SAN FRANCISCO — Gonzaga’s dream of winning a national championship will have to wait at least another year.

The top-seeded Zags, in their seventh straight trip to the Sweet 16, were sent home by an Arkansas team whose speed and aggression added up to a 74-68 victory at the Chase Center on Thursday evening.

The Zags (28-4) reached the national championship game in 2017 and again last year, only to be turned away. The Razorbacks (28-8) took the lead 3 minutes into the second half and never gave it back.

The loss is the second in a month in the Bay Area for the Zags, who fell 67-57 at Saint Mary’s in the regular-season finale on Feb. 26.

The Hogs, who advance to the Elite 8 for the second straight season under former Warriors coach Eric Musselman, will play Saturday night against Duke, which beat Texas Tech in Thursday night’s late game.

“This is what we dreamed about, this is what we came here to do,” said Arkansas star guard JD Notae, embracing the underdog role. “Before we left Fayetteville, coach said if you don’t want to win, don’t get on the plane.”

It was a great homecoming for Musselman, whose mother flew up from San Diego to watch him coach the Razorbacks for the first time.

Musselman, who played college ball at San Diego in the West Coast Conference, was convinced his Southeastern Conference squad would cause the Zags problems.

“The physicality and the speed that we can play with is just really different,” Musselman said. “It’s been a long time in conference play since they faced a team like us. I thought it was as good as we could play against a really, really good team that is well-coached.”

The Hogs held Gonzaga — the nation’s highest-scoring team — to 38-percent shooting and forced 15 turnovers.

“I think they got a little frustrated,” Notae said.

Down nine points with less than 7 minutes left, Gonzaga battled back but got no closer than three points the rest of the way.

Gonzaga coach Mark Few said it will take his players time to gain perspective on a season he dubbed “spectacular.” Falling short of a trip to New Orleans for the ‘Final Four doesn’t throw cold water on the entire season, Few said.

“Sometimes the outside people label it national championship or bust,” he said. “Obviously, we wanted to take this thing all the way to the end and win it. But we understand how hard that is.”

WCC Player of the Year Drew Timme, who scored 25 points for the Zags, gathered his teammates at midcourt afterward and consoled them.

“I just said I was proud of us. It was a hell of a ride,” he said. “It didn’t end up the way we wanted but we came to play hard. It was just their night. They won the game fair and square.”

Andrew Nembhard, championed by Few as the nation’s top point guard, was harassed all night by Arkansas guard Au’Diese Toney. Nembhard made just one of his first nine shots before dropping a running 3-pointer with 16.5 seconds left.

“His length was a factor. He’s athletic he did a great job, pressing me the whole game,” Nembhard said.

Freshman 7-footer Chet Holmgren, expected to be a top-3 pick in the NBA, had 11 points and 14 rebounds but often was a step slow on defense and fouled out with 3:29 to play.

“It was a big aspect tonight,” Few conceded. “We’re so different when he’s in there with his rim protection.”

Notae needed 29 shots to score 21 points, but he was everywhere for the Razorbacks. He added six rebounds, six assists and three steals. Forward Jaylin Williams contributed 15 points and 12 rebounds and Trey Wade also scored 15.

The back-and-forth continued early in the second half but the Zags developed the first serious foul issue when Holmgren was whistled for his third with 15:56 left.

Few left him in the game and Holmgren avoided further trouble until bumping Toney, who converted a layup and free throw for a 52-46 Hogs’ lead with 8:36 left.

For the third straight game the Zags found themselves in a first-half battle, trailing 32-29. They were up just 35-33 against Georgia State before winning 93-72 and they trailed Memphis 41-31, ultimately winning 82-78.

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SAN FRANCISCO — For 40 frenzied minutes, JD Notae, Jaylin Williams and Arkansas played a maddening, muscular style on both ends that took Gonzaga out of its game — and right out of the NCAA Tournament far earlier than these Zags expected.

Notae scored 21 points despite missing 20 shots and the determined, fourth-seeded Razorbacks dashed the No. 1 overall seed Bulldogs’ title hopes with a 74-68 win in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night.

“We’ve been disrespected the whole year, so it’s just another thing for us,” Williams said. “We saw everything they were saying, we felt like they were dancing before the game. That was disrespect for us. We just came into the game playing hard and we had a chip on our shoulder. Every game we do.”

When the final buzzer sounded, Notae tossed the game ball into the air in triumph, while Williams flexed and roared near midcourt. Coach Eric Musselman made his way into the stands to find his mother, Kris, for a celebratory embrace after she watched her son in person for the first time coaching the Razorbacks.

After a throwback performance from the program that once promised “40 Minutes of Hell,” these Hogs relished in pure bliss.

