A surprisingly important battle in the WCC might get lost in a busy Saturday, but late night attention should be on this showdown in California. Gonzaga and Santa Clara sit atop the league standings in the WCC and many eyes should be on a matchup that could legitimately help decide who gets that top seed in the WCC Tournament next month.
Many people weren’t paying much notice to Gonzaga (24-2) during WCC play, at least not until last week’s shocking loss at Portland. The Bulldogs were riding a 15-game winning streak and off to a really hot start in their conference before that stunner. They’re continuing to play without the injured Braden Huff, but at least bounced back with two big wins this past week, including over Washington State by 30 points on Tuesday.
On their own great streak recently, Santa Clara (22-5) would be in prime position to make the Big Dance if not for some struggles during nonconference play. The basketball from the Broncos has been very consistent in the WCC, with their lone loss actually coming at Gonzaga over a month ago. There have been a few defensive struggles, but Santa Clara’s offense has really carried them and they’ll lean on that in this big matchup.
Gonzaga vs. Santa Clara: When and Where
Date:Â Saturday, February 14, 2026, 10:30 pm ET
Location:Â Leavey Center in Santa Clara, California
Gonzaga vs. Santa Clara: Where to Watch or Stream
Watch:Â ESPN
Streaming: FuboTV
Gonzaga vs. Santa Clara: Betting Odds
Spread: Gonzaga Bulldogs -170, Santa Clara Bulldogs +150
Moneyline:Â Gonzaga Bulldogs -3.5, Santa Clara Bulldogs +3.5
Total:Â 157.5
Gonzaga vs. Santa Clara: Series History
All-time series:Â Gonzaga leads 73-32
Last meeting:Â Gonzaga 89, Santa Clara 77 (January 8, 2026)
Projected Starting Lineups
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Graham Ike (19.7 ppg, 8.5 rpg)
Jalen Warley (7.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg)
Adam Miller (7.2 ppg, 1.7 rpg)
Braeden Smith (5.8 ppg, 4.2 apg)
Emmanuel Innocenti (5.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg)
Santa Clara Broncos
Christian Hammond (16.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
Elijah Mahi (13.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
Bukky Oboye (8.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
Brenton Knapper (8.0 ppg, 2.8 apg)
Jake Ensminger (6.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg)
When these two teams faced off a month ago, Santa Clara couldn’t contain Ike, who was efficient in a 34-point performance. With Huff out of the lineup this time, the Broncos’ defense can hone in on Ike in that frontcourt, but that opens up opportunities for the rest of a talented lineup. They also got a great showing from Allen Graves off the bench, but will need Hammond and the rest of this rotation to make their shots and play clean ball this time around. Gonzaga is the ranked team that the nation expects to win these types of games but Santa Clara knows they win this if they play smart offense and consistent defense.
Regardless of past results, is this the kind of game where Gonzaga imposes their will and proves to the world that they run the WCC as per usual? Does Santa Clara get the plays they need to secure an enormous home win and potentially cement their place in the Big Dance?