For most of the past two decades, the West Coast Conference has been defined by the same two teams. Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s dominated the headlines every March.
Santa Clara may have just changed that.
The Broncos knocked off No. 21 Saint Mary’s 76-71 Monday night in the WCC tournament semifinals in Las Vegas, earning a spot in the conference championship game against Gonzaga and strengthening their case for the NCAA tournament.
For a team that entered the night firmly on the bubble, the win could be the moment that finally pushes Santa Clara into the field of 68.
And if that happens, the WCC could send three teams to the NCAA tournament.
Santa Clara delivers when it mattered most
Santa Clara came into the semifinal knowing it likely needed a signature win to feel comfortable about its tournament chances.
The Broncos got exactly that.
Sash Gavalyugov led the way with 23 points and delivered the biggest shot of the night, a deep three-pointer with just over 12 seconds remaining that pushed Santa Clara’s lead to five and sealed the victory.
Elijah Mahi added 19 points for the Broncos, while Allen Graves finished with 10.
It was a tightly contested game throughout. There were 14 lead changes and six ties, with neither team leading by more than seven points.
But when the final minutes arrived, Santa Clara made the plays that mattered.
The victory also marked the 600th career win for Broncos head coach Herb Sendek.
Saint Mary’s still headed for the NCAA tournament
Even with the loss, Saint Mary’s remains in good shape for an NCAA tournament bid.
The Gaels entered the night with a strong resume and metrics that should keep them safely in the field.
Paulius Murauskas led Saint Mary’s with 26 points, while Mikey Lewis scored 23. Andrew McKeever added 11 points and 11 rebounds.
The loss may impact seeding, but it is unlikely to knock the Gaels off the bracket entirely.
WCC could send three teams to March Madness
Gonzaga is already safely in the NCAA tournament and will face Santa Clara in the conference championship game.
Saint Mary’s is also expected to hear its name called on Selection Sunday.
Santa Clara’s win Monday night now puts the Broncos in position to join them.
If the selection committee views the victory over a ranked Saint Mary’s team as the resume booster it appears to be, the WCC could send three teams to the NCAA tournament.
That would be one of the conference’s strongest seasons in years.
Bubble teams now watching nervously
When one bubble team strengthens its case, the ripple effect is felt across the country.
Santa Clara’s win could tighten the race for several programs fighting for the final spots in the NCAA tournament field.
Teams like Indiana, Auburn, SMU, VCU, Virginia Tech, Stanford and New Mexico are all hovering around the bubble entering the final days before Selection Sunday.
And with conference tournaments beginning around the country today, those programs now face even more pressure. Every game suddenly carries enormous weight, knowing that Santa Clara’s win may have already taken one of the remaining at-large spots.