No. 1 Gonzaga dominates No. 2 UCLA in men’s basketball showdown

LAS VEGAS — Right after his team’s 83-63 acquire about No. 2 UCLA on Tuesday night at T-Cell Arena, Gonzaga’s Drew Timme stated the No. 1 Bulldogs experienced not sent a information with their dominant victory to anyone outside the house their locker area.

“I would just say we proved to ourselves that we can dwell up to the Zags typical when we definitely lock in and play defense jointly,” he said. “We really don’t go out to confirm stuff to persons. We prove stuff to ourselves. And we did a superior career now.”

The Bulldogs started with a blazing to start with 50 percent that finished with Gonzaga major by 20, a margin they sustained all over the second fifty percent. Higher education basketball currently has seasoned its share of volatility early this season. But Gonzaga took a phase toward widening the hole involving itself and the industry as it prepares for its matchup from Duke on Friday.

In April, Gonzaga and UCLA staged a person of the finest Ultimate 4 games in college basketball record, one that was made a decision on a Jalen Suggs buzzer-beater in extra time that will go down as an legendary second.

Tuesday’s game was hardly ever that near or uncertain. It was just a fantastic show of Gonzaga’s prospective.

Gonzaga made 57.7{cf07cd047201b183b19c0b335dbd7d35a498f84568531c8abe8643bd3ccfd494} of its photographs in the initially fifty percent and led 45-25 at the break. The Bruins, who scored 90 details in their overtime loss to Gonzaga in Indianapolis, missed 25 of their initial 31 photographs on Tuesday. The Bruins couldn’t hit the 3-tips (2-for-12) Gonzaga was willing to surrender, and they couldn’t discover any home inside the arc as they sought other techniques to score. Gonzaga had 18 rapidly-split points to UCLA’s 5.

Together with the Bulldogs’ defensive strain, the trio of Timme, Chet Holmgren and Andrew Nembhard experienced a significant effect on the recreation. Timme completed with 18 points and eight rebounds. Holmgren (15 points, four blocks) was effective on both sides of the flooring, as he altered photographs and challenged UCLA at the rim. Nembhard (24 points) was, nevertheless, the catalyst for the victory.

“It was just a terrific staff gain,” Timme mentioned. “That’s the magnificence of our program: Anybody can stage up on any supplied night time. And this team is so unselfish.”

Immediately after his team’s gain over Central Michigan on Monday, Gonzaga coach Mark Couple had said this team will acquire additional working experience above time as it continues to improve.

“We’re new, and we are understanding on the fly,” he mentioned.

Couple of also stated the UCLA recreation was an example of an early showcase that can assist the sport.

“I assume it really is one thing that all of us, we’ve received to collectively as coaches try out to do,” he stated. “I feel, you know, rather of waiting around all around for all the consideration to be concentrated on all of us in March, I assume there is a golden opportunity listed here to truly emphasis on the overall sport as we get going.”

After Tuesday’s recreation, Bruins mentor Mick Cronin was clearly discouraged by his team’s struggles. He acknowledged that the absence of hurt ahead Cody Riley — who had 14 details, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in the Closing Four matchup against Gonzaga in April — has afflicted his squad. Cronin also stated the Bruins have to get harder to attain their targets.

“We experimented with to take way too several hard photographs early in the recreation,” he reported.