Wichita, Kan. – LJ Cryer equaled a profession summit with 30 factors, together with two free throws with 14.2 seconds to do, and the seeded n ° 1 Houston was held to beat the eighth seeded Gonzaga 81-76 Saturday night to achieve the Candy 16 for the sixth consecutive NCAA match.
I Wan Roberts added 18 factors and Milos Uzan carried out two final free throws with 2.1 seconds to play, giving the Cougars (32-4) their fifteenth consecutive victory and pushing them in a regional semi-final in opposition to the top of sequence n ° 4 Purdue on Friday night in Indianapolis.
Houston additionally ended the 9 Candy 16 sequence in Gonzaga, which had been the longest energetic sequence within the nation.
“It is not nearly profitable the match,” stated cougars coach Kelvin Sampson. “He beat a superb program like Gonzaga.”
The Bulldogs (26-9) dragged 76-67 with simply over 2 minutes to do when Graham Ike made two free throws to begin their return provide, and most of them ended up on the fault line. And when Uzan returned the ball and Khalif Battle made his personal free throws, the Bulldogs had drawn 77-76 with 21 remaining seconds.
Houston obtained the ball to Cryer, which was at fault, and he made his two free throws to increase the advance. On the different finish, Ja’Vier Francis stuffed the trial of three factors from Battle within the space, and Uzan overturned his lives to seal the victory.
“Gonzaga is nearly as good as anybody we performed all 12 months spherical,” stated Sampson. “If they’d been labeled elsewhere, it’s a group that would have had an opportunity to go to the elite eight, or maybe the Closing 4. They’re so good.”
IKE completed with 27 factors for the Bulldogs. Battle scored 17 and Ryan Nembhard collected 10 factors and 11 assists.
“It ended up being simply a superb basketball recreation, particularly the way in which our guys met.” Houston was every thing and greater than we thought. “
Since no program has gained extra video games than Gonzaga and Houston prior to now eight seasons, it appeared that their second spherical match within the Midwest area would have been higher suited to the second weekend.
And even the Closing 4, the place the bulldogs and cougars had been on the alternative sides of the assist in 2021.
Nonetheless, throughout a big a part of the sport, Houston seems deserving his seeded n ° 1 and Gonzaga his place at n ° 8. The cougars affirmed their bodily domination on the ability of the perennial West Coast, whereas Cryer – the good participant of the 12 months – paid in 16 factors within the first center to offer Houston a 35-27 advance on the break.
Roberts, who walked the ankle within the convention match final week, took over within the second half. Essentially the most profitable participant within the historical past of cougars started to intimidate his method for baskets, which allowed the cougars to keep up their lead.
Gonzaga made a final race within the part however might by no means exceed them.
Gonzaga completed second nationally by scoring 86.7 factors per recreation, and exceeded this in a rout of 89-68 in Georgia within the first spherical. However the Bulldogs completed except this model in opposition to the protection of the Houston model.
Houston was in a position to relaxation his stars in an unbalanced victory on Siu Edwardsville on Thursday. These contemporary legs appeared to bear fruit within the final minutes on Saturday, whereas Gonzaga tried to return to the match.
The cougars will face the drivers of drivers for a spot within the elite eight.
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