Santa Clara Basketball: 2019-20 keys for home game against Gonzaga

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 06: Head coach Herb Sendek of the Santa Clara Broncos reacts during a semifinal game of the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the Orleans Arena on March 6, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

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SPOKANE, WASHINGTON – JANUARY 16: Drew Timme #2 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs controls the ball against the Santa Clara Broncos (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images) /

Santa Clara Basketball will host Gonzaga on Thursday, Jan. 30. Do the Broncos have a chance to pull the upset?

Santa Clara Basketball is in a four-way for third place in the West Coast Conference. They will try to knock off the AP #2 Gonzaga. The Tip off will be Thursday at 7:30 p.m. PT in the Leavey Center and will be televised on the CBS Sports Network.

The Broncos (17-5, 4-3) have been trying to climb into the top half of the WCC and have a #99 NET Ranking. Gonzaga (21-1, 7-0) is ranked #3 NET. If Santa Clara wins the game, they would shock the basketball world and could be considered in talk with the top three teams in the league. However, would we really be shocked by anything in college basketball with this season?

Coming into the Leavey Center is on everyone’s radar in the WCC, even Gonzaga, because it is such a tough place to play. The Broncos held a 17-game home win streak before the Pepperdine Waves (11-10, 4-3, #134 NET) came in and washed it away last Thursday, Jan. 23, in overtime by the score of 90-86. The Broncos bounced back with a 65-52 win at San Diego (8-14, 1-6, #210 NET) on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Gonzaga have rolled all season. The Zags are on a 13-game win streak, with their lone loss coming to Michigan (#36 NET) back on Nov. 29 in the Bahamas. The Bulldogs are also on a WCC-record streak with 34 straight conference wins.

Does Santa Clara have chance to knock off the top ‘dogs? You know head coach Herb Sendek will have his team as ready as they can be to atone for the 104-54 drubbing to Gonzaga in Spokane on Jan. 16. The following are keys for the Broncos going into this ballgame.