Gonzaga vs UCLA Post Game thoughts and analysis

[Reborn]

Gonzaga 93
UCLA 90



Overtime victory for the Zags on a Buzzer Beater by Jalen Suggs, from way out there in left field. hahaha...One of the All-time Great Games in any March Madness by both teams. Talk about both teams fighting to the bitter end. UCLA tied the Game up with 3.9 seconds left in the game and Timme get the ball inbounded to Suggs, and Suggs dribbles down court as fast as he can and hoists one up from just beyond half court. The ball hits the backboard behind the basket and goes in. After the game Coach Few said Jalen makes that shot in practice all the time to end the practice,

I'll get this posted so others can write. I'll write more later.

Go Zags!

[Birddog]

A quick study of the box score is pretty instructive IMO

https://tv5.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=401310867

The Zags ability to stay even in a game with a hot handed team shooting threes is amazing!

[krozman]

What a mismatched game for Gonzaga from a UCLA team that shot like 15% greater than their average. Every midrange "settle" shot seemed to go in for them, and you have to credit UCLA for just sticking around even when we were doing well. Kispert seemed off as he's been off the entire tournament, and I'll be looking to see whether he can get out of the slump (by his standards) and have a lights out game. Suggs's shot in the end was one for the ages. Ayayi was our savior in the 1st half. Timme playing so smart, especially in the end, i can't believe how that all turned out. Crazy, crazy game.

[Zags11]

Instant classic. Crazy. 1 more gm.

[willandi]

First game on Monday!

[WBM]

A quick study of the box score is pretty instructive IMO

https://tv5.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=401310867

The Zags ability to stay even in a game with a hot handed team shooting threes is amazing!

100%.

If you read out UCLA's stats there's no indication they lost the game (or that the other team was tied at the end). UCLA:

Shot 57% from the floor, including 47% from 3.
Won the boards 32-26.
Had 21 assists to only 10 turnovers.
Four players in double-figures.
Juzang went for 29, with Riley getting a double-double 14-10

UCLA played a hell of a game. Super glad GU did too, and the last shot through the net was ours!

[sheps001]

Zags shoot 60% from the line. Well below their average and this was the difference between over time and not. No excuses here. Can't do it in the finale.

[MickMick]

Very high level basketball. If I was a NBA GM, I would rework my evaluations for every player that took the court. For both sides.

Every player on the court seemed like an offensive threat.

Cronin had a master plan. Great coach.

Juzang was unstoppable.

The player that surprised me the most was the UCLA point guard Tyger Campbell. Clutch player.

Legendary game.

Impossible to point at any given GU player that logged minutes and say that GU could have won without his contribution.

[BayAreaZagFan]

Just replay those last few seconds from Jalen's interview. That's what defines this program.

[GonzagasaurusFlex]

So many huge plays for Zags throughout the game...too numerous to list. OT alone:
Timme delivering in the post again and again
Nembhard step back 3 to give Zags 5 point lead
Kispert’s offensive board and put back to put Zags up 2 before final Bruins possession
Suggs...the shot...just wow

Ayayi huge game setting career high in points in the FF.

Nitpicking, sort of, but Kispert is gonna need to get his deep ball swag back for Zags to beat Baylor. Table was set for him several times but he didn’t knock down the open 3’s late that could have KO’d the Bruins.
Watson played like the FF stage just too big for him to handle...hope he settles down and impacts the championship game.

[jazzdelmar]

First game on Monday!

Hilarious

[Reborn]

The day after the Game

Good mornin.g. It got too late to post more last night. I'm back East where it good late fast. I was also soooo exhausted after the game, as I put every ounce of energy into that game (I know you all did too). I just listened to Adam Morrison's scream after the winning shot by Suggs. Such a beautiful sound to hear. So much history in that moment he screamed. The scream of joy and happiness certainly has replaced the vision of him laying on the floor crying in agony after a UCLA loss in the Sweet 16. Love you Adam Morrison.

It was just a classic battle between two great teams in this tournament. UCLA certainly showed why they deserved to be in the Final Four, and so did the Zags. There were so many BIG shots going down the backstretch. First one to me was Suggs' blocked shot on UCLA's center (Riley) who was going in for a dunk to seal the game. And it was not only the blocked shot, but the next play as Suggs dribbles the ball down court and hits Timme run down court full speed with a razor like bouncepass for a slam dunk. That was the play of the game until overtime. And the next great one for me was Timme getting that charge at the end of regulation on Jazang (UCLA'S START PLAYER). Smart play by Timme.

In overtime Timme comes our fired up and scores Gonzaga's first six points with three great moves inside the key. And then the next great play was Nembhards step back 3 pointer with a minute left in the game that gave the Zags a 5 point lead, now with under a minute left in the game. But UCLA comes out of the time out and hits a 3 pointer. And then with just seconds left in the game Jazang misses a shot and gets the rebound and puts it in. And then with just 3 seconds left in overtime Suggs hits the winning 3 pointer. Classic game.

