Michael is a digital sports strategist for Bay Area News Group. The Denver-area native went to Arizona State's Cronkite School of Journalism and worked several years in Phoenix before coming to Northern California, mostly for the fish tacos.
Members of the Santa Clara University mens basketball team react to their selection in the NCAA March Madness tournament on Sunday, March 15, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. The Broncos earned the No. 10 seed in the Midwest Region and will play No.
7 Kentucky on Friday in St. Louis. The winner will advance to face either No. 2 Iowa State or No. 15 Tennessee State in a region led by No. 1 Michigan., the WCC Freshman of the Year. “Never going to run from it. They have a great program and a great pedigree, but we’re going to compete like we always do.” Broncos coach Herb Sendek, who will be taking his fourth team to the tournament after previous appearances at Miami , N.C. State, and Arizona State, served as an assistant under Rick Pitino at Kentucky from 1989-1993. “Obviously I’m familiar with Big Blue,” Sendek said. “Very aware that they have a very talent-rich team, they have an outstanding coach, and we’re excited for the opportunity to go play. Not playing until Friday gives us an opportunity to dive in and do the very best job we can with our preparation.” Santa Clara University mens basketball player Sash Gavalyugov, center, hugs a teammate as they react to their selection in the NCAA March Madness tournament on Sunday, March 15, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. The Wildcats were the No. 9 seed in the SEC Tournament and lost to No. 1 Florida in the quarterfinals. While Kentucky is a March Madness regular, the Broncos haven’t been since Basketball Hall of Famer Steve Nash was a senior in 1996. Santa Clara has six straight 20-win seasons and three NIT appearances under Sendek, but finally received its March Madness invitation after beating an NCAA-bound Saint Mary’s team twice, including in the “This team hasn’t been here for 30 years,” Sendek said. “This team has only been here since July, and they have done an incredible job. We don’t have a great need to look in the rearview mirror. This team has had one opportunity together to make it to March Madness. This team is 1-for-1.” The Broncos are led by three all-WCC selections. Sophomore guard Christian Hammond has a team-high 15.8 points per game and a 49.0% shooting percentage. Graves averaged 11.6 points and 6.5 rebounds off the bench and shot 41.6% from three, while Elijah Mahi averaged 13.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.4 steals. The Broncos suffered a tough non-conference loss to Loyola-Chicago, ranked 278th in the NET, but all other losses were to teams in the top 75. Members of the Santa Clara University mens basketball team react to their selection in the NCAA March Madness tournament on Sunday, March 15, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. After tallying the second-most regular-season wins in program history, the team expected to make the field. Still, it had to wait through the announcement of the East and West brackets on Sunday before seeing its name on the CBS broadcast, igniting a lively celebration at the team’s watch party at the Leavey Center. “You’re sitting there waiting, your heart’s beating fast,” Graves said. “When I saw Santa Clara go up, it was just an amazing feeling. The beginning of the season, that was our goal, to make the NCAA Tournament. We prepared for it, we put the work into it, and as the season went on, we knew we were a team that could be here.”Cal State East Bay roars back to beat Dominguez Hills, is one step from Division II Elite EightCal State East Bay 31-0 after beating Cal Poly Humboldt in NCAA D-II openerBesides Saint Mary’s, Santa Clara has one other win against an NCAA Tournament team, at home against McNeese State. Kentucky, led by SEC second-team selection Otega Oweh , has wins over fellow tournament teams St. John’s, Tennessee, Texas, Arkansas, Vanderbilt and Missouri. The programs share one common opponent – Kentucky lost to Gonzaga 94-59 on a neutral court, while the Broncos lost three games to Gonzaga by a combined 31 points. “We’re not done yet,” Graves said. “Our end goal was to make the NCAA Tournament, but we want to make noise in the tournament.” This marks the Broncos’ 12th trip to the NCAA Tournament. They made the Final Four in their first-ever tournament appearance in 1952. Santa Clara University mens basketball head coach Herb Sendek reacats to their selection in the NCAA March Madness tournament on Sunday, March 15, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. Dear Abby: My remarriage sent my ex-wife over the edge$175 million project to reroute traffic between Oakland and Alameda beginsAsking Eric: How blunt should I be about my friend's teenage son?Harriette Cole: I can't hide my drastic career pivot from my friends forever
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