LAS VEGAS — Drew Timme scored 27 factors, Chet Holmgren added 17, and top-ranked Gonzaga reached the West Coast Convention championship sport for the twenty fifth straight 12 months by holding off San Francisco 81-71 Monday evening.
The Zags (25-3) labored the ball into the paint early and sometimes, pushing across the smaller Dons whereas racing to a 24-point second-half lead. The Dons (24-9) mounted a late comeback, pulling inside eight whereas holding Gonzaga with out a subject objective over the ultimate 5:33.
Gonzaga made 4 free throws down the stretch to win its 14th straight opening WCC match sport. Andrew Nembhard had 17 factors and 9 assists whereas main Gonzaga’s offense. Holmgren had seven rebounds and blocked six photographs.
Khalil Shabazz scored 9 of his 27 factors throughout a 13-2 run that obtained San Francisco again in it, and Julian Rishwain added 20.
Coach Todd Golden has led a fast turnaround at San Francisco, placing the Dons on the cusp of their first NCAA Event since 1998 in his third season. San Francisco is No. 24 within the NCAA’s NET rankings and is without doubt one of the nation’s finest 3-point capturing groups, led by the sharp-shooting Jamaree Bouyea, who scored a game-high 27 factors.
A win over Gonzaga would have been an enormous increase, however the Dons knew it wouldn’t be straightforward. The Zags lead the nation in scoring, are third in defensive subject objective proportion and received the 2 regular-season conferences by 16 factors every.
The Dons had no reply for Timme and Holmgren in the course of the common season and it was even worse early within the WCC semifinals.
Gonzaga pounded the ball inside to Timme in the beginning and the mustachioed large man with Vegas show-like footwork danced across the Dons for 9 factors within the first 4 minutes.
Holmgren confirmed off his uncommon talent set early, shaking a defender with a spin within the lane for a two-handed dunk and dropping in an early-offense 3-pointer. He added an all-too-easy alley-oop dunk to offer the Zags an 11-point lead within the first six minutes.
Timme had 12 factors, Holmgren 11 and Gonzaga had 34 factors within the paint to guide 51-32 at halftime.
Holmgren additionally wreaked havoc on protection, blocking 4 photographs and altering a number of others whereas serving to the Zags maintain San Francisco to 10-of-33 capturing, together with 4 for 19 from 3.
San Francisco had a a lot better offensive stream within the second half, notably after Holmgren went to the bench along with his third foul. However the Dons had a tough time placing a dent in Gonzaga’s lead because the Zags saved making photographs.
San Francisco step by step chipped away at Gonzaga’s 24-point lead, then went on a 16-4 run to tug inside 79-71 with 1:32 left. The Dons ran out of time to complete off the comeback, however can take some confidence from taking part in so effectively down the stretch.
BIG PICTURE
San Francisco: Appeared shaky whereas falling into the large early gap, however extra like an NCAA Event crew with its late rally in opposition to the nation’s No. 1 crew.
Gonzaga: Dominated at each ends early and held on after faltering late to maintain its streak of WCC match finals alive. The Zags are actually one win away from their ninth WCC match title in 10 years.
UP NEXT
San Francisco: Awaits phrase if its resume is nice sufficient to qualify for the NCAA Event.
Gonzaga: Faces the Saint Mary’s-Santa Clara winner in Tuesday’s championship sport.