Gonzaga Bulldogs Defeat Santa Clara Broncos in Key WCC Matchup

Bulldogs bounce back from earlier loss with dominant performance on the road

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The Gonzaga Bulldogs defeated the Santa Clara Broncos in a key West Coast Conference matchup on Saturday night. Gonzaga, coming off an earlier loss to Portland, flexed its muscles as the elite team in the conference with a dominant performance on both ends of the floor. The Bulldogs' top-ranked offense and stifling defense proved too much for the surging Broncos, who had won nine straight games entering the contest.

Why it matters

This game had major implications in the WCC race, as Santa Clara had emerged as a legitimate challenger to Gonzaga's conference dominance in recent seasons. A win for the Broncos would have put them in prime position to potentially unseat the Bulldogs atop the standings, but Gonzaga showed why it remains the team to beat in the WCC.

The details

Gonzaga's balanced attack and suffocating defense were the keys to the victory. The Bulldogs shot the ball efficiently, taking advantage of second-chance opportunities created by their dominance on the glass. Defensively, Gonzaga limited Santa Clara's scoring chances and forced the Broncos into tough shots throughout the game.

  • Gonzaga defeated Santa Clara on Saturday, February 14, 2026.

The players

Gonzaga Bulldogs

The Gonzaga Bulldogs are a men's college basketball team that competes in the West Coast Conference. They are perennially one of the top programs in the country and have won the WCC regular season title in 26 of the last 28 seasons.

Santa Clara Broncos

The Santa Clara Broncos are the men's basketball team of Santa Clara University, a private Jesuit university located in Santa Clara, California. The Broncos have emerged as a legitimate challenger to Gonzaga's dominance in the WCC in recent seasons.

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What they’re saying

“We knew this was going to be a tough game against a very good Santa Clara team, but our guys came out focused and executed our game plan to perfection. This was a big win for us as we look to maintain our position atop the WCC standings.”

— Mark Few, Head Coach, Gonzaga Bulldogs (draftkings.com)

What’s next

Gonzaga will look to build on this win as they continue their quest for another WCC regular season title. Santa Clara will try to rebound from this setback as they aim to secure a high seed in the WCC Tournament.

The takeaway

Gonzaga's dominant performance against a surging Santa Clara team serves as a reminder of why the Bulldogs remain the team to beat in the WCC. Their balanced offense and stifling defense make them a formidable opponent for any team in the conference.