Gonzaga tops UCLA in thriller; UConn awaits in West Region final
Gonzaga and UCLA played one NCAA tournament game that left the Zags’ star player bawling, and another game that stunned the Bruins.
Add another to the list. Maybe the maddest one in March yet.
Julian Strawther hit a 3-pointer with 7.2 seconds left to answer a 3-pointer by UCLA’s Amari Bailey, lifting Gonzaga to a wild 79-76 win over UCLA Thursday night in the Sweet 16.
“It’s moments like that you can’t make up,” said Strawther, a Las Vegas native. “Those are literally the moments you dream of. To even make a shot like that in March Madness and just to be back home in Vegas is like the cherry on top.”
The Bruins (31-6), the West Region’s No. 2 seed, stormed back from an eight-point deficit in the final 1:05 and took a 76-75 lead on Bailey’s 3-pointer with 12.2 seconds left.
The Zags (31-5) brought the ball up the floor and Strawther stepped into a 3-pointer after a drop pass from Hunter Sallis, sending Gonzaga fans to their feet.
“As soon as it came off, it looked like it was on line,” Strawther said.
The Zags still had to sweat it out.
Gonzaga’s Malachi Smith, who played his freshman season at Wright State, stole the ball from UCLA’s Tyger Campbell, but Strawther only hit 1 of 2 free throws at the other end, giving the Bruins another chance.
Campbell’s 3-pointer at the buzzer hit the back of the rim, sending the Zags rushing off the bench and into the Elite Eight against UConn today while leaving the Bruins disappointed again.
“Every game, try not to get too high, try not to get too low,” said UCLA’s Jaime Jaquez, who had 29 points and 11 rebounds. “He hit a big shot and we lost.”
Strawther’s shot was reminiscent of the one Villanova’s Kris Jenkins made off a drop pass to clinch the 2016 national championship — a shot that came after North Carolina’s Marcus Paige hit an off-balance 3-pointer with 4.7 seconds left.
There’s a reason it looked familiar.
“That’s Jay Wright’s play that he used in Villanova-Carolina, the championship,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. “That’s what we call it. He makes it all the time.”
It also is the latest chapter in what’s become the best West Coast rivalry in college basketball.
UCLA got the better of the teams’ first NCAA Tournament go-around, rallying from 17 points down to send the Zags out of the 2006 bracket and star Adam Morrison to the floor crying.
Jalen Suggs crushed the Bruins the last time, hitting a running 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the Zags to the 2021 national championship game.
“I can’t even describe what he did. It’s crazy,” Gonzaga’s Drew Timme said of Strawther’s game-winner. “It’s just like that Jalen shot, man.”
Timme had 36 points for his record 10th NCAA Tournament game with 20 points. Smith had 14 points off the bench.
UConn 88, Arkansas 65:
After UConn lost as a 5 seed to 12th-seeded New Mexico
State in the first round of last year’s NCAA tournament, Huskies coach Dan Hurley told his core players they would be back on this stage.
Not only would they return, but Hurley said he would surround them with players capable of taking them deep into March.
They are certainly doing that.
The Huskies’ 88-65 victory over Arkansas in the West Region semifinals on Thursday night was their third by double digits in as many games. Jordan Hawkins scored 24 points to lead the dominant effort.
Fourth-seeded UConn (28-8) will play No. 3 seed Gonzaga on Saturday for a spot in the Final Four, a stout response to last year’s early exit.
“We really from that day on really held each other to a higher standard and just told each other we’re going to push for a national championship,” UConn guard Andre Jackson Jr. said. “We’re going to push for that type of standard every day in practice and we’re going to hold each other to that.”
UConn is playing like a team capable of winning its fifth national title and first since 2014. The Huskies have outscored their three March Madness opponents by 62 points.
“They’ve got a real complete team, probably the most complete team in the country,” Arkansas guard Ricky Council IV said. “I think they can definitely win it all.”