Gonzaga used to be the cool pick to score an upset in the early rounds of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. In recent years, the Mark Few-coached Bulldogs have been one of the teams that could win it all.
(Well, not this year, if Kentucky plays like it did Thursday).
Gonzaga started Friday night’s Sweet 16 action with a convincing 74-62 victory over UCLA. It is their first time in the Elite 8 since 1999.
On Sunday, the Zags will meet the winner of the second South Region semifinal between top-seed Duke and fifth-seeded Utah, which were to star about a half hour after the prior contest ended.
Another team from the commonwealth of Kentucky made the Elite 8 as Louisville tripped up fellow ACC school N.C. State 75-65 in a East Region contest at Syracuse, New York. Oklahoma and Michigan State were to meet in the nightcap.
Bulldogs bite the Bruins
Sure, you can make fun of Gonzaga’s Przemek Karnowski.
He looks like he’s in his 30s. He may or may not have been in the acclaimed HBO series “True Detective.” He’s as big as a Smart car.
But the man can play ball.
Karnowski, a 7-foot-1, 288-pound bulldozer from Poland, scored 18 points and had eight rebounds as the second-seeded Bulldogs pounded the Bruins in Houston. Senior guard Byron Wesley scored 14 points and freshman forward Domantas Sabonis, son of former NBA great Arvydas Sabonis, had 12 points.
Karnowski can pass, too. His behind-the-back assist to Sabonis during the run that put away the Bruins got the Zags’ bench a dancin’.
Norman Powell led the Bruins with 16 points.
Louisville sends N.C. State home
You have to hand it to Louisville coach Rick Pitino. His team has struggled on offense this year. He released a key player who has since pleaded not guilty to sexual assault charges. The Cardinals were bounced from the ACC Tournament quickly, losing their first game.
And yet the Cardinals are in the Elite 8.
The hard-working Montrezl Harrell scored a game-high 24 points to spark the Cardinals. Guard Terry Rozier tallied 17 points and 14 rebounds.
Trevor Lacey had 18 points to lead the Wolfpack.