NCAA Tournament Roundup: Gonzaga Routs UCLA, Makes First Elite Eight Since 1999
UCLA’s Cinderella run is over.
No. 2 seed Gonzaga handled the No. 11 Bruins with a 74-62 win Friday. The Bulldogs advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1999, which is the only other time Gonzaga has made it that far.
It was a bad shooting night for UCLA — which lost in the Sweet 16 for the second year in a row — as even its top scorers had trouble getting the ball through the hoop. Norman Powell and Tony Parker each had 16 points for the Bruins, but were just 8-of-19 and 5-of-12 shooting, respectively.
The Zags on the other hand were led by big man and Poland native Przemek Karnowski, whose 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting carried Gonzaga. He also had a nice behind-the-back assist that prompted one of his teammates to break out into a wonderful shimmy.
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Gonzaga will take on Duke in the Elite Eight on Sunday.
Here are the rest of the results from Friday’s NCAA Tournament slate.
EAST
(4) Louisville 75, (8) North Carolina State 65: The Cardinals coasted into the Elite Eight with a 10-point victory over the Wolfpack. Louisville guard Terry Rozier recorded a double-double with 17 points and a team-high 14 rebounds as the Cardinals took the 75-65 win. Montrezl Harrell had 24 points for Louisville.
(7) Michigan State 62, (3) Oklahoma 58: Michigan State pulled off the upset. Again. The No. 7 Spartans defeated the No. 3 Sooners in a game that came down to the wire. Travis Trice, who scored a game-high 24 points, sunk two free throws in the final 14 seconds to give the Spartans a little insurance, and Oklahoma couldn’t get anything going from there.
SOUTH
(1) Duke 63, (5) Utah 57: The No. 5 Runnin’ Utes stayed within spitting distance throughout much of their matchup, but they ultimately failed to overcome the top-seeded Blue Devils. Justise Winslow’s huge 21-point, 10-rebound double-double — both team highs — helped carry Duke into the Elite Eight with a 63-57 win.
Thumbnail photo via Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports Images
