WCC Basketball

The No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga Bulldogs survived a scare from the No. 16 seed Georgia State Panthers en route to a 93-72 first-round win in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Thursday at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.

The score does not tell the story of this game.

Gonzaga led 35-33 at halftime and trailed 54-52 with 13:10 remaining in regulation after an Evan Johnson two-pointer. Georgia State went punch-for-punch with Gonzaga for the better part of the game's first 30 minutes.

However, Gonzaga fought back and eventually went on a 21-0 run to give itself a 83-58 lead with Drew Timme and Chet Holmgren leading the way.

Timme had 32 points on 13-of-21 shooting and 13 rebounds. Holmgren dominated on both ends with 19 points, 17 rebounds, seven blocks, five assists and two steals. Andrew Nembhard added 11 assists.

Corey Allen led four Georgia State players in double-digit scoring with 16 points.

Gonzaga, which is a No. 1 seed in this tournament for the third straight time, is looking for its first national championship.

Georgia State made its fourth NCAA tournament since 2015.

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Notable Performances

Gonzaga F Drew Timme: 32 points, 13 rebounds

Gonzaga C Chet Holmgren: 19 points, 17 rebounds, 7 blocks, 5 assists, 2 steals

Gonzaga G Andrew Nembhard: 9 points, 11 assists

Georgia State G Corey Allen: 16 points, 2 assists

Georgia State G Kane Williams: 12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals

Georgia State F Jalen Thomas: 12 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks

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Gonzaga Dominates Late After Scratching and Surviving for 30 Minutes

It's not uncommon for No. 16 seeds to give No. 1 seeds a run for their money in the first half.

It isn't uncommon to see them stay within striking distance in the second half either.

But Gonzaga had a problem: Georgia State was within one possession with just over 11 minutes left in this game.

The Bulldogs didn't have a lot of time to return to the form that led to their No. 1 overall seed, but they took care of business in time for the big win.

Of note, Gonzaga dominated down low, and Nembhard's passing played a part. He found Timme, who had 22 second-half points, in the key for a 72-58 lead:

Nembhard with the DIME to Timme! pic.twitter.com/nO2IQ1n7KK

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 17, 2022

Timme did a tremendous amount of work down low, bullying his way to the rim for a 30-piece here:

3️⃣0️⃣-piece for Drew Timme 😤@ZagMBB is rollling #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/rN2aUzFU24

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 17, 2022

Gonzaga did work outside the half-court, though, as this Holmgren hammer on the fast break capped the 21-0 stretch:

No stopping Chet Holmgren 🔨@ZagMBB #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/6MNcpT4pcJ

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 17, 2022

Holmgren made some history along the way:

He's the only player ever with 15+ points, 15+ rebounds, 5+ assists and 5+ blocks in an NCAA Tournament game.

(blocks became official in 1986)

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 17, 2022

Games with 15 Pts, 15 Reb, 5 Ast, 5 Blk this season:

Chet Holmgren: 2
Everyone else in D-I combined: 0

He's the first player to do it in an NCAA Tournament game since blocks became official in 1986. @ZagMBB pic.twitter.com/lXfjaedVIQ

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 17, 2022

Ultimately, Gonzaga was simply too tough, as the Bulldogs shot 50.7 percent from the field and out-rebounded Georgia State 54-41.

    

Strong Georgia State Effort Scares Gonzaga

Georgia State's solid start was no fluke, as the Panthers kept up with the Bulldogs for one full half and a good chunk of the second. 

Their energy was readily apparent. Georgia State caught Gonzaga napping on one possession, as a Kaleb Scott offensive rebound eventually led to a wide-open Ja'Heim Hudson three for a 21-all tie:

16-seed Georgia State is hanging tough with the top-seeded Zags 👀

@GeorgiaStateMBB #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/h1FwRjX3bO

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 17, 2022

Georgia State's defense was strong, with Scott notably stuffing a Hunter Sallis layup attempt that would have tied it at 25:

16-seed @GeorgiaStateMBB is leading 1-seed Gonzaga late in the first half 👀 pic.twitter.com/G9Gxl0z95U

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 17, 2022

Unfortunately, Georgia State senior big man Eliel Nsoseme suffered an apparent left knee injury in the first half that kept him out for the remainder of the game.