• Gonzaga forward Drew Timme attempts to score in the first half during the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament in San Francisco on Thursday. (Brandon Vallance – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

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  Arkansas guard Au’Diese Toney, left, and JD Notae attempt to block a shot from Gonzaga’s Andrew Nembhard during the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament in San Francisco on Thursday. (Brandon Vallance – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

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  Arkansas forward Trey Wade, left, and Jaylin Williams fight for control of the ball during the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament in San Francisco on Thursday. (Brandon Vallance – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

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  Arkansas Razorbacks guard Stanley Umude, middle, battles for the ball during the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament in San Francisco on Thursday. (Brandon Vallance – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

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  Arkansas forward Jaylin Williams and Trey Wade react after the Razorbacks’ win over Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament in San Francisco on Thursday. (Brandon Vallance – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

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  Arkansas guard Au’Diese Toney dunks against Gonzaga during the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament in San Francisco on Thursday. (Brandon Vallance – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

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  (March Madness 2022 at Chase Center in San Francisco on Thursday. (Brandon Vallance – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

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  Duke forward AJ Griffin drives against Texas Tech during the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament in San Francisco on Thursday. (Brandon Vallance – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

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  Texas Tech forward Bryson Williams is defended by Duke center Mark Williams during the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament in San Francisco on Thursday. (Brandon Vallance – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

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  Texas Tech Red Raiders forward Bryson Williams attempts a 3-point shot as he is defended by Duke’s Mark Williams during the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament in San Francisco on Thursday. (Brandon Vallance – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

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  Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski looks over a play chart during a timeout in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 round on Thursday at Chase Center. (Brandon Vallance – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

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  Duke Blue Devils forward Paolo Banchero attempts a layup during the first half in their NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game in San Francisco on Thursday. (Brandon Vallance – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

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  Duke Blue Devils guard Jeremy Roach drives against Texas Tech during in the teams’ Sweet 16 game of the NCAA Tournament in San Francisco on Thursday. (Brandon Vallance – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

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  Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski instructs his team during a Sweet 16 game in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday at Chase Center in San Francisco. (Brandon Vallance – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

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  Duke Blue Devils guard Jeremy Roach attempts a layup during the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament in San Francisco on Thursday. (Brandon Vallance – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

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  Duke Blue Devils guard Jeremy Roach, left, Mark Williams react after their win over Texas Tech in the Sweet 16 game of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday at Chase Center. (Brandon Vallance – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

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  Duke center Mark Williams dunks the ball over Texas Tech forward Marcus Santos-Silva during the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament in San Francisco on Thursday. (Brandon Vallance – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

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  Duke’s bench reacts to a play during his Sweet 16 game in the NCAA Tournament in San Francisco on Thursday. (Brandon Vallance – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

Notae finished with six rebounds, six assists, three steals and even swatted a pair of shots for the Razorbacks (28-8), who reached the Elite Eight for a second straight year and will face second-seeded Duke on Saturday, hoping to deny retiring coach Mike Krzyzewski one last trip to the Final Four.

Drew Timme scored 25 points but couldn’t rally the normally high-scoring Bulldogs (28-4), who for the second straight season were favored to win that elusive national title but couldn’t keep up with Arkansas’ athleticism and fight. Gonzaga had been undefeated last year before losing to Baylor in the national title game.

Duke center Mark Williams dunks the ball over Texas Tech forward Marcus Santos-Silva during the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament in San Francisco on Thursday. (Brandon Vallance-Santa Cruz Sentinel)

Duke 78, Texas Tech 73

SAN FRANCISCO— Mike Krzyzewski has spent more than four decades at Duke telling his players what to do, with championship-level results.

With his Hall of Fame career in danger of coming to an end, Krzyzewski let his players dictate the game-closing defensive strategy of switching from an uncharacteristic zone defense into Duke’s famous man-to-man.

The key defensive stops and two late baskets by Jeremy Roach Krzyzewski moved within one win of his record-setting 13th trip to the Final Four in his farewell season with a win over Texas Tech.

Krzyzewski said the players came to him during a late timeout like a “Catholic boys’ choir,” asking in unison for the switch to man that led to three straight stops and turned the game in Duke’s favor.

“With this team they’re so young and they’re still growing,” Krzyzewski said. “Whenever they can own something, they’re going to do it better than if we just run it. When they said that, I felt they’re going to own it. They’ll make it work, and that’s probably more important than strategy during that time. So that’s the way I looked at it.”

Roach did the rest with two jumpers during a 7-0 run as the steady sophomore came through in the clutch for a second straight game to send second-seeded Duke (31-6) into an Elite Eight matchup against fourth-seeded Arkansas.

