Gonzaga relishes presence of other mid-majors in NCAAs

Whereas Gonzaga is the king of the mid-majors come match time, the Bulldogs are completely satisfied to unfold a few of that spotlight round.

The highest-seeded Zags (26-3) are one among three West Coast Convention groups within the NCAA Match, together with Saint Mary’s, the one staff to beat Gonzaga in convention play this season, and upstart San Francisco.

It is simply the third time the WCC has despatched three groups to the tourney.

The Mountain West has 4 groups on this 12 months’s match, most since 2013 and most of any mid-major convention this 12 months. They embrace Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State and Wyoming, which misplaced to Indiana within the First 4 on Tuesday evening.

“So all this Energy 5 stuff, you recognize, it’s getting fairly outdated now,” Gonzaga’s Drew Timme stated with amusing.

Gonzaga has had a lot success each within the common season and the match that the Bulldogs way back graduated from plucky mid-major to established powerhouse — a major-mid-major. Nonetheless lacking for Gonzaga is that elusive nationwide championship. They misplaced to Baylor within the title sport final season and fell to North Carolina within the 2017 championship sport.

Gonzaga’s quest to lastly add that championship banner opens with the Bulldogs dealing with No. 16 seed Georgia State on Thursday in Portland. Becoming a member of the top-ranked Bulldogs in Portland is No. 8 seed Boise State, which can face ninth-seeded Memphis.

Different West Area video games Thursday embrace fourth-seeded Arkansas towards No. 13 Vermont, and fifth-seeded UConn versus No. 12 seed New Mexico State. Each video games are in Buffalo, New York.

If Gonzaga and Boise State each win, the 2 will meet in a second-round sport Saturday. If that occurs, Gonzaga will push apart its mid-major delight and deal with the sport, which might pit Gonzaga coach Mark Few towards former longtime assistant Leon Rice.

“You need to root for them each sport however at this level, it’s the NCAA Match, it’s nearly who you’re going to play subsequent and getting the wins,” Few stated.

For the reason that match expanded in 1985, UNLV is the one staff thought of a mid-major to have received an NCAA title, toppling Duke in 1990.

For now, Gonzaga’s sole focus is on Georgia State (18-10), a fellow mid-major from the Solar Belt Convention. The Panthers are making their fourth NCAA look in eight years.

Georgia State heads into the match on a 10-game successful streak, capped by an 80-71 win over Louisiana within the Solar Belt championship.

Solely as soon as has a No. 16 seed knocked off a No. 1 seed: UMBC’s stunning take down of Virginia in 2018. Virginia was the No. 1 total seed within the match that 12 months, simply because the Zags are this 12 months.

WANTING MORE

The Broncos (27-7 ) received their first Mountain West regular-season title then claimed the staff’s first convention match title with a victory over San Diego State. Alongside the best way, Boise State ran up a 14-game successful streak and picked up essentially the most wins in program historical past.

“Now we have confidence in ourselves. We made historical past however there’s nonetheless extra we need to accomplish,” guard Emmanuel Akot stated. “We’re getting into and taking it second by second.”

They will face Memphis (21-10), which is again within the match for the primary time since 2014. Jalen Duren was the American freshman of the 12 months, however the Tigers have been with out Emoni Bates since late January because of a again damage. Bates did journey with the staff to Portland however coach Penny Hardaway was noncommittal about whether or not he’d play.

TEDDY BUCKETS

UConn (23-9) is coming off a loss to Villanova within the Huge East match. However the Huskies might have gotten fortunate by touchdown in Buffalo — that is the place they performed first- and second-round video games earlier than successful nationwide championships in 2004 and 2014. Total, UConn has 4 nationwide championships.

The Huskies face New Mexico State (26-6), which beat Abilene Christian for the WAC match title and the automated berth — marking the staff’s twenty third total look within the Huge Dance. New Mexico State went to the Ultimate 4 in 1970 however misplaced to UCLA.

UConn coach Dan Hurley complimented New Mexico State main scorer Teddy Allen, calling him “a bucket.”

“Teddy performs with quite a lot of pop and quite a lot of persona and depth. I don’t know if there’s anybody within the Huge East that we’ve performed towards that has that kind of launch, and also you simply have to remain down and be disciplined towards him as a result of he has a lot stuff off the dribble. And he’s so good with head fakes and shoulder fakes and also you simply acquired to remain down and be the second man to go away the ground and never be overly aggressive towards him as a result of he’s an unbelievable counter-puncher,” Hurley stated.

Allen was cautious of Hurley’s excessive reward.

“He simply blowing that pregame smoke,” Allen stated. “You know the way that goes. I ain’t listening to that.”

He added, laughing, “Dan Hurley is the most effective coach ever.”

QUICK RECALIBRATION

The Razorbacks (25-8) are recent off an 82-64 win over Texas A&M within the SEC match last. They had been additionally the No. 4 seed for the 1990 NCAA Match, after they went to the title sport however fell to Duke, 97-74.

Coach Eric Musselman is making his fifth NCAA Match look and second in three years at Arkansas. Final 12 months, the Razorbacks made a run to the Elite Eight.

Vermont (28-5) rolled to its eighth NCAA Match look with an 82-43 win over UMBC within the American East title sport. Coach John Becker was requested about how blowing by way of the convention match may be less-than-ideal preparation.

“We put the tape on of Arkansas and it recalibrated our guys fairly shortly,” Becker stated.