Losing the 6'8" big man was a tough blow for Georgia State, especially with other frontcourt players (Hudson, Scott, Jalen Thomas) all finding themselves in foul trouble.

And yet, Georgia State never quit.

The Panthers still did work in the early portions of the second half. This Justin Roberts two-pointer tied the game at 50:

Justin Roberts hits the tough jumper 💪

@GeorgiaStateMBB is keeping it close against the Zags 👀 #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/qIlLu8hifR

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 17, 2022

Johnson later hit a deep two-pointer in the corner for the lead, and Georgia State appeared to be posing a legitimate threat:

We've got a great game on our hands pic.twitter.com/rDFJCNZmin

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 17, 2022

This game didn't end with Georgia State becoming just the second No. 16 seed in NCAA Division I men's tournament history to upset a No. 1 seed, but the Panthers put forth an excellent performance.

      

What's Next?

Gonzaga will face No. 9 Memphis, which beat No. 8 Boise State 64-53 earlier Thursday.

Those teams will play Saturday in Portland at a to-be-determined time.

For the first time since 2019, the Gonzaga Bulldogs have lost to the Saint Mary's Gaels. 

The No. 23 Gaels dominated the No. 1 Bulldogs from start to finish Saturday at University Credit Union Pavilion for a 67-57 win. Saint Mary's improved to 24-6 with the victory, while Gonzaga dropped to 24-3. 

CHAOS IN MORAGA‼️ pic.twitter.com/7qAlVIXm6V

— ESPN (@espn) February 27, 2022

Gonzaga entered Saturday's game having not lost since a 91-82 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide on Dec. 4. This weekend's upset could affect their ranking in the Associated Press' Top 25 poll. 

Both Chet Holmgren and Drew Timme had underwhelming performances for the Bulldogs. Holmgren finished with six points, six rebounds and one assist while shooting 3-of-7 from the floor.

Timme, meanwhile, had one of his worst games of the season as he finished with six points, eight rebounds and two assists on 2-of-10 shooting from the floor. If the duo had played even slightly better, things could have turned out differently on Saturday night. 

As a team, the Bulldogs struggled on offense, shooting just 36.7 percent from the floor. In addition, they turned the ball over 14 times. 

As for Saint Mary's, Tommy Kuhse and Matthias Tass combined for 27 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Performances off the bench from Mitchell Saxen and Jabe Mullins were also critical in the Gaels' victory. 

With the Gaels' upset of Gonzaga, every team ranked in the top six of the AP Top 25 lost on Saturday. It is the first time ever that the top six ranked teams all lost in the same day. 

Paolo Banchero scored 21 points Saturday night to pace No. 5 Duke in an 84-81 victory over No. 1 Gonzaga in the 2021 Continental Tire Challenge at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Wendell Moore Jr. added 20 points, six rebounds, six assists and four steals for the Blue Devils, who improved to 7-0 on the 2021-22 season. Mark Williams chipped in 17 points and nine boards.

"This was a really big-time game," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski told reporters. "What a great crowd."

Julian Strawther (20 points), Drew Timme (17), Chet Holmgren (16) and Rasir Bolton (15) all scored in double figures for the Zags, but it wasn't enough to prevent their first loss of the campaign as they fell to 6-1.

Saturday's early-season clash of national championship contenders lived up to the hype with a back-and-forth battle that went right down to the wire.

The key sequence came when a Jeremy Roach layup gave Duke a three-point lead with 42 seconds remaining and Gonzaga failed to score on the ensuing possession. A subsequent pair of Moore free throws extended the advantage to five for the Blue Devils, who held on for the minor upset.

"It felt like a Final Four-type game," Timme told reporters. "The atmosphere was great, and it was two Goliaths going at it."

