Gonzaga's Mark Few: Jalen Suggs Has That 'Magical Aura' After OT Shot to Stun UCLA
Apr 4, 2021
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - APRIL 03: Jalen Suggs #1 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs celebrates making a game-winning three point basket in overtime to defeat the UCLA Bruins 93-90 during the 2021 NCAA Final Four semifinal at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 03, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
Gonzaga men's basketball head coach Mark Few said that Bulldogs point guard Jalen Suggs has a "magical aura" after the freshman drilled the game-winning three-pointer from just beyond half court to give the Bulldogs a 93-90 win over UCLA in the Final Four on Saturday.
Suggs had authored another magical moment earlier in the game when he got up to block a Cody Riley shot before dishing a half-court pass between four other UCLA defenders to find Drew Timme for a dunk and a 79-77 lead late in regulation:
More work needed to be done, but Suggs put Gonzaga into the finals with one of the greatest shots in NCAA tournament history.
Suggs, who finished with 16 points, six assists and five rebounds, will look to make Gonzaga the first undefeated men's Division I team since 1976 when the Bulldogs take on Baylor for the national title Monday.
Jalen Suggs on Final Four Win in OT vs. UCLA: 'I Can't Put This One into Words'
Apr 4, 2021
Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs (1) shoots over UCLA guard David Singleton (34) to win the game during overtime in a men's Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game, Saturday, April 3, 2021, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Gonzaga won 93-90. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Jalen Suggs was at a near loss for words on Saturday as he tried to explain how it feels to hit one of the biggest shots in NCAA tournament history.
With 3.3 seconds left, and tied with UCLA in overtime at 90, Suggs took three dribbles down the floor, set his feet and sent the No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs to the national championship game with a banked-in three-pointer that's now unquestionably the defining moment of the 2021 tournament.
“I can’t put this one into words. Turning dreams into reality.”
"This was great," Suggs said. "Extremely special. I can't put this into words, you know? Turning dreams into reality."
Suggs said he'd been missing his half-court heaves lately but had no trouble getting one to fall with the game on the line.
Suggs: "That’s something you practice on your mini-hoop as a kid, just messing around.... It’s juts crazy." He adds: "Stuff like this is something your dream of as a kid." Such raw and genuine emotion. "That was one of the most special games I've ever been a part of."
On Monday night he'll get a chance to do something even more meaningful as the 31-0 Zags attempt to become the first undefeated national champions since the 1975-76 Indiana Hoosiers went 32-0 en route to the title.
The Bulldogs will face No. 1 Baylor—arguably the second-best team in college basketball this season—in a long awaited showdown between the two programs.
Suggs finished the night with 16 points, six assists and five rebounds. He made only one of four three-point attempts on the night before his last-second shot banked in. Odds are he'll be a bit more confident from deep by Monday night.
If nothing else, the freshman from Minnesota has forever etched his name into NCAA tournament lore with a shot that calls to mind Mario Chalmers, Christian Laettner, Lorenzo Charles and Kris Jenkins before him. For a 2021 tournament that didn't feature any buzzer-beaters before the Final Four, there was no shortage of madness as the Bulldogs sent No. 11 UCLA home in unforgettable fashion.
Video: Jalen Suggs OT Buzzer-Beater Gives Gonzaga Final Four Win over UCLA
Apr 4, 2021
Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs (1) celebrates making the game winning basket against UCLA during overtime in a men's Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game, Saturday, April 3, 2021, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Gonzaga won 93-90. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Jalen Suggs knocked down one of the biggest shots in Final Four history on Saturday, banking in a half-court shot as time expired in overtime to lift No. 1 Gonzaga over No. 11 UCLA, 93-90, and keep the Bulldogs' perfect season intact.
Now 31-0, the Zags will face No. 1 Baylor for the national championship on Monday night—pitting the top two teams all season against each other at last.
It's all thanks to Suggs, who picked up the ball with 3.3 seconds remaining after UCLA knotted things at 90, took three dribbles and let his shot fly into the history books.
Gonzaga entered the Final Four as 14-point favorites, but couldn't find any separation from UCLA all night as Johnny Juzang, Tyger Campbell and Jamie Jaquez Jr. combined for 65 points and kept the game within three possessions all night. The Zags countered with 25 points from Drew Timme, 22 from Joel Ayayi and 16 from Suggs.
A likely lottery pick when the NBA draft rolls around this summer, Suggs shot is reminiscent of some of the most epic March Madness moments. This one goes up there with Christian Laettner over Kentucky, Mario Chalmers against Memphis, Kris Jenkins for the title against North Carolina and Lorenzo Charles over Houston.
Suggs was in shock afterwards, telling the CBS broadcast he'd been missing his half-court heaves in practice lately, but Gonzaga head coach Mark Few gave him more credit than that, telling CBS that Suggs has always been the go-to guy whenever the team practices late-game situations like that.
On Saturday it paid off. It paid off for Few, for Suggs and for a Gonzaga program on the cusp of becoming the first undefeated national champions since the 1975-76 Indiana Hoosiers went 32-0 en route to the title.
The Bulldogs get their shot to join the Hoosiers on Monday night at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis thanks to Suggs.
Jalen Suggs Buzzer-Beater Gives Gonzaga OT Win vs. UCLA to Go to NCAA Title Game
Apr 4, 2021
Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs (1) celebrates making the game winning basket against UCLA during overtime in a men's Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game, Saturday, April 3, 2021, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Gonzaga won 93-90. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs hit a running three-point jumper from just inside half court to give the undefeated Bulldogs a 93-90 overtime win over the UCLA Bruins in the Final Four of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament championship in Indianapolis on Saturday.
UCLA trailed 90-85 with under a minute remaining, but a Jaime Jaquez Jr. three-pointer and a Johnny Juzang putback off his own miss tied the game at 90 with 3.3 seconds left.
The ball was then inbounded to Suggs, who banked in the game-winner to keep the Bulldogs undefeated. They'll now face Baylor in the national championship game Monday evening.
Notable Performances
UCLA G Johnny Juzang: 29 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals
The history of the NCAA basketball tournament is littered with buzzer-beaters, but game-winners in the deeper stages of the tournament are fairly rare.
The ones that have gone down are legendary.
UNC's Charlotte Smith and Notre Dame's Arike Ogunbowale both drilled three-pointers to win the women's titles in 1994 and 2018, respectively.
On the men's side, Villanova's Kris Jenkins drilled a deep three to give Villanova the 2016 crown, and Lorenzo Charles dunked home the winner to give NC State the 1983 men's title over Houston.
Christian Laettner may have the most memorable one of all, as he took a full-court pass from Grant Hill and connected on a turnaround jumper to send Duke into the 1992 Final Four over Kentucky.
Hill was on the call for the UCLA vs. Gonzaga game, and he was witness to another shot that will forever live in basketball history.
Because of it, Suggs has etched his name among the greats, and he even struggled to find the words for what had just happened.
“I can’t put this one into words. Turning dreams into reality.”
Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports tried to provide historical context for Suggs' shot:
Jalen Suggs just drilled a shot just inside half court to seal the game for Gonzaga in