Santa Clara Guard Trolls Kentucky in NCAA Tournament Player Favorites Discussion

The Santa Clara Broncos open the NCAA Tournament against Kentucky in the first round. The matchup arrives after a season that included 26 wins for Santa Clara.

Player profile: Jake Ensminger

Junior guard Jake Ensminger has been a key role player. He averages 6.3 points per game and stands 6-9.

Ensminger is the team’s second-leading rebounder and its assist leader. He comes from a college basketball family.

His father, Chris Ensminger, left Valparaiso as the program’s all-time leading rebounder in 1996. Valparaiso reached the NCAA Tournament in Chris Ensminger’s final season.

Season context and the opponent

Santa Clara’s 26-win campaign included a narrow loss to Gonzaga in the WCC Tournament final. The Broncos enter March aiming for an upset.

Kentucky finished 21-13 and drew a 7-seed. The Wildcats pursue another national title but remain vulnerable to shocks.

Favorite March Madness performance and reaction

In a recent interview, Ensminger named Jack Gohlke as his favorite March Madness performer. A clip of the conversation circulated on Twitter on March 19, 2026.

Gohlke was a senior guard at Oakland University. In the 2024 NCAA Tournament he came off the bench and made 10 three-pointers.

Oakland beat Kentucky, 80-76, in that upset. Gohlke finished with 32 points and the game ended John Calipari’s tenure at Kentucky.

The Santa Clara guard even trolls Kentucky during a player favorites discussion about memorable NCAA Tournament moments. His choice references a famous upset.

What’s at stake

Ensminger hopes Santa Clara can emulate that upset against the Wildcats. A win would send the Broncos to face the winner of Iowa State and Tennessee State.

Filmogaz.com will follow the matchup and the wider NCAA Tournament storylines into the next round.