Gonzaga head coach Mark Few gave credit to Duke not only for Saturday's win but also for Krzyzewski's work creating a program that's one of the nation's gold standards. Coach K is set to retire at season's end.

"We've always asked over the years before we've had to make decisions on anything—how we travel, how we operate, how we schedule, facility-wise—the first question always is, 'What's Duke doing?'" Few said. "I don't think I can pay any higher respect than that."

The Bulldogs finished the game with more fouls (24-15), which helped Duke hold an eight-point edge from the free-throw line, and more than double the turnovers (17-8). Those two categories were key in a game that wasn't decided until the final minute.

It's the second top-10 win of the campaign for the Blue Devils, who opened the season with a triumph over No. 10 Kentucky on Nov. 9. They don't have another game against a currently ranked opponent on their schedule as part of what's shaping up as a down year for the ACC.

Next up for Duke is a visit to Value City Arena on Tuesday to face off with Ohio State (4-2) as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Meanwhile, Gonzaga probably won't lose its status as the title favorite despite the loss, as it already had wins over No. 5 Texas and No. 2 UCLA under its belt.

The Zags return home to the McCarthey Athletic Center to face off with Tarleton State (1-5) on Monday.

Drew Timme posted a career-high 37 points on 15-of-19 shooting to lead the No. 1 Gonzaga men's basketball team to a 86-74 win over the No. 5 Texas Longhorns on Saturday from McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Washington.

Drew putting everyone on notice 🥵

37 pts
15-19 FG
7 rebs
3 ast @drewtimme2 pic.twitter.com/Ao4WgrZ3Md

— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) November 14, 2021

Timme started the game with 11 points on 5-of-5 shooting in the first 4:15 of game action. He finished with 22 points by halftime as the Bulldogs led the Longhorns 47-27 at halftime.

He added 15 more points in the second half as the Bulldogs led the final 20 minutes by double digits the entire way.

Timme began the year as the Associated Press' lone unanimous selection for its All-American team as well as The Athletic's choice for the men's preseason player of the year.

Those picks are looking good through two games as Gonzaga looks for its first-ever national title.

It was an off-night for Gonzaga even-footer Chet Holmgren, who is a candidate to be called first on the next NBA draft night.

He finished with just two points on 1-of-3 shooting alongside five rebounds, two blocks and four fouls.

However, Holmgren started his collegiate career with a 14-point, 13-rebound, seven-block, six-assist night as the Bulldogs beat Dixie State 97-63. Evenings like Saturday should be few and far between as the talented big man traverses through this season.

For Texas, Timmy Allen led the way with 18 points.

Gonzaga will now host Alcorn State on Monday at 9 p.m. ET.

Video was released of Gonzaga Bulldogs head men's basketball coach Mark Few's traffic stop in Idaho on Sept. 6 after he was seen driving erratically and speeding.

Nicholas K. Geranios of the Associated Press previously reported Few pleaded guilty to misdemeanor driving under the influence on Oct. 20. On Tuesday, TMZ Sports shared the video that shows the coach refusing to take a field sobriety test, as well as putting his hands in his pockets and using his cell phone despite police officers telling him to stop.

Few said the field sobriety tests were "totally subjective" and pointed to previous injuries that prevented him from performing them.

He also said he swerved when driving because he was attempting to control his dogs in the car. Police eventually put Few in handcuffs and into the back of the squad car. 

Few's Breathalyzer tests produced blood alcohol contents of .119 and a .120; the legal limit is .08.

Geranios reported Few was fined $1,000 and was ordered to perform 24 hours of community service. His driver's license is suspended until Nov. 5, and he must use an ignition interlock device to drive for the next year.

Few apologized in a statement he released on Sept. 7:

Statement from Mark Few: pic.twitter.com/aDpzLaavzZ

— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) September 8, 2021

He is suspended for the No. 1 Bulldogs' season opener against Dixie State on Nov. 9, as well as for exhibition games against Eastern Oregon and Lewis-Clark State. He is expected to return for the Nov. 13 showdown against Texas.          

