SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (AP) — And to assume, some of us stated they won’t make it to March Insanity.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs laughed that off as simply as they swatted away an exhausted Kansas workforce Saturday, rolling previous the Jayhawks 89-68 to return to the Candy 16 for the nation-leading ninth straight time.
Led by Anton Watson’s 21 factors, fifth-seeded Gonzaga was practically nearly as good over the second half of this sport because it has been over the second half of the season. The Zags scored 15 straight factors early within the half to show this one right into a runaway on a day when mainly everybody in a navy jersey was a star.
They improved to 16-2 since Jan. 18, with the one two losses coming to Saint Mary’s, the workforce that beat Gonzaga for the West Coast Convention title however was dismissed from the event Friday night time.
“Late December, it was trying like possibly it wasn’t going to occur,” stated Mark Few, his hair nonetheless damp from the dousing he acquired within the postgame locker room. “However I will give credit score. These guys stayed coachable. We figured it out.”
As soon as Few dries off, he and the Zags, who’re of their twenty fifth straight NCAA Match, will load up for his or her routine journey to the second weekend to play the winner of Sunday’s sport between Purdue and Utah State.
The Zags (27-7) made their first 5 3-pointers of the second half, not lacking from lengthy vary till 1:30 remained and the sport had lengthy entered prolonged rubbish time. They shot 60% from the ground and 53% from 3. Ben Gregg nonetheless managed to face out — he went 6 for six and completed with 15 factors and 9 rebounds.
Massive man Graham Ike additionally had 15 and 9, going toe to toe with KU’s Hunter Dickinson, who completed with a quiet 15 factors.
Making all of the Bulldogs look good was Ryan Nembhard, who blew off a tough capturing night time (1 for six) and completed with 12 assists to grow to be this system’s profession chief in that class.
“Ryan’s been on the highest degree for the final eight weeks,” Few stated. “He is simply obtained our throttle all the best way down and he is making nice selections.”
Kansas was gassed, going through an early begin after an emotional, shut victory over Samford late Thursday night time. Coach Invoice Self stated he knew he was in hassle when he turned to his bench partway by the sport, trying to make a substitution.
“There’s not many instances the place you’re taking a man out, he is sitting by a three-minute timeout, I say, ‘Are you able to return in?’ and he says ‘I want extra time,'” Self stated.
The drained legs performed right into a painfully acquainted scene for followers of the fourth-seeded Jayhawks (23-11). They’ve struggled with depth, capturing, consistency and accidents; main scorer Kevin McCullar Jr. (knee) was out for the event. Throughout Gonzaga’s 15-0 run, the Jayhawks missed 10 straight pictures.
Gonzaga ultimately prolonged the run to 32-4; Kansas shot 2 for 23 throughout that stretch.
“It is a components for catastrophe when you may’t make pictures and you may’t cease them,” stated Kansas ahead KJ Adams Jr., who completed with 10 factors.
A couple of of these misses seemed unusually ugly, together with when Dickinson, who missed the Massive 12 Match with a dislocated shoulder, grabbed a rebound underneath the bucket and seemed poised for a straightforward bucket however may barely get the ball to the rim.
“Hunt gave us every little thing he had,” Self stated. “However that was one drained dude on the market at present.”
For 22 minutes, at the least, this sport lived as much as its billing — a uncommon showdown between much-adored energy packages. There have been eight lead modifications. At one level late within the first half, the groups mixed to make 9 straight pictures from the sphere, buying and selling leads virtually each time down.
Gonzaga stored it going. Kansas merely could not.
The Zags gained each their video games in Salt Lake Metropolis by 21. The opener towards McNeese might need been anticipated. That the second was such a breeze, even towards a flawed KU workforce, was a shock. Nothing else about this workforce taking part in deep into March needs to be that stunning.
“We have simply all the time impressed upon them, if we get on this factor, we all know how you can win on this factor,” Few stated. “This isn’t a brand new factor for our program.”
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The Zags improved to 10-3 lifetime in event video games in Salt Lake Metropolis. Their subsequent cease is Detroit, the place they’ve by no means performed a event sport.
