Gonzaga storms past UCLA to face Duke in Elite Eight
Mike Krzyzewski and Duke are one win away from getting back to the NCAA Final Four, this time with a talented group of freshmen.
Justise Winslow 21 points and 10 rebounds for the South Regional’s top-seeded Blue Devils in their 6357 Sweet 16 victory over revived Utah on Friday night.
Duke (32-4) is going to its 20th regional final, the 14th under Coach K for the most by any active coach.
Winslow is one of three freshman starters for Duke, a trio that includes standout big man Jahlil Okafor and guard Tyus Jones, who had 15 points. Okafor has six points and eight rebounds.
Brandon Taylor had 15 points for the Utes (26-9), the No. 5 seed with an at-large berth out of the Pac-12.
The Blue Devils play No. 2 seed Gonzaga (35-2) on Sunday in the South Regional final, with the winner going to Indianapolis.
Przemek Karnowski had 18 points and nine rebounds and second-seeded Gonzaga used a big run early in the second half to pull away for a 74-62 win over No. 11 UCLA on Friday night in the South Regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.
The victory puts Gonzaga (35-2) in the Elite Eight for the second time, its first regional final since 1999. The Bulldogs will play the winner of Friday night’s late Duke vs. Utah contest on Sunday.
UCLA (22-14) opened the second half with a 6-0 run to get within 3534. Gonzaga got going after that, scoring the next 12 points, thanks to the powerful inside game of 7-foot-1, 288-pound Karnowski to make it 47-34.
The Bruins, who lost in the Sweet 16 for the second straight year, were done in by a tough shooting night that included long stretches without scoring.
They were led by Norman Powell’s 16 points. Powell made just 8 of 19 shots and Bryce Alford was 3 of 11.
Gonzaga’s only loss to UCLA in the four-game history of the series came in a 73-71 defeat in the regional semifinals in 2006.
LOUISVILLE 75, N. C. STATE 65
Montrezl Harrell
SYRACU SE , N . Y. scored 24 points, reserve Anton Gill keyed a late-game surge and Louisville beat North Carolina State 75-65 in the East Regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.
Louisville (27-8), the fourth seed in the East and seeking to make its third Final Four in four years, will play seventh-seeded Michigan State in the East final on Sunday after the Spartans defeated Oklahoma 62-58 on Friday.
After toppling top-seeded Villanova, North Carolina State (22-14), the eighth seed, saw its post-season run end against a team that refused to quit.
Terry Rozier had 17 points and 14 rebounds and freshman guard Quentin Snider added 14 points for the Cardinals.
Trevor Lacey led the Wolfpack with 18 points, while Ralston Turner had 12 and Kyle Washington scored 11.