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Kentucky Wildcats to Face Santa Clara in NCAA Tournament Opener
7-seed Kentucky to take on 10-seed Santa Clara in Friday afternoon matchup
Mar. 16, 2026 at 1:00am
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The Kentucky Wildcats, a 7-seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, will face off against the 10-seed Santa Clara Broncos in the first round on Friday afternoon. The game is scheduled to tip off at 12:15 p.m. ET at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri and will be broadcast on CBS.
Why it matters
This early matchup between Kentucky and Santa Clara will set the tone for the Wildcats' tournament run. As a higher-seeded team, Kentucky will be expected to advance, but the Broncos will look to pull off an upset in the opening round.
The details
Kentucky opened as a 2.5-point favorite over Santa Clara, but that line has already moved to 3.5 points. KenPom projects an 81-79 win for the Wildcats, giving them a 55% chance to advance, while BartTorvik is calling for an 81-80 Kentucky victory. ESPN's Matchup Predictor gives the Wildcats a 72.2% chance to win the game.
- The game will tip off at 12:15 p.m. ET on Friday, March 20, 2026.
- This will be an 11:15 a.m. local start time for the Santa Clara Broncos, who are used to playing in Pacific Time.
The players
Kentucky Wildcats
The Kentucky Wildcats are a 7-seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, making their 45th appearance in the Big Dance.
Santa Clara Broncos
The Santa Clara Broncos are a 10-seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, making their 12th appearance in the tournament.
What’s next
The winner of the Kentucky-Santa Clara matchup will advance to face the winner of the 2-seed vs. 15-seed game in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The takeaway
This first-round matchup between Kentucky and Santa Clara will be an intriguing battle, with the Wildcats looking to avoid an early upset and the Broncos hoping to pull off a surprise victory in the opening round of the tournament.
