Bulldogs finally get Final Four monkey off their backs

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The criticism dogged Gonzaga wherever it went, no matter how much it won.

The Bulldogs run up their record by beating up on teams in a weak conference, then always seem to come up short as the calendar goes deep into March. Few outside of Spokane, Washington, believed the program Mark Few helped build from scratch belonged in the na- tional powerhouse conversation.

Overrated no more, Gonzaga is finally headed to the Final Four.

The Bulldogs took the pressure of history head on with a performance worthy of their No. 1 seed, rolling to a dominating 83- 59 win over Xavier in the West Regional final Saturday that should silence those critics.

“Just an incredible feeling of elation and satisfaction,” Few said. “It’s been a long, hard journey to get this program here.”

Few and the Bulldogs have won the West Coast Conference tournament 16 times, been regulars in the NCAA tournament since 1999, reached the Sweet 16 eight times.

The Final Four was the only missing piece to their resume.

Gonzaga ( 36- 1) claimed its spot in Phoenix and history with a superb all- around game, showing off its usual offensive efficiency while flexing the smothering type of defense that had previously been the chink in its armor.

Gonzaga made 12 of 24 shots from three- point range after struggling in the first three NCAA tournament games. The Bulldogs were No. 1 in defensive efficiency during the regular season and shut down the underdog and 11th- seeded Musketeers ( 2414) to become the first WCC team to reach the Final Four in 60 years.

Nigel Williams- Goss scored 23 points while orchestrating Gonzaga’s efficient offense. Johnathan Williams added 19 points, and center Przemek Karnowski created open perimeter looks with his deft passing out of the post.

The Bulldogs will play the winner of the South Carolina- Florida game in the Final Four next Saturday.

“The Final Four doesn’t validate or discredit a season. It’s not an end- all, be- all,” Williams said. “Gonzaga has been a great program, and we’re just happy to keep carrying the torch.”