Drew Timme's status as a Gonzaga legend was already secure, but the senior forward took his status to new heights by leading the Zags to a 79-76 comeback victory over UCLA in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night in a game that featured a wild ending. The Bruins ralled from an eight-point deficit in the final minute to take the lead before Julian Strawther hit a 3-pointer with six seconds left from several feet beyond the top of the key to put the Zags ahead.
UCLA had a chance to tie the game with 1.4 seconds left, but Tyger Campbell's shot missed at the buzzer. Timme finished with 36 points and helped guide the No. 3 seed Bulldogs back from a 46-33 halftime deficit against the No. 2 seed Bruins.
Playing shorthanded amid injuries to starters Jaylen Clark and Adem Bona, UCLA came out scorching hot in the first half behind the trio of Campbell, Amari Bailey and Jaime Jaquez. But the Bruins went cold for most of the second half -- until their rally in the final minute -- as Timme continued to take over the game.
The win continued a recent run of success against UCLA for Gonzaga, which outlasted the Bruins on a buzzer-beater in the Final Four two years ago. Thursday's ending was equally as devastating for UCLA after the Bruins appeared to have command of the game in the first half.
Gonzaga's comeback from a 13-point deficit was its largest comeback of the season and sends the Zags on to play No. 4 seed UConn in the Elite Eight on Saturday.
Julian Strawther's clutch gene
Timme's sheer offensive volume sticks out, but Strawther emerged as an equal level of hero in the win for Gonzaga. The junior wing has taken his game to new heights this season, especially in clutch situations, while emerging as a reliable sidekick to Timme. The Las Vegas native made a memorable shot in his hometown on Thursday, but it wasn't his first game-winner of the season.
Back on Jan. 12, Strawther hit a shot from nearly an identical spot in an eerily similar situation to lift the Zags to a win at BYU. Strawther entered the Sweet 16 shooting 42.3% from 3-point range for the season, a marked improvement from his first two seasons, and he made 3 of 8 against the Bruins -- all of them coming in the second half as he provided the offensive help that Timme sorely needed.
Drew Timme's huge night
Speaking of Timme, the man made his case for National Player of the Year consideration with his performance against UCLA. It was clear that the Zags wanted to feed him the basketball since the Bruins were without Bona due to injury. The philosophy worked even as the Zags fell behind due to some spotty defense against the hot-shooting Bruins in the first half.
Timme scored 13 of Gonzaga's first 15 points and hardly slowed down for the rest of the game. His 3-of-6 mark from the free-throw line nearly cost the Zags, who were just 9 of 17 from the line as a team. But, on the whole, he carried a team that appeared at risk of getting blown out in the first half.
UCLA's fight
There is no justification for going over 11 minutes without a bucket from the floor in the second half like UCLA did, especially against a Gonzaga team that is known more for its offense than its defense. That reality will haunt the Bruins for a while. But from a big-picture perspective, there is nothing for these depleted Bruins to be ashamed of. They entered the NCAA Tournament fresh off the loss of top defender and third-leading scorer Jaylen Clark. Then, Bona hit the injury list for Thursday night's game after aggravating an existing shoulder injury in the Bruins' second-round game.
The Bruins got just 20 total minutes and four points from their bench amid the injuries, while Gonzaga got 50 points and 19 points from its bench. Still, UCLA found a way to stage a stunning rally in the final minute, roaring back from a 74-66 deficit to take the lead on Bailey's 3-pointer with 14 seconds remaining. Jaquez finished with 29, Bailey finished with 19 and Campbell finished with 14 for the Bruins, who certainly went down swinging.
