It’s time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Santa Clara-Washington State prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Santa Clara-Washington State.
The Washington State Cougars were an NCAA Tournament team last season under previous head coach Kyle Smith. If you don’t follow Wazzu hoops closely, stop and realize how impressive and rare that achievement is. A lot of college basketball programs expect to make the Sweet 16. Some expect to make the Final Four. For Washington State, making the NCAA Tournament is a massive success. This is a program which has been part of college basketball’s impoverished underclass for most of its history. Washington State has made just four NCAA Tournaments in the past 40 years, only three appearances in the past 31 years. Washington State has reached the Big Dance a total of only seven times, just once before 1980. On average, this program makes the NCAA tourney once every 12 years or so. Getting to March Madness was huge for the 2024 team.
Then the coach who orchestrated that majestic 2024 season, Kyle Smith, went to Stanford. New coach David Riley did a great job with Washington State in November and December. The Cougars scored some impressive wins, including on the road. However, the West Coast Conference has not treated the Cougars kindly in WSU’s first year as a basketball member. Washington State is 6-9 in the WCC and has lost four of its last five. The Cougars have gotten progressively worse, not better, as the season has moved along. It raises questions about the way Riley constructs his 2025-2026 roster, which will be an urgent priority once WSU’s season ends.
Here are the Santa Clara-Washington State College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Santa Clara-Washington State Odds
Santa Clara: -2.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -138
Washington State: +2.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +115
Over: 156.5 (-110)
Under: 156.5 (-110)
How to Watch Santa Clara vs Washington State
Time: 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT
TV: CBS Sports Network
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why Santa Clara Will Cover The Spread/Win
The spread is small here, and Washington State has simply been playing awful basketball over the past month. The Cougars do not defend without fouling. They are undisciplined on defense. Their offense is unable to compensate for their defensive mistakes. They don’t regularly protect the defensive glass. This has not looked like a good team for a long time, and the stats show it. Washington State has lost twice to Pacific, a lower-end WCC team. There is nothing about Washington State which inspires confidence in this game.
Why Washington State Will Cover The Spread/Win
Washington State is not a good team, but Santa Clara is not a dependable squad in its own right. This is a 10-loss team. It beat Gonzaga on the road, the one really impressive win on the entire schedule, but the Broncos have otherwise been inconsistent and have gotten the vast majority of their wins against weak competition. Washington State can rise up and win this game at home. Santa Clara is decent, but not elite, and there’s a big gulf between those two characterizations.
Final Santa Clara-Washington State Prediction & Pick
Washington State isn’t playing well and should not be trusted at all, but Santa Clara isn’t significantly more dependable and therefore should not be a vacuum for your betting dollars. Just stay completely away from this game. Have absolutely nothing to do with it.
Final Santa Clara-Washington State Prediction & Pick: Santa Clara -2.5
The post Santa Clara vs Washington State prediction, pick, college basketball odds appeared first on ClutchPoints.
