Zags, UConn square off for berth in Final Four
LAS VEGAS — Gonzaga pulled off a March miracle against UCLA in the Sweet 16, winning an epic game that featured a furious rally and two 3-pointers in the final 13 seconds.
The Bulldogs celebrated on the floor, with their families in the stands and in the locker room.
Then they turned their attention to a physical Connecticut team playing like it’s capable of winning a national championship.
“It was kind of one of those things like a short memory, because March there’s no time to dwell on the past and try to live in that moment too much,” Gonzaga’s Julian Strawther said Friday. “Tomorrow’s already game day. That’s what we’ve got our eyes set on.”
The Zags were in this position two years ago in the NCAA Tournament. It didn’t go well.
Jalen Suggs had one of the most memorable March Madness moments against UCLA in the 2021 Final Four, hitting a running, buzzer-beating 3-pointer from just inside half-court to send Gonzaga to the national championship game.
Two days later, the Bulldogs were manhandled by Baylor in the title game.
Gonzaga stunned the Bruins again Thursday night, winning 79-76 on Strawther’s 3-pointer with 7.2 seconds left — five seconds after Amari Bailey hit a 3-pointer to put the Bruins up by one.
Just like two years ago, another bruising opponent awaits the Zags on Saturday in the West Region final against UConn.
“I think we just changed our approach and our mindset, so hopefully be a little bit more prepared for the game tomorrow,” Gonzaga’s Anton Watson said.
The Huskies have bullied their way through the bracket, winning their first three games by a combined 62 points. They have heft inside, with 6-foot-9, 245pound Adama Sanogo, and potent perimeter scorers in Tristan Newton and Jordan Hawkins.
The Huskies turned what was supposed to be one of the NCAA Tournament’s best games so far into a Sweet 16 blowout, overwhelming Arkansas for an 88-65 win Thursday night.
An easy win, but the Huskies now have to face a team that has been to the Final Four twice in the previous five tournaments. UConn hasn’t been to the Final Four since winning the 2014 national championship.
“Obviously, they hit the mark across the board — player development, the culture, the winning, Final Fours, putting guys in the NBA,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said. “They do it with a culture that’s widely respected.”