Gonzaga, UNC reach title game
Gonzaga holds off late rally by South Carolina
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Nigel Williams-Goss scored 23 points, Gonzaga's big men combined for 27 and the Bulldogs (37-1) posted a 77-73 win over South Carolina on Saturday in a matchup of first-time teams at the Final Four. The Bulldogs’ 7-footers, senior Przemek Karnowski and freshman Zach Collins, took care of things on both ends, combining for 18 rebounds.
In Saturday’s second semifinal, North Carolina’s Kennedy Meeks matched his career high with 25 points and had 14 rebounds as the Tar Heels (32-7) collected two late offensive rebounds to hold off Oregon 77-76. The title game is 9 p.m. Monday (CBS).
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Gonzaga junior Nigel Williams-Goss had heard every insult — and seemed to remember them all.
“They were making comments that we were the most nervous team in the tournament,” Williams Goss said of the team’s critics. “We just heard everything this year. We’ve heard the conference [is weak]. We’ve heard we haven’t played tight games. That we’re not tough. We’ve heard everything.”
The top-seeded Bulldogs must have believers now after assuring itself a trip to its first championship game with a 77-73 Final Four victory Saturday night against No. 7-seed South Carolina at the University of Phoenix Stadium.
Gonzaga will play the winner of the late Final Four game between topseeded North Carolina and No. 3-seed Oregon here Monday night.
“To be playing the last game of the year is just crazy cool,” said coach Mark Few, who performed a celebratory handstand in the locker room.
All Gonzaga (37-1) had to overcome in the Final Four was a gruesome eye injury, lost momentum from relinquishing a 14-point lead, its toughest defensive opponent and three of its best players teetering on the edge of fouling out in the final minutes.
Of course, the Bulldogs also were faced with the historical mountain of having never played in a Final Four game either.
But the Zags prevailed, beating fellow Final Four novice South Carolina.
“You have 37 wins in a college season, I mean that’s just unbelievable,” said Williams-Goss, who scored a game-high 23 points. “We have a chance to play for it all. And we’re here to win it.”
The Bulldogs held off a furious rally as South Carolina (26-11) used a 16-0 run to overcome a 14-point deficit.
But the Gamecocks’ lead lasted less than 30 seconds as Gonzaga responded with a 7-0 run.
Later, trailing by three points, the Gamecocks had the ball, seeking a tying 3-pointer, when Gonzaga’s Josh Perkins fouled Sindarius Thornwell with 3.5 seconds left. Thornwell, who had 15 points on just 4-of-12 shooting, made the first free throw but bounced the second off the back of the rim.
Gonzaga’s Killian Tillie grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 2.2 seconds remaining, sending him to the free-throw line, where he made both attempts to give the Bulldogs a fourpoint lead. His teammates surged onto the court in celebration after PJ Dozier’s halfcourt heave at the buzzer was off the mark. Dozier led the Gamecocks with 17 points.
Zags center Przemek Karnowski writhed in pain on the court in the first half after Chris Silva poked him in the right eye while block a shot. He said his vision blurred but improved after he returned to the court in the second half.
The Bulldogs showed the hard-nosed approach that had prompted Few to label them the “Pound Puppies.”
No one was grittier than Karnowski, a 7-foot-1, 300-pound wall of humanity. South Carolina’s Silva missed two shots on the same sequence while unsuccessfully trying to maneuver around Karnowski’s flailing arms near the basket.
Despite this Final Four being dubbed as one devoid of one-and-done talent, Gonzaga freshman forward Zach Collins was brilliant. Before the game, he said he told roommate WilliamsGoss, “I wouldn’t want to be playing against me today.”
South Carolina got that message. Collins earned his first career double-double — something he had been craving all season — with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
His impact was even larger with six blocks.
“He walked the walk,” Williams-Goss said.