Court documents revealed Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball coach Mark Few said he was "pleading guilty because I am guilty" during a Friday hearing regarding his misdemeanor driving under the influence charge in Idaho.

Nicholas K. Geranios of the Associated Press reported Few was sentenced to serve 24 hours of community service and fined $1,000. His driver's license is also suspended until Nov. 5, and he will need to use an ignition interlock device to drive for a year after that.

Few paid the fine instead of spending four days in jail.

As Geranios noted, the head coach was pulled over in Idaho on Sept. 6 after someone reported he was driving erratically while speeding.

According to the Coeur d'Alene Press, Few "exhibited several signs of intoxication" and "refused to complete field sobriety tests but provided breath samples."

His breath samples registered blood-alcohol concentrations of .119 and .120. The legal limit is .08.

"I have had a month to reflect on the regretful decisions I made on Sept. 6," Few said at the time. "I again offer my sincere apology and I remain committed to learning from this mistake."

He also released a statement on Sept. 7:              

Statement from Mark Few: pic.twitter.com/aDpzLaavzZ

— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) September 8, 2021

Few is suspended for Gonzaga's exhibition games against Eastern Oregon on Oct. 31 and Lewis-Clark State on Nov. 5. He is also suspended for the season opener against Dixie State on Nov. 9 but is scheduled to return for the Nov. 13 matchup with Texas.

Gonzaga is ranked No. 1 in the country in the preseason Associated Press Top 25.            

Gonzaga has suspended head men's basketball coach Mark Few following his DUI arrest in September.

As first reported by Dana O'Neil of The Athletic, Few will be suspended for Saturday's Kraziness in the Kennel event, two exhibition games and the regular-season opener against Dixie State on Nov. 9.

Few will then return to the sidelines for the Bulldogs' second game of the season Nov. 13 when they host the Texas Longhorns.

Few released the following statement regarding his suspension:

Statement from Mark Few. As @DanaONeilWriter reported, he’ll miss Kraziness in the Kennel and then be out through the season opener. pic.twitter.com/8UkZuI4FTv

— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) October 9, 2021

Gonzaga athletic director Chris Sandiford released a statement on the suspension as well, per NCAA.com's Andy Katz: 

Statement from @GonzagaBulldogs AD Chris Standiford: pic.twitter.com/qpVrZPVB7t

— Andy Katz (@TheAndyKatz) October 9, 2021

Per O'Neil, Few was arrested near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, over Labor Day weekend after being pulled over for speeding and erratic driving. Few refused a field sobriety test, but he was later found to have had a blood-alcohol level of .119, which was above the legal limit of .08.

Few, 58, is preparing to enter his 23rd season as head coach of Gonzaga, and he has enjoyed a remarkable amount of success thus far.

In 755 regular-season games, Few has posted a 630-125 record, which is good for a winning percentage of .834.

The Zags have reached the NCAA tournament in each of the 21 seasons it has been held under Few, and they have won the West Coast Conference regular-season title 20 times and the WCC tournament 17 times.

Few, who is a two-time Naismith Coach of the Year and one-time AP Coach of the Year, has taken Gonzaga to the Final Four twice as well.

Last season, Gonzaga was a perfect 31-0 entering the National Championship Game against Baylor, but the Bulldogs fell to the Bears 86-70.

Gonzaga remains in search of an elusive national title, and it seems like it is only a matter of time before it happens, as Few consistently has the Zags in contention. 

Some adjustments will be required during the 2021-22 season, though, as key contributors from last year's team in Corey Kispert, Jalen Suggs and Joel Ajayi are no longer on the roster.

Gonzaga men's basketball coach Mark Few was cited on suspicion of driving under the influence in Idaho, according to Greg Mason and Nico Portuondo of the Spokesman-Review.

Mason and Portuondo reported police pulled Few over Monday night based on a report he was "driving erratically and speeding." His blood-alcohol level was measured at .119 and .120, above the legal limit of .08.

Gonzaga athletic director Chris Standiford issued a statement: "While the facts of the situation are still being evaluated, we understand its severity and the legal process that will follow. As a Gonzaga employee, we respect Coach Few's right to privacy and will refrain from further comment at this time."