Hats off to Jazang who was a true star for UCLA, and even Riley (UCLA's center) who hit several really big shots from outside the key (jumpers). Also hats off to UCLA's point guard (Campbell) who played another really great game. He's only five foot eleven but is as quick as a fly. Hard to stop him. And finally UCLA's #4 Jaquez Jr) made many many huge shots during the whole game. It was UCLA'S THIRD overtime game in this tournament. Jazang finished with 29 points on 12 for 18 shooting, and 3-6 from 3 point range.

For Gonzaga it was Timme leading the way with 25 points and Ayayi with 22. Once again Ayayi carried the Zags the first half. Suggs finished with 16 with six assists.

Gonzaga trailed for most of the game, but caught up with UCLA toward the end and took over the lead, and then it was back and forth down the stretch. It was another game where, Kispert was cold from the outside 2-8. BUT he did make a huge play toward the end of regulation when he got an offensive rebound and put it back in. Great hustle and determination to help the team. However, even with his cold shooting, Gonzaga managed to shoot 57% for the game, which is pretty darn good.

I must admit that I have not cheered THIS HARD all year. There were moments where I was worried, and my faith was challenged, but I was able to keep my attitude positive all the way to the end. I refused to believe that we would lose, and I am sure that you all did the same. And I know the Zags refused to lose. In another thread before the game I said the team that wanted it the most would win. I knew both teams would play great, and they did, and in the end it was the team with the last shot (Gonzaga) that won the game. There were just too many great shots and great plays by both teams to say that one team wanted it more. UCLA made all the plays they needed to make to win, and scored what would have put the game into another overtime with 3 seconds left on a great rebound by Jazang and a put back. But Suggs refused to lose, and hit the winning shot. I loved it when he ran toward the table on the sidelines and jump up on it with raised hands in the air (a sign of victory) and pulling up his game shirt (a sign that a star was born).

Go Zags!

[gueastcoast]

This game was all-time.

I love that this team refuses to lose and has no quit in them. I also love that they'll dunk in traffic, not something we've seen a lot of with past Zag teams. Such a lift for the team and the crowd.

There were two points I thought we'd get separation -- up 7 in the 2H and up 5 in OT. Both times UCLA clawed back like the studs they are. This was beautiful basketball.

Only game that comes close in my mind is the Villanova / Georgetown 1985 Championship Game, which some talking head also just referenced this a.m., yet that game seemed a lot slower and less chaotic (at times) than ours.

Need some sleep to develop more sophisticated thoughts LOL

[Bogozags]

I’ve been blessed to have watched every GU game since 2006, EXCEPT for the scrimmage games that were not televised and yesterday’s game against UCLA. IMO it was the second most important game GU has ever played, the first imo was the game against UF with the tip-in by Casey Calvary. This was a great victory against an archnemesis as well as somewhat of a “payback” game vs UCLA in 2006…the game we all want to forget!

I thought UCLA played a fantastic game last night and with their two future pros Juzang and Jaquez hitting shot after shot and Cambell’s stellar play, they almost won a game they shouldn’t have…IMO. We just could not contain Juzang and then Riley hit FIVE jumpers that were all net!!! UCLA shot the ball extremely well from everywhere on the court. I’ll bet Coach Calipari must have been shaking his head all tournament long wondering why he didn’t do a better job with Juzang!!!

I thought the table was sent when Cory missed an early layup and then we missed an additiona four more and with other layups barely going down one could see this game was going to be closer than it should have been. Then, our FT shooting was horrible and I would guess Coach Few and his staff were taking lots of Rolaids during this game.

As Kenny Smith said pre-game, for UCLA to have a chance to win this game, they would have to shoot lights-out and catch GU when they played their “B-Game,” which they did…

On another note, I think we had two or three errant passes to someone in the stands, which we almost never do…

I’m not taking anything away from UCLA’s performance because it was excellent as they made us play to their level…they had a great game plan BUT don’t be mistaken GU did not play to their potential even in this slow, deliberate game as we were down 10 to SMC and came back to win by double digits.

Now to our next game against a Superb Baylor Team and hopefully a victory and National Championship...

[JPtheBeasta]

A lot of people are saying that Suggs' block that led to the half court bounce pass and dunk was a foul. This has strong parallels to the Batista non-foul all those years ago. It seems like poetic justice that there was a play that will stand out in the minds of UCLA fans in such a way.

Gonzaga left a crack in the door by, as noted earlier, missed free throws, but also many missed bunnies and an off night by Kispert. UCLA played amazingly on offense and very well on defense. No other Zag team would have weathered this storm. Would any other team in recent memory have weathered this storm? I'm sure that Baylor is a confident team and isn't thinking what I'm thinking: Their best may not be good enough.