Gonzaga struggles, moves on
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Jevon Carter fired up two potential tying three- pointers only to see them go off- target, and Gonzaga didn’t allow West Virginia to get off a third.
A defensive stop was a fitting way for this offensively challenged Sweet 16 matchup to end.
Jordan Mathews hit the go- ahead three- pointer with under a minute to play and No. 1 seed Gonzaga survived a rough shooting night all around to beat No. 4 seed West Virginia 61- 58 Thursday night to advance to the West Regional final.
“All year we’ve been banking on our defense, our defense, our defense,” Coach Mark Few said. “Our defense stepped up and got it done there at the end. So we are absolutely elated to continue to be playing. We’re 40 minutes away from a Final Four.”
The Bulldogs ( 35- 1) needed that defense to make their third Elite Eight in school history on a night that featured 51 fouls and only 34 made baskets. They
“The kids fought their hearts out this whole season,” Michigan Coach John Beilein said, “but particularly this last six weeks to be more than a story. It was a great team. They were becoming a great team before the story. We weren’t sharp as we would have liked to have been today, but you have to credit Oregon with that.”
Jordan Bell had 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Ducks. Brooks added 12 points and Ennis had 10.
Walton led the Wolverines with 20 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds. Zak Irvin had 14 of his 19 points in the second half and DJ Wilson added 12.
The Ducks’ run to the regional final has come without big man Chris Boucher, who went out in the Pac- 12 Tournament semifinals with a season- ending knee injury. Oregon had plenty of inside game without Boucher, outscoring the Wolverines 34- 16 in the lane and outrebounding them 36- 31.
Its biggest play in the post came after Walton had made a jumper to give Michigan a 68- 65 lead. Ennis got fouled and went to the line for a oneandone attempt. He missed, and Bell swooped in for the offensive rebound and putback to make it a one- point game.
“We have a play that we practice on, if one of us misses a free throw. We executed it perfectly,” Bell said.
After Walton missed a layup on the other end, Dorsey gave the Ducks the lead.
Ennis missed another free throw with 15 seconds left, giving Michigan one more chance. Oregon had two fouls to give and wanted to use them so Michigan would have to inbound the ball. The Ducks couldn’t get it done, though, and Walton was able to put up one more shot.
“We were supposed to foul,” Oregon Coach Dana Altman said. “Dylan Ennis had an opportunity there. I was a little upset that he didn’t. Fortunately the ball didn’t go in.”
The Wolverines have gone through a lot, with their plane skidding off the runway as they tried to fly to the Big Ten
Tournament and advancing to the Sweet 16 as a No. 7 seed. They shot 39.3 percent against the Ducks and didn’t seem to have the same special formula that lifted them last week.
Michigan’s Moe Wagner scored a career- high 26 points in Sunday’s victory over No. 2 seed Louisville. But he missed 6 of his first 7 shots against the Ducks and finished with 7 points after going 3 for 10.
The Ducks set the school record with their 32nd victory and are off to the Elite Eight for the second consecutive year thanks to a big- time performance from Dorsey.
Oregon won despite making just 9 of 16 free throws. The Ducks came in shooting 71 percent from the line. “Nine for 16 usually spells disaster at this time of year,” Altman said.