Few released a statement later Tuesday evening:

Statement from Mark Few: pic.twitter.com/aDpzLaavzZ

— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) September 8, 2021

Per the Coeur d'Alene Press, the police report said Few "exhibited several signs of intoxication" at the scene after he was pulled over. He refused to complete field sobriety tests but did undergo breath testing.

Few is entering his 23rd season as the Bulldogs' head coach. The team is 630-125 during that time and has grown into a perennial Final Four contender. The Zags were the national runners-up in 2017 and 2021.

Gonzaga is scheduled to tip off the 2021-22 season Nov. 13 at home against Texas.

University of the Pacific head men's basketball coach Damon Stoudamire is reportedly leaving the program to become an assistant under new Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka.

Stadium's Jeff Goodman reported the news Wednesday. 

Stoudamire, 47, and Udoka, 43, were both born and raised in Portland, Oregon. They were briefly NBA teammates as members of the San Antonio Spurs during the 2007-08 season.

After standout high school and collegiate careers, Stoudamire was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the seventh overall pick in the 1995 draft. He won NBA Rookie of the Year honors to jump-start a 13-year playing career that also included stops with his hometown Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzlies.

The University of Arizona product received his first coaching opportunity as an assistant with the Grizzlies in 2009. He also spent two stints at the University of Memphis and one at his alma mater as an assistant before being hired by Pacific as a head coach for the first time in 2016.

Stoudamire guided the Tigers, a member of the West Coast Conference, to a 71-77 record in five seasons at the helm. They posted a 32-19 mark over the past two years.

The 2020 WCC Coach of the Year told John Gonzalez of The Ringer in 2018 that the experience coaching at the collegiate level provided him with a lot of important lessons:

"I knew it was going to be a lot of work — how much work I didn't know until I actually got here. College is different. It's a lot different than the pros. There's a lot of administrative work. It's a lot of getting out in the community and helping raise money. In college, I'm the owner, I'm the CEO, I'm all of that. I've got to do things as I see fit. Everything comes through me. It's made me be more accountable in a lot of areas that maybe I wasn't accustomed to."

Now he'll return to the NBA to work alongside Udoka, who's in the process of overhauling the coaching staff with former head coach Brad Stevens moving into an executive role with the C's.

Jay Larranaga, Jamie Young and Jerome Allen have left the Boston staff, while former San Antonio Spurs assistant Will Hardy has joined Udoka's group, per Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe.

Udoka, a former NBA forward, is a first-time head coach after nine years as an assistant with the Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets.

Gonzaga ran into a brick wall in its national championship game loss to Baylor earlier this month. Bulldogs coach Mark Few said Monday he wished someone had warned him about Baylor's physicality. 

"That was the most physical game we've played in the last five years," Few told Dana O'Neil of The Athletic.  "I wish somebody had told me on Sunday morning that's what we were in for. My guys would have responded. I wasn't ready to go there."

Of course, Few knew Baylor was a physical team coming into the game. Experiencing it in person was another thing entirely. 

Baylor bullied Gonzaga on its way to a dominant 86-70 victory to capture the program's first national championship. The Bears ripped down 38 rebounds to Gonzaga's 22 and forced 14 turnovers as their length and athleticism overwhelmed Few's team.

He told The Athletic: 

"At first, I mean, you're 31-1 and you feel like, I don't know? 1-31? Kinda. And then you slap yourself and say, 'C'mon, man.' In 40 minutes you can't go from people saying you were the greatest team ever to whatever they're saying now. I never bought into the greatest ever, and I'm not going to buy into the Oh, my God, what happened? We're all good. The program reigns supreme."

Few didn't waste much time readying his program for the future. 247Sports' No. 1 overall high school prospect Chet Holmgren announced his commitment to Gonzaga on Monday, giving the Bulldogs their highest-rated prospect in program history.

With tournament star Drew Timme expected back for his junior season, there's a good chance Gonzaga will find itself playing for a national title again in 2022.