INDIANAPOLIS – Three 55-foot dribbles and one of the biggest shots in the history of the NCAA tournament and the Four Finals.
UCLA’s Johnny Juzang scored 3.3 seconds from the end of the scoring, and Gonzaga coach Mark Few chose not to ask for a timeout. Bulldog striker Corey Kispert pulled the ball out of the net, while Jalen Suggs started to bend towards the ball to catch it in the race.
Kispert tossed the ball to Suggs, who gave three dribbles and pulled about 40 feet to lean on a horn hitting 3 to give Gonzaga a 93-90 victory in overtime on Bruins’ 11 seed on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium, advancing the Bulldogs into Monday’s national championship game against Baylor.
Suggs punched the air and ran to the control table while his companions surrounded him.
“I always wanted to go up to the table like Kobe and D-Wade and go like that, and that was the first thing I did,” said Suggs, Gonzaga’s guard star. “Dude, this is something you practice in your mini-bow as a kid or at the gym just to play. And being able to do that, it’s crazy.”
The Zags’ quest for an undefeated season in the national championship has barely survived.
“It helps when you have a special, magical guy like Jalen,” said Few.
UCLA’s Cinderella race through the NCAA tournament almost took another victim down, as the Bruins gave Gonzaga (31-0) everything they could and more. There were 19 changes of advantage, and the biggest advantage for either team was Gonzaga’s seven-point advantage in the second half.
The Bulldogs had barely been tested throughout the season, with 29 of their 30 wins on Saturday won by double digits. It was clear from the beginning that this would not be the case in the national semifinals.
UCLA matched Gonzaga basket by basket in the first half, even though he had a six-point lead at 4 minutes, 55 seconds remaining at the break. Bruins coach Mick Cronin once again took a master class in game planning, limiting Gonzaga’s transition opportunities and refusing to push the ball on counterattacks, even when the Bruins might have an advantage. They ran the shot clock in almost every possession and made difficult bids throughout the night.
Before his bell, Suggs had already defended the tournament dispute. With two minutes remaining in regulation, he came up behind and blocked what appeared to be an easy basket for Cody Riley. He kept the ball on the pitch, then pushed it up before he threaded the needle with a one-handed pass to Drew Timme for a dunk. Instead of a two-point handicap, Gonzaga had a two-point advantage.
“I couldn’t give him a bucket for free,” said Suggs of Riley. “Either I would find him on the line or I would play with the ball. I went to the corner – it was hard to do it. I did it. I saw Drew running and Tyger Campbell is fast. I wanted to play him. I let him slip out of my hands, he had other equipment. It was much closer than I wanted. I knew the coach might be a little upset that I made the pass, but he passed. “
“He’s a great player. I mean, he’s electric,” few said of Suggs. “Especially when you take him out in the transition. He’s confident enough. And to pass it on to Timme. When I saw him assessing, I didn’t think it would be one of the biggest decisions he’s ever made. But he has a knack for just fitting in. things in small windows. “
Juzang was again excellent for UCLA, continuing the stellar stretch he had in all NCAA tournaments. Sometimes he was defenseless, finishing with 29 points, being the fourth time in the tournament that has at least 23 points. And it looked like he could deliver another shocking victory over a seed 1 at the end of the regulation, when he drove on the track and drew a whistle 1.1 seconds from the end. But instead of a fifth foul on Timme, it was an onslaught against Juzang and another five minutes to play.
“[Timme is] our best collector by far. I mean, I don’t know how I felt about it, with four faults, “few said.” But he took it, God bless him, and it was a great move. “
Timme was exceptional in the extra period, scoring Gonzaga’s first six points to give the Bulldogs some breathing space. But as he did with the entire game, UCLA continued to fight and had possession of the ball after a missed 3 by Kispert with 22 seconds left.
Juzang drove on the track and missed a runner, but he missed and put it back to tie the scoreboard with 3.3 seconds left. Gonzaga had a timeout remaining, but few would use it. Suggs scored one of the biggest strokes in the history of the NCAA tournament and sent the Zags to the title game on Monday night.
“I knew we were good because it was in Jalen’s hands,” said Few. “He makes pitches. He has that magical aura. He makes them in practice all the time. It has been crazy this year how many he made in practice, last-second shots. I felt really good. I was looking right at him. And I said, ‘It’s in.’ And it was.”
Suggs, a former high school football star, said his greatest sporting moment on entering college was a high school football championship in his senior year. He has a new one now.
“He fires above that,” said Suggs, who barely managed to contain his joy at the post-game press conference. “I mean, it was crazy. And I still can’t speak. I have so many things going on in my head. I just can’t believe it happened. I don’t think it will really hit me until I wake up tomorrow. Tonight was special .
“When dreams start to come true and you are able to experience these things, it is special,” he added later. “And those are things you have to cherish. You will never have another moment like this. You will never be able to relive that.”
So, now on Monday, we have the game that college basketball has wanted since the beginning of the season, the game that was denied us in early December because of COVID-19: Gonzaga vs. Baylor.
It will be the first time since 2005 that the first two teams on the NCAA tournament’s 1-68 seed list will face each other in the national championship game.
“I think now they are back to playing the same way they were earlier this year,” said Few. “And so well trained. Going forward, making kicks. Playing a great defense … We have to prepare for an excellent Baylor team. And we will have to play very well.”
Forty minutes to perfection and a place in history.