points in five straight games, including 92 against Portland last week. They play at a quick pace, ranking above average in adjusted tempo. Gonzaga is also a fast team, standing 56th in DI out of 360+ teams in adjusted tempo
In addition, no one has been able to contain this Gonzaga offense. They have netted 90 + points in six of their past nine games, including 96 points against Pepperdine. They are shooting a stunning 52% on the season. The Broncos have squandered 70 or more points in three of their past five games. The over is a convincing 5-0 in the Broncos' past five road games.
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