Shockers’ barrage of 3s scuttles Zags
Gonzaga’s gone. Cleanthony Early and Ron Baker scored 16 apiece and Wichita State hit a season-high 14 three-pointers, including five in a row late, to knock the top-ranked and No. 1 seeded Bulldogs out of the NCAA tournament 76-70 on Saturday night in Salt Lake City.
The Shockers (28-8) advanced to the Round of 16 for the first time since 2006, The Bulldogs are the first top seed to be eliminated.
Gonzaga (32-3) survived a scare
Arizona 74, Harvard 51
The sixth-seeded Wildcats (27-7) put an emphatic end to the March in the second round against Southern, but couldn’t hold up against a fellow mid-major from Kansas whose motto is “play angry.”
The ninth-seeded Shockers will face the winner of Sunday’s game between La Salle and Ole Miss.
Wichita State had the Bulldogs down by 13 early. Though Gonzaga fought back, the barrage of threes was too much.
Kelly Olynyk scored 26 to lead Gonzaga, and Kevin Pangos had 19.
“They never quit,” Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall said. “You know we got the big lead, Gonzaga makes a great run as a No. 1 team in the country would, and these guys dig down.”
The Shockers showed their grit after a 12-0 run gave the Bulldogs a 49-41 lead with 11:53 left. Wichita State outscored Gonzaga 35-21 from there. Madness success story of the 14thseeded Crimson (20-10) in Salt Lake City.
Mark Lyons matched his career high with 27 to lead Arizona to its 15th appearance in the Sweet 16. The Wildcats, who moved on to play Iowa State or Ohio State next week in Los Angeles, sprinted to a 30-9 lead as Harvard missed 20 of their first 22 shots.
Kenyatta Smith led the losers with 10 points.