San Francisco vs Santa Clara Basketball Prediction & Picks: Will the Broncos stay hot to start conference play?

Both San Francisco and Santa Clara have started this college basketball season well, and they will hope to carry that form into West Coast Conference play, which they start by facing one another tonight at the Leavey Center (10:00 pm ET/7:00 pm local time).

Despite losing coach Todd Golden and three of their top four scorers off of last year’s NCAA Tournament team, the Dons (11-4) are off to a solid start under new head man Chris Gerlufsen, who was promoted to the top job after Golden left for Florida.

That start includes a 37-point win over a ranked Arizona State team eight days ago and a win at 10-0 UNLV four days prior.

Since a loss to San Jose State, Santa Clara has won four straight games, and they own double-digit wins over Iona and Boise State.

Will the Broncos make it five straight wins tonight? Read on for our San Francisco vs Santa Clara basketball prediction, as well as our betting picks for one of tonight’s most intriguing college hoops matchups.

San Francisco vs Santa Clara Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline as of Thursday, December 29, 2022, at 6:10 pm ET. Odds from our other recommended legal sports betting sites may also appear in this article.

Spread

• San Francisco +2.5 (-110)
• Santa Clara -2.5 (-110)

Over/Under

• Over 149.5 (-118)
• Under 149.5 (-104)

Moneyline

• San Francisco +130
• Santa Clara -156

Will San Francisco and Santa Clara Light Up the Scoreboard at the Leavey Center?

Last week, San Francisco delivered one of the most surprising results of the season to date, as they scored 97 points against Arizona State, who went into the game allowing just 61.3 PPG.

In the win, the Dons were 15 of 29 (51.7%) from three and shot 57.1% (32 of 56) overall from the field, with leading scorer Khalil Shabazz going for 26 points (8 of 16 FG, 5 of 11 3PT, 5 of 5 FT), seven rebounds, and six assists.

They followed that with 85 points in a 32-point win over Hartford, shooting 40% (12 of 30) from three and 49.1% (28 of 57) overall against the Hawks.

The Dons are going to fire away from outside early and often, as just over half of their shots are from three (442 of 878, 50.3%). They are in the top ten in the country in three-point attempts per game (29.5), and even though they shoot just 33.9% from the perimeter, that comes out to 10 made threes a game.

Santa Clara doesn’t shoot threes as often–they average 24.3 three-point attempts per game–but almost three-fourths of their three-point attempts (267 of 365, 73.2%) come from three players who will be hoisting them frequently, led by Keshawn Justice, who is 22nd in the country in three-point attempts per game (118 in 15 games, 7.9 per game).

The Broncos made 10 of 25 (40%) from three in their 73-58 win over Boise State last Thursday, and in their last three games, they have made 32 of 70 (45.7%) from outside. And after shooting just 32.2% (79 of 245) from three in their first 10 games, they have made 41.7% (50 of 120) of their threes in their last five games.

Overall, things are trending positively for Santa Clara offensively. In their first 12 games, they shot 44.1% or better only three times, but they have done so in each of their last three games.

San Francisco vs Santa Clara Prediction & Picks

San Francisco vs Santa Clara Prediction: Santa Clara to win

San Francisco vs Santa Clara Picks: San Francisco/Santa Clara first half over (Best Value: over 70 @ BetUS) & San Francisco/Santa Clara over (Best Value: over 149.5 @ BetOnline)

I like Santa Clara to get the win at home tonight, but I don’t love any of the moneyline or spread betting possibilities I see anywhere.

But I am casting my eye on the totals tonight, for both the first half and for the full game.

San Francisco has shot well in back-to-back games since stinking it up on two-point shots (8 of 24, 33.3%) cost them dearly in a 68-63 loss to UT Arlington.

And just as Santa Clara is on a good three-game stretch from outside, so is San Francisco, who was 13 of 31 (41.9%) from three in the loss to UT Arlington, taking them to 44.4% (40 of 90) in their last three games.

Look for both teams to continue shooting with success from outside in an entertaining game at the Leavey Center.

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