NO. 1 ZAGS POST CONVINCING WIN OVER BRUINS
Andrew Nembhard scored 24 points, freshman Chet Holmgren showed off his unique skill set and top-ranked Gonzaga overwhelmed No. 2 UCLA 83-63 Tuesday night to win the Empire Classic in Las Vegas.
The Zags (6-0) played like Vegas headliners, showing there’s a big gap between No. 1 and the current No. 2 with a dazzling display at both ends. Gonzaga shell shocked UCLA (5-1) with a huge early blitz and never let up to beat its second top-5 team this season.
Holmgren stole the show as a soloist at times, swatting shots, swooping for dunks and awing the crowd with his agility. The 7-foot-1, 195pound freshman earned a deserved ovation early in the second half, when he blocked Myles Johnson’s shot and went end to end — with a dribble behind his back to boot — for a two-handed slam.
Holmgren finished with 15 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots. Drew Timme was just as effective inside, scoring 18 points.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. tried to keep the Bruins in it, finishing with 19 points, but had to work for everything he got.
The Zags and Bruins played an all-timer last April in Indianapolis, an epic Final Four game won by Gonzaga on Jalen Suggs’ running 3point buzzer-beater.
Gonzaga lost Suggs and a
No. 1 No. 2
few others, but coach Mark Few also filled in the roster holes with transfers and talented freshman, headlined by Holmgren. The Zags have looked just as good, winning their first six games by an average of 31.3 points.
UCLA has everyone back, though big man Cody Riley has been out since injuring his knee in the season opener. The Bruins didn’t look so good against Bellarmine on
Monday, prompting coach Mick Cronin to say his team was not ready for Gonzaga after the 75-62 win.
He was right.
Wisconsin 65, No. 12 Houston 63: Johnny Davis scored a career-high 30 points to lead Wisconsin past Houston in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational. Davis finished 10 of 18 from the floor, including 4 of 7 from 3-point range, and was 6 for 6 from the free-throw line. Tyler Wahl chipped in with nine points and seven rebounds, while Brad Davison also had nine
points for the Badgers (4-1).
Houston (4-1) was led by Edwards, who had 18 points .
No. 13 Arkansas 73, Cincinnati 67: Au’Diese Toney scored 19 points, including the go-ahead free throws with just over a minute to go, and Chris Lykes was perfect at the foul line down the stretch in helping Arkansas beat Cincinnati in the title game of the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City.
Lykes finished with 15 points and JD Notae overcame another cold-shooting night to finish with 13 for the Razorbacks (5-0). The
Bearcats (5-1) squandered one last chance when Mike Saunders Jr. was called for charging with 9.6 seconds left.
No. 14 Illinois 72, Kansas State 64: Kofi Cockburn bruised his way to 23 points and 13 rebounds in his second game back after a three-game suspension, and Alfonso Plummer hit seven 3-pointers and added 21 points as the Illini held off Kansas State in the consolation game of the Hall of Fame Classic.
Plummer finished 7 of 9 from beyond the arc, and the Illini (3-2) went 12 of 26 from 3 as a team.
West
Saint Mary’s 62, Oregon 50: Dan Fotu scored 16 points and Saint Mary’s defeated Oregon in a semfinal of the Maui Invitational. The Gaels (6-0) got double-digit scoring from four players, while hitting 52.1 percent (25 of 48) from the floor, and controlled the flow for most of the game. St. Mary’s will face Wisconsin in today’s championship game. Oregon (3-2) was led by Eric Williams Jr., who had 13 points and five rebounds.
San Jose State 75, Northern Colorado 74: Omari Moore threw down a dunk with 4 seconds remaining, finishing with a career-high 28 points, to send host San Jose State to victory. Moore made 11 of 17 shots from the floor, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range, for the Spartans (2-3). Daylen Kountz had 22 points for the Bears (3-4).