Gonzaga upends UCLA, punches ticket to Elite Eight
Gonzaga left much to desire in its Sweet Sixteen matchup versus UCLA, but it came out on top anyway.
There were no tears, no Adam Morrison-type moments, no drama - just questions and yet another Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde performance.
Primarily known as a second-half team, the Bulldogs did it again Friday, taking down the Bruins 74-62 to move on to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1999.
The nation's best-shooting team was held to 36 percent shooting in the first half, but not due to stellar defense on UCLA's part; Gonzaga ended the game with a 40.3 percent mark from the field.
UCLA and Gonzaga shot a combined 5-29 (17.2%) outside the paint in the first half. They were 21-41 (51.2%) in the paint.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 28, 2015
Myriad missed shots and missed opportunities punctuated what the Zags surely wanted as a statement game heading into the Elite Eight. At one point, they missed 11 consecutive shots. Fortunately for them, UCLA didn't fair much better, missing eight of their own in the near seven-minute drought.
When the second half came around, Gonzaga stuck to a game plan - give the ball to Przemek Karnowski and let him do the rest. The big man was virtually unstoppable under the rim, sinking a game-high 18 points while pulling down nine boards.
UCLA implemented the double-team down the stretch, but Karnowski simply began dishing off some sweet passes.
Junior forward Kyle Wltjer also had a big day, notching a team-high 10 rebounds and four assists to go with eight points.
Across the court, UCLA's 38.8 percent shooting from the field told the whole story. The Bruins rode Tony Parker's 16-point and 11-rebound performance to no avail.
Senior guard Norman Powell was poised for a big game, scoring 16 points overall, though he was held to four points in the second half.
At times, it looked as though Gonzaga would falter, but that's been the story all season, so it was difficult to imagine the Bulldogs losing at their own game.
The second-half surges the Zags have consistently pulled off will be put to the test in the next round, in head coach Mark Few's first appearance in the Elite Eight as he tries to propel his squad to the Final Four for the first time in program history.
For now, UCLA is heading home, while Gonzaga will get Duke - a matchup guaranteed to test the winning ways of a Jekyll and Hyde team that seems to wake up when it matters most.