NCAA Final Four – Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. UCLA Bruins – injuries, odds, and more
PNWS presents what you need to know for the Final Four matchup between Gonzaga and the UCLA Bruins.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs are two games away from a National Championship. Before they play for all the marbles, the Zags must get through UCLA.
Who: UCLA Bruins (22-9) vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs (30-0)
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium – Indianapolis, IN.
When: Saturday, April 3, 2021 – 5:34 p.m. PDT.
TV: CBS. Announcers: Jim Nantz and TBD.
Line: Gonzaga -14. Over/Under: 145.5 (Odds Shark).
Injuries: Gonzaga – No injuries reported. USC – Out: F – Jalen Hill, G – Chris Smith. Probable: G – Johnny Juzang.
Interesting Trends: Gonzaga is undefeated this year (30-0) but only slightly over .500 against the spread (15-12-2). They have won 22 of their last 26 and 13 straight on neutral courts. The Zags have also won ten straight against Pac-12 teams.
To say UCLA limped into the NCAA Tournament is a huge understatement. They lost five straight and 6 of 10 before coming to Indianapolis for March Madness. Since their arrival, the Bruins are on a roll with five straight wins, including the East Region’s top two seeds Alabama and Michigan.
So far in the Tournament
Round of 64: Gonzaga 98 – Norfolk State Spartans 55
The Spartans came out fierce and, for maybe two minutes, held the lead. Corey Kispert lit a fire under his teammates as his three-pointers rained all over the court. He finished the game with 23 points and five boards.
Round of 32: Gonzaga 87 – Oklahoma Sooners 71
Where Kispert was the first-round hero, Drew Timme wore the cape for the second round as the Zags defeat Oklahoma He had 14 points in the first half on his way to a career-high 30. Timme was everywhere, and the Oklahoma Sooners could do nothing with him.
As a side note, this was the first time all season that Gonzaga shot below 50 percent from the floor this season. They still scored 87 points.
Round of 16: Gonzaga 83 – Creighton Blue Jays 65.
Gonzaga scored early and often pulling out to a 27-20 lead eight-and-a-half minutes into the game. Creighton tried to come back, but the closest they got was three points. The Zags pulled away, eventually leading by 25 in the second half.
The Spokane Stache, Drew Timme, led all scorers with 22 points. He also chipped in six boards and four dimes. Corey Kispert (12), Andrew Nembhard (17), and Joel Ayayi (13) also scored in double figures.
Round of 8: Gonzaga 85 – USC Trojans 66.
Leading wire-to-wire, Gonzaga was able to put away USC easily. Timme won the Battle of the Bigs between him and Pac-12 Player of the Year, Evan Mobley. The “Spokane Stache” led all scorers with 23 points. He also chipped in five boards, four assists, and three steals.
Outlook
Another Final Four for Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs. After winning the West Coast Conference Championship and their first four NCAA Tournament games, the Zags face a tough challenge from defensively stout UCLA.
After knocking off the top two seeds in the East Region, the Bruins are playing with house money. They have no reason to fear the number one team in the country or hold anything back.
In their Elite 8 game, the Bruins went tooth and nail with the Big Ten regular-season champion Michigan. They held the Wolverines, a team that scored under 60 points once all season, to only 49.
For their part, Gonzaga is like a machine that never stops. They’ve played and soundly beaten good defensive teams such as Iowa, Brigham Young, and USC this year. UCLA doesn’t put a scare into the Zags either.
The one thing Gonzaga can’t do is look past UCLA. It’s easy to get hyped up for a potential battle with number two Baylor. However, it’s much harder to stay focused and gear up for a team the Zags should beat handily. In the end, it’s a Mark Few-coached team that is on a mission. No trap game here. They will be focused and ready for battle.
How do you feel about the Gonzaga Bulldogs’ Final Four matchup with UCLA? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.