March Madness 2022: Notae, Arkansas muscle top overall seed Gonzaga out of NCAAs

JD Notae scored 21 factors regardless of lacking 20 photographs and fourth-seeded Arkansas made Gonzaga depressing on each ends of the ground, bouncing the highest general seed from the NCAA Event with a 74-68 win on Thursday night time.

Notae completed with six rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocked photographs for coach Eric Musselman’s scrappy, hustling Razorbacks (28-8), who reached the Elite Eight for the second straight 12 months and can face both Duke or Texas Tech within the West Area remaining on Saturday.

Drew Timme scored 25 factors however couldn’t rally the Bulldogs (28-4), who for the second straight season have been favored to win that elusive nationwide title however have been eradicated by a extra bodily foe. Coach Mark Few’s squad was undefeated final 12 months earlier than falling to Baylor within the nationwide title sport.

Arkansas frequently challenged 7-foot Gonzaga freshman Chet Holmgren within the paint, and the thin NBA prospect fouled out with 3:29 remaining after some questionable calls went in opposition to him. Holmgren completed with 11 factors, all within the second half, and 14 rebounds in what could also be his remaining school sport.

Moments after Au’Diese Toney dunked with 1 second left, Notae threw the sport ball into the air in triumph as teammate Jaylin Williams flexed and roared close to midcourt. Musselman, in the meantime, discovered mom Kris within the stands for an embrace as she watched him in individual teaching the Razorbacks for the primary time.

Gonzaga ahead Anton Watson (22) grabs a rebound in opposition to Arkansas guard Au’Diese Toney (5) in the course of the first half of a school basketball sport within the Candy 16 spherical of the NCAA event in San Francisco, Thursday, March 24, 2022.
(AP Picture/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Notae shot 9 of 29 general and a pair of of 12 from 3-point vary however was nonetheless the catalyst for the Razorbacks. The senior guard’s 3 with 6:38 left made it 59-50, and Arkansas held on from there.

Toney transformed a three-point play with 8:36 left by going proper at Holmgren to attract his fourth foul and ship him to the bench. Holmgren returned on the 6:46 mark however Notae drove at him three minutes later and drew the fifth foul on the freshman, who raised his arms in protest.

MARCH MADNESS 2022: FRAN FRASCHILLA’S MUST-WATCH SWEET 16 MATCHUPS, FINAL FOUR PREDICTIONS

Throughout one sequence, Notae scored, then sneaked behind Timme for a steal. Notae had an early block and steal that acquired his group going. He hit the ground at each probability to corral free balls.

Gonzaga trailed on the break for simply the fifth time this season and by no means discovered the capturing contact that made the Zags the highest scoring group within the nation at 87.8 factors per sport. The Zags shot 37.5% and went 5 of 21 from 3-point vary. Andrew Nembhard was a non-factor with seven factors on 2-of-11 capturing.

Arkansas ahead Jaylin Williams reacts after dunking in opposition to Gonzaga in the course of the first half of a school basketball sport within the Candy 16 spherical of the NCAA event in San Francisco, Thursday, March 24, 2022.
(AP Picture/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Williams took a cost late within the first half — his forty fifth of the season — and drove by the lane for an emphatic dunk throughout a 9-0 run by Arkansas during which the Zags have been 0 for five with three turnovers.

Williams and Trey Wade scored 15 factors apiece.

BAY AREA MEMORY

Gonzaga’s final two visits to the Bay Space have been forgettable. The Bulldogs’ earlier go to was nonetheless loads contemporary earlier than Thursday — a 67-57 loss for at rival Saint Mary’s on Feb. 26 for his or her first defeat since Dec. 4.

FACING NO. 1

The Hogs earned their first ever win in opposition to a No. 1 group within the NCAA Event.

Arkansas had been 0-5 all-time in opposition to the nation’s top-ranked group and 2-11 general, with a type of wins coming this season. The Razorbacks beat then-No. 1 Auburn 76-73 in time beyond regulation on Feb. 8.

BIG PICTURE

Arkansas: Musselman coached each the NBA’s Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings within the 2000s, so this was a homecoming of kinds. His mom flew in from San Diego. … Hogs assistant Keith Sensible additionally coached with each franchises. … Arkansas missed its preliminary 4 3-point tries earlier than Wade hit from deep on the 10:36 mark of the primary half. … The Razorbacks misplaced to eventual champion Baylor in final 12 months’s Elite Eight. … Arkansas improved to 8-5 in Candy 16 video games.

Gonzaga: The Zags dedicated 15 turnovers, leading to 10 Arkansas factors. … Gonzaga’s seven straight Candy 16s is the longest energetic run to this spherical. … The Zags received the one earlier assembly between the colleges, 91-81 on the Maui Invitational in November 2013.