^{Pinnacle +126 BET365 +130 SportInteraction +130 BetOnline +129}

Posted at 3:30 PM EST.

SANTA CLARA +130 over BYU

Streaming: ESPNU

9:00 PM EST. One would not have to be following college hoops closely this season to have this game jump out at them today. If one were following college hoops this season, this game likely would have one spitting out their coffee.

On the surface, Santa Clara versus BYU might as well be Ohio State against Youngstown. Could you imagine the Buckeyes spotting a modest triple at Youngstown State? Back to the Cougars, who are very much on the radar this year. BYU sits just outside the Top-25 on both the AP (26) and Coaches (28) polls. It’s well deserved too. We’re not going to take anything away from what Mark Pope has built in Provo. His Cougs were expected to be darn good and darn good they are. However, when a team this good is being offered up for so little we have to find out why.

Like many programs last season, COVID was cruel to the Broncos of Santa Clara. Or should we say, Santa Cruz, as the Broncs’ plight was a horse of a different color entirely. Herb Sendek’s side met their underwhelming preseason expectations in 2020-21 but considering their circumstances (they made the move to Santa Cruz in December of 2020), the Broncos were much more feisty on the court than most thought they’d be. The pain and suffering appear to have paid off for Santa Clara. It is battle-tested and here in 2021-22, Sendek is sending the most talented unit he’s had. This is year six for him, so it was time to put up or shut up and the Broncs have done the former. They are 12-7 (not that anyone noticed), including a 9-3 mark at home.

A modest 8-10-1 record against the spread is all an unsuspecting market is likely to see here but that does not do the Broncos justice. This is a solid program that deserves respect. The Broncos are certainly getting it from the oddsmakers. In fact, the books are screaming loud enough to be heard from The Bay Area to the Utah Rockies. We are listening. You should too. Santa Clara outright is the call.