Over the past 25 seasons, two programs from the West Coast Conference have become NCAA Tournament mainstays: Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s.

The Zags have made the tournament every season since 1997-98, and under Mark Few’s tutelage have never missed the Big Dance. While the Gaels haven’t been quite as dominant, the quaint, liberal arts college from Moraga, Calif. has made the tournament 11 times under Randy Bennett and is on track for its fifth consecutive tournament appearance.

With January winding down, it’s no surprise to see these two programs in prime position for NCAA Tournament berths. Yet, a third conference foe is positioning itself for its first tournament appearance since 1970.

In the final season of the WCC in its current construction, with Gonzaga set to join the revamped PAC-12 in 2026-27, Santa Clara is emerging as a beacon of hope for the conference’s future.

Winners of their last four, the Broncos sit at 16-5 and own an 8-1 in-conference record, their best start to conference play since 1994-95. They bested Xavier by 19 on the road, defeated Nevada by 15, won a neutral site contest by 11 over Minnesota and handed Saint Mary’s one of its three losses on the season.

They also fell by one point to Saint Louis, who is the 21st ranked team in the nation with a 19-1 record.  

The Broncos currently sit 45th in the NET Rankings and reside on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament. In head coach Herb Sendek’s 10th season, he has the Broncos on the doorstep of the NCAA Tournament, a feat that has alluded the program for 29 seasons, dating back to when Steve Nash was operating the offense.

Santa Clara is led by sophomore guard Christian Hammond, who averages 16.8 points per game on 51.6% shooting from the field and 41% from three-point range. Outside of Hammond, the Broncos are anchored by forwards Elijah Mahl and Allen Graves. Mahl averages 14.3 points per contest and Graves, who is only a freshman, averages 10 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.

Their offense ranks top 50 in efficiency. They shoot two-point field goals at a 58% clip, the 27th mark in Division I, and they force turnovers at a top-20 rate.

They boast the WCC’s top scoring offense in league games, rank fifth nationally in average margin of victory during conference matchups, and have the 11th-best scoring offense in the nation in league play.

They are a well-balanced, efficient squad, and have all the makings of an NCAA Tournament team.

One of the most important games for the Broncos comes tonight, January 28, as they welcome Bay Area rival San Francisco to the Leavey Center, where they are notably off to an 11-0 start this season.

Much of the season, and arguably the most important games, are still yet to played. However, circle a Feb. 14 road contest to Spokane, Wash. and a Feb. 25 home-bout against Saint Mary’s as two potential needle-moving matchups for the tournament-hopeful Broncos.

In a college basketball season that has been highlighted by outstanding freshmen, dominant teams, and surprise squads such as Nebraska and Miami (OH), the Broncos are putting together as good of a story as any.