The Gonzaga Bulldogs take on the Santa Clara Broncos in Santa Clara, CA. Tip-off is set for 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Gonzaga is favored by 3.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -185. The total is set at 157.5 points.
Here’s my Gonzaga vs. Santa Clara prediction and college basketball picks for February 14, 2026.
Gonzaga vs Santa Clara Prediction
My Pick: Under 158.5 (Play to 155)
My Gonzaga vs Santa Clara best bet is on the under. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Gonzaga vs. Santa Clara Odds
| Gonzaga Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3.5 -110 | 157.5 -110o / -110u | -185 |
| Santa Clara Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3.5 -110 | 157.5 -110o / -110u | +154 |
- Gonzaga vs Santa Clara Spread: Gonzaga -3.5, Santa Clara +3.5
- Gonzaga vs Santa Clara Over/Under: 157.5 Points
- Gonzaga vs Santa Clara Moneyline: Gonzaga -185, Santa Clara +154
Gonzaga vs Santa Clara College Basketball Betting Preview
Gonzaga Basketball
Gonzaga finds itself in a legitimate fight for the WCC crown, and in a rare occurrence, it's not with Saint Mary’s. The Bulldogs could also use a major road win to help their NCAA Tournament seeding.
Their attempts to accumulate key wins against a rugged non-conference schedule were thwarted by disappointing opponents — Oklahoma, Creighton and Arizona State all underperformed relative to expectations, and a neutral-site draw with Maryland in Vegas didn’t help matters. Even UCLA hasn’t been the quality win it once appeared to be.
The Zags’ profile is solid — just not overwhelming.
Since the loss of smooth lefty forward Braden Huff, Gonzaga has quietly shifted its identity.
Per Bart Torvik, in the eight games without Huff, the Zags rank 69th offensively and 14th defensively, a noticeable tilt toward grit and stops rather than pure scoring flow.
Huff’s final appearance before undergoing surgery came in the first Santa Clara win, and his absence has reshaped the rotation.
More minutes have gone to defensive-minded pieces, particularly Jalen Warley, who's stepped into a starting role, and Tyon Grant-Foster, whose physicality and length have boosted perimeter resistance.
The defense has responded accordingly, tightening ball pressure and contesting more consistently at the rim.
Offensively, the breakout story belongs to freshman Davis Fogle.
Before Huff’s injury, Fogle was a bit player (8.3 minutes, 6.0 points per game). Since then, he’s exploded into a major contributor, averaging 24.1 minutes and 11.9 points per game, providing needed aggression and activity.
Gonzaga may look different stylistically, but the ceiling remains high. If the defensive edge holds and Fogle’s surge continues, the Zags are more than capable of capturing a key road victory and solidifying their hold on the WCC.
Santa Clara Basketball
Santa Clara is pushing toward something the program hasn’t experienced since the days of Steve Nash in 1996: an NCAA Tournament bid.
And this isn’t a fluky run. Santa Clara currently sits 38th in KenPom, which would be by far the highest rating in program history.
For context, last season's team — previously the gold standard — finished 59th. Herb Sendek’s elevation of the program has been wildly impressive.
The foundation of this imposing squad is size and physicality.
Santa Clara ranks 34th nationally in average height, and it uses every inch of it. The center duo of Allen Graves and Bukky Oboye brings strength and power inside, while also anchoring the defense with a disruptive rim presence.
That interior muscle shows up most clearly on the glass; the Broncos are 26th nationally in offensive rebound rate, consistently generating second-chance opportunities and wearing opponents down with their depth.
But this isn’t just a bully-ball outfit. Santa Clara has plenty of perimeter shooting to stretch defenses thin. Christian Hammond, Elijah Mahi, Sash Gavalyugov and Jake Ensminger all provide spacing and shot-making, and Graves himself can step out and hit from deep, making the frontcourt even tougher to guard.
Graves’ overall repertoire already has him on NBA radars, despite being only a freshman.
The Broncos’ balance is what makes them so dangerous. They can overwhelm you with size, beat you on the glass or stretch you with shooting. Multiple players are capable of huge scoring nights. There isn’t a single defensive coverage that cleanly solves them.
For the first time in decades, the Broncos don’t just have hope; they have a profile that legitimately belongs in the at-large bid discussion.
Gonzaga vs Santa Clara Pick, Betting Analysis
Gonzaga controlled the first meeting in Spokane.
Graham Ike was utterly unstoppable inside, going off for 34 points and 11 rebounds on 13-of-17 shooting from the field. Gonzaga shot 65% from inside the arc and won both the rebounding and turnover battles.
They led by as many as 23 points in the second half, and all of that would indicate another easy Zags victory.
Since Huff got hurt, though, these two teams are dead even analytically. Per Bart Torvik, since Jan. 15, the Bulldogs are 7-1 and rank 24th in the country; Santa Clara is 7-0 and 25th nationally. Using that month-long sample, the Broncos would surprisingly be nearly a four-point home favorite.
Is Huff’s absence enough for Santa Clara to get revenge? The Broncos must find a way to slow Ike. They have the bodies to throw at him, but he can simply be unstoppable at times thanks to his touch around the bucket.
I had a tough time with the side in this handicap. Based on Gonzaga’s new defensive identity, though, I’m going to back the under.
According to CBB Analytics, the Bulldogs play more than two possessions slower than normal when Ike plays without Huff, and the Zags are 7-1 to the under since Huff went out.
I’m going to keep riding that trend against a physical Broncos frontline. If they can slow Ike even a little, this game should struggle to get over the total. I would bet it down to 155.
My Pick: Under 158.5 (Play to 155)
