10 things Kentucky Basketball must do to beat Santa Clara
10 things the Wildcats need to do to avoid a first round upset.
It’s here, March Madness, one of the most exciting events on the sports calendar. This year, Kentucky Basketball is a 7-seed for the first time in program history and starts NCAA Tournament play in St. Louis, within driving distance for much of Big Blue Nation.
Their first-round opponent, the 10-seeded Santa Clara Broncos, who are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1996, when Steve Nash led them to a first-round win over 7-seeded Maryland. This year, the Broncos are a trendy 10-seed over a 7-seed pick as people are filling out their brackets. This Kentucky team entered the season with Final Four expectations, and losing in the first round would be a colossal failure.
What do the Wildcats need to do to ensure they don’t fall to a double-digit seed again? Here are 10 things: Good Start: We see it every March, poor starts allow teams to gain ‘beer confidence,’ and they play above their typical performance. Santa Clara is a 10-seed, but they are ranked 35th in KenPom and are fully capable of getting out of the first round.
That said, Kentucky is Kentucky; they are the more talented team. The Wildcats have to be the aggressor from the tip, get the home-like crowd involved, and take away Santa Clara’s hope early. Take Care of the Ball: Santa Clara creates havoc on the defensive end, ranking top 15 nationally in steals per game (8.