Wichita, Ear.-LJ Crray matched a high level of a career with 30 points, including two free throw with 14.2 seconds, and the No.1 Seed Houston defeated the eighth seed Gonjaga on 81-76 to reach Sweet 16 for the sixth Strait NCAA tournament on Saturday night.
J’wan Roberts added 18 points and Milos Uzan made two last free throw, which made the remaining 15th free throw to the 15th consecutive win and in Indianapolis on Friday night in a regional semi-finals against the number 4 CD perdue in Indianapolis.
Houston also ended Gonjaga’s nine Strait Sweet 16 run, which was the longest active line in the nation.
“This is just winning the game,” said Kaagar’s coach Calvin Sampson. “It is defeating a great program like Gonjaga.”
Bulldogs (26–9) surpassed 76-67 over 2 minutes when Graham IK made two free throw to start her return bid, and most of them were coming to the foul line. And when Uzan overturned the ball and the battle of Khalif made two of his own free throw, Bulldog pulled 21 seconds to 77-76.
Houston got the ball to the Cryr, which was fouled, and he made both his free throw to increase the lead. At the other end, Ja’Vier Francis tried to tie the 3-point of the war to the corner, and Uzan knocked on his dishonest shots to seal the victory.
“Gonjaga is as good as we have played throughout the year,” Sampson said. “Whether they were sown elsewhere, it is a team that could have a chance to go to Elite eight, or perhaps the final four. They are good.”
IKE ended with 27 points for Bulldog. Battle scored 17 and Ryan Nebhard’s 10 points and 11 assistance.
Gonjaga’s coach Mark Fu said, “It is just a great, great basketball game, especially our people fought their way in the way they are proud of the way they hang with it.” “Houston was everything and as much as we thought it would happen.”
Given that any program did not win more games than Gonjaga and Houston in the last eight seasons, it seemed as if their second round match in the midwest area would be better for the second weekend.
Or even the last four, where Bulldogs and Kagar were at the opposite edges of the bracket in 2021.
Nevertheless, for most of the game, Houston saw his number 1 seed and every bit of Gonjaga at number 8. The Kugars claimed his physical dominance on the perennial waste coast power, while Crray-The Big 12 Player of the Year-Ne Houston gave a 35–27 lead on a break.
Roberts, who stabbed his ankle in the last week’s conference tournament, took over in the second half. The most winning player in the history of Cougars began to push his way for the basket, and allowed the cougars to maintain his lead.
Gonjaga scored a final run from Stretch, but could never extend them forward.
Techauve
Gonjaga was second at the national level in scoring at 86.7 points per game, and in the first round, it surpassed Georgia’s 89–68 routes. But Bulldog reduced the mark against Houston’s trademark defense.
Houston was able to rest his stars during a win over SIU Edwardsville on Thursday. Those fresh legs seemed to be paid in the end minutes on Saturday, when Gonjaga was trying to climb back in the game.
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