Paolo Banchero led Duke with 22 points, Mark Williams scored 16 and Roach added 15 as the Blue Devils made their final eight shots from the field to hold off third-seeded Texas Tech (27-10) and give Coach K his record 100th NCAA Tournament win.

“I would say all year in the biggest moments we’ve always stepped up, and there’s no bigger moment than this,” Banchero said. “I don’t know about these guys, but I’ve never played in a basketball game like that.”

As compelling as the action on the court was in this taut West Region semifinal, the story of this Blue Devils run has surrounded the farewell tour of their Hall of Fame coach.

Krzyzewski announced last June he would retire after this season. After missing the tournament last year, Duke was back with a roster filled with NBA prospects and capable of delivering Krzyzewski his sixth title.

Duke played from behind for much of the first half but was much sharper offensively in the second half. Williams got free for three easy baskets early in the half to get the Blue Devils rolling.

Then the vocal Duke contingent on hand for the first NCAA Tournament games in San Francisco since 1939 made its presence known midway through the half when AJ Griffin tied the game at 47 with his third 3-pointer and Banchero followed with a jumper that gave Duke the lead.

But a Red Raiders team featuring four super seniors and five players with more than 120 career games didn’t go away and the game stayed tight as Duke used the zone to negate Texas Tech’s strength advantage.

THE SCORES

West Regional
At Chase Center, San Francisco
Thursday’s semifinals
Arkansas 74, Gonzaga 68
Duke 78, Texas Tech 73
Saturday’s Championship
Duke vs. Arkansas, 5:49 p.m

The post Arkansas stuns Gonzaga, faces Duke in Elite 8 in San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

LAS VEGAS – Gonzaga’s offense was humming along with a shooting percentage in the mid 60s well into the second half. It was easy to overlook the converse at the other end of the court. San Francisco was in the low 30s.

With USF All-WCC center Yauhen Massalski sidelined due to a knee injury, even more of the offensive burden fell on the talented backcourt tandem of Jamaree Bouyea and Khalil Shabazz.

The Dons, and Shabazz in particular, heated up later in the second half to make the closing minutes uncomfortable for GU in an 81-71 win Monday, but Bouyea never found his comfort zone against the Zags’ defense.

Bouyea, who joined Massalski as a first-team All-WCC selection, had one of his worst nights in an otherwise outstanding senior season. He was limited to five points, made only 1 of 11 shots and misfired on all seven of his 3-point attempts.

The credit for that goes to GU guards Rasir Bolton, Nolan Hickman and occasionally Andrew Nembhard as primary defenders on Bouyea, with Chet Holmgren’s rim protection also playing a key role.

“Bouyea is a phenomenal point guard,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. “He’ll give you nightmares the night before a game. He manipulates any coverage you do with ball screens. He can score at all three levels.

“He just had one of those nights. We did a good job. Playing him three times, guys had a really good feel of what he’s been successful with. Having Chet back there defensively is such a nice advantage. You can really crowd guys (outside) and funnel them into Chet and they always know he’s there.”

Bouyea has been one of the conference’s most productive players, averaging 17.1 points per game, hitting nearly 48% of his shots, including 38.4% from distance. His performance has put him on the radar of NBA scouts and he’s appeared in several mock drafts.

He couldn’t get untracked against the Zags. He was limited to his third lowest scoring output of the season (two points vs. Saint Mary’s, four points vs. Arizona State).

“We have really good guards that can penetrate and usually rim finish,” San Francisco coach Todd Golden said. “Jamaree is one of the best in the country at that. Chet just makes it really hard on him. He had some trouble finishing inside and that usually gets him going. He’s able to get downhill and make some tough finishes around the rim and it kind of loosens him up.

“Not having Yauhen out there was definitely part of it, too. He’s a really good secondary playmaker. We weren’t ourselves. We had to make a big adjustment going into this game. It took us a while to figure that out.”

Gonzaga slowed down Shabazz, a second-team All-WCC selection, for 20 minutes. He was 2 of 9 from the field and had just four points as the Zags constructed a 47-27 halftime lead.

Shabazz turned it around, nailing five second-half 3-pointers and finishing with 27 points. He was 10 of 25 from the field, moving his three-game total against Gonzaga this season to 21 of 59 (35.5%).

“It’s two halves,” Shabazz said. “Regardless of what happens in the first half, whether you’re hot or you’re not, just keep shooting, trust yourself, your shot, the play.”

Bouyea had a 25-point effort against the Zags in January and 14 points in the rematch on Feb. 24. He’s 16 of 46 (34.8%) in three games vs. Gonzaga.

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