Kentucky Wildcats Edge Santa Clara Broncos in March Madness Opener

Seventh-seeded Kentucky holds off upset bid from 10-seed Santa Clara in NCAA Tournament first round matchup.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 11:40pm

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The Kentucky Wildcats, seeded seventh in the NCAA Tournament, narrowly defeated the 10th-seeded Santa Clara Broncos 76-72 in their first-round matchup. The Broncos, making their first tournament appearance in 30 years, gave the more experienced Wildcats all they could handle before Kentucky was able to pull out the victory and advance to the second round.

Why it matters

This close call for Kentucky highlights the parity and unpredictability of the NCAA Tournament, where even lower-seeded teams can push top programs to the brink. Santa Clara's strong performance also showcases the continued growth of the West Coast Conference, which has produced multiple tournament-worthy teams in recent years.

The details

Kentucky was led by its veteran roster and battle-tested experience from a tough SEC schedule, but Santa Clara's aggressive rebounding and defensive pressure kept the game close throughout. The Broncos, paced by forward Allen Graves' double-double, nearly pulled off the upset before the Wildcats were able to make the necessary plays down the stretch to secure the win.

  • The first-round matchup took place on Friday, March 21, 2026 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis.
  • Santa Clara had previously defeated Saint Mary's in the West Coast Conference tournament semifinals before falling to Gonzaga in the title game.

The players

Kentucky Wildcats

The seventh-seeded team in the NCAA Tournament, Kentucky entered the game with a 21-13 record after navigating another challenging SEC schedule under head coach Mark Pope.

Santa Clara Broncos

The 10th-seeded team making its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 30 years, Santa Clara went 26-8 on the season and 15-3 in West Coast Conference play under head coach Herb Sendek.

Allen Graves

The standout forward for Santa Clara, Graves led the Broncos with a double-double performance in the narrow loss to Kentucky.

Herb Sendek

The veteran head coach of the Santa Clara Broncos, Sendek was previously an assistant under Rick Pitino at Kentucky in the early 1990s before becoming a successful college head coach.

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What they’re saying

“We knew Santa Clara would be a tough out. They really came to play and made us work for every possession. I'm proud of how our guys gutted it out in the end to advance.”

— Mark Pope, Kentucky Head Coach

“This group has so much heart and fight. We gave Kentucky everything we had and came up just short, but I couldn't be prouder of the effort our guys put forth today.”

— Herb Sendek, Santa Clara Head Coach

What’s next

Kentucky will face the winner of the 2-seed Iowa State vs. 15-seed Tennessee State matchup in the second round on Sunday.

The takeaway

This close call for Kentucky demonstrates the parity and unpredictability of the NCAA Tournament, where even lower-seeded teams can push top programs to the brink. Santa Clara's strong performance also highlights the continued growth and competitiveness of the West Coast Conference.