GONZAGA, UCLA REACH FINAL FOUR
Sixth-seeded USC lost to top-seeded Gonzaga, 85-66, in the Elite Eight of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament on Tuesday, ending the Trojans’ hopes of reaching the Final Four.
USC (25-8) was playing in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2001 after beating Drake, Kansas and Oregon.
Gonzaga improves to 30-0 and advances to the Final Four.
Isaiah Mobley finished with a team-high 19 points and seven rebounds for USC and freshman sensation Evan Mobley had 13 points and five rebounds. Drew Peterson finished with 13 points and six rebounds.
Gonzaga’s Drew Timme completely dominated at both ends of the court at the outset. He swiped the ball from point guard Tahj
Eaddy on the first possession. He scored 13 points as Gonzaga built a 23-8 lead. Timme made 10 of 19 shots and finished with 23 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Jalen Suggs was nearly flawless in the opening half. The freshman point guard scored 13 points, grabbed six rebounds, handed out five assists and committed zero turnovers in 19 minutes. He steered the transition game as the Zags scored 15 fastbreak points en route to a 49-30 halftime lead. Suggs finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
Gonzaga scored the first seven points, 17 of the first 21 and 25 of the first 33. USC turned it over on three of its first four possessions as the Zags jumped in front 7-0. A couple more turnovers turned into Gonzaga layups as the lead grew to 17-4. USC stitched together an 8-0 run but still trailed by 19 at the break. Jim Meehan of the Spokane Spokesman-Review contributed to this report.