Zags dominate second half to roll by Jayhawks

Late Friday Midwest Region

And to think, some folks said they might not make it to March Madness.

The Gonzaga Bulldogs laughed that off as easily as they swatted away an exhausted Kansas team Saturday, rolling past the Jayhawks 89-68 to return to the Sweet 16 for the nation-leading ninth straight time.

Led by Anton Watson’s 21 points, fifth-seeded Gonzaga was nearly as good over the second half of this game as it has been over the second half of the season. The Zags scored 15 straight points early in the half to turn this one into a runaway on an afternoon when basically everyone in a navy jersey was a star.

They improved to 16-2 since Jan. 18, with the only two losses coming to Saint Mary’s, the team that beat Gonzaga for the West Coast Conference title but was dismissed from the tournament Friday night.

“Late December, it was looking like maybe it wasn’t going to happen,” said Mark Few, his hair still damp from the dousing he received in the postgame locker room. “But I’ll give credit. These guys stayed coachable. We figured it out.”

Once Few dries off, he and the Zags, who are in their 25th straight NCAA Tournament, will load up for their routine trip to the second weekend to play the winner of Sunday’s game between Purdue and Utah State. The Zags (27-7) made their first five 3-pointers of the second half, not missing from long range until 1:30 remained and the game had long entered extended garbage time. They shot 60% from the floor and 53% from 3. .

Utah State 88, TCU 72:

Isaac Johnson scored 19 points, including 12 straight early in the second half, and eighthseeded Utah State shot 55% percent to pull away and beat No. 9 seed TCU 88-72 on Friday night and end a 10-game NCAA Tournament losing streak.

Purdue 78, Grambling State 50:

Zach Edey finished with 30 points and 21 rebounds to become the first player in 29 years in the NCAA Tournament with a 30-20 game, leading top-seeded Purdue to a 78-50 rout over 16th-seeded Grambling State. And he did it all in 30 minutes.

South Region Houston 86, Longwood 46:

LJ Cryer and Damian Dunn scored 17 points each as top-seeded Houston built a quick double-digit lead and pounded 16 seed Longwood 86-46 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

James Madison 72, Wisconsin 61:

Terrence Edwards Jr. scored 14 points and James Madison pulled off the first 12-5 upset of the NCAA Tournament by beating Wisconsin 72-61. The Dukes, who had not been in the tournament since 2013, are into the second round for the first time since 1983 — bringing with them a 14-game winning streak that is the longest in the nation.