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Santa Clara Broncos Clash with Saint Mary's for NCAA Bid

3/10/2026

37 7 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

The Santa Clara Broncos will face the Saint Mary's Gaels in the West Coast Conference Championship after defeating Pacific 76-68.
The WCC Championship winner earns an automatic National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) bid.
Santa Clara has a 25-7 record and is projected as an 11-seed by ESPN's Joe Lunardi.
The Broncos split their regular-season games against the Gaels.
Pacific's head coach praised his team's best season in six years.

History

Historical Context

The NCAA expanded its basketball tournament in 1975, increasing the field to 32 teams to include at-large bids, a response to previous exclusions of strong teams like South Carolina and Maryland. This change significantly boosted participation and visibility for college basketball, paving the way for teams like Santa Clara and Saint Mary's to compete for championships and automatic NCAA bids, reflecting the tournament's evolution.

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Story summary

The Santa Clara Broncos will face the Saint Mary's Gaels in the West Coast Conference Championship after defeating Pacific 76-68.
The WCC Championship winner earns an automatic National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) bid.
Santa Clara has a 25-7 record and is projected as an 11-seed by ESPN's Joe Lunardi.
The Broncos split their regular-season games against the Gaels.
Pacific's head coach praised his team's best season in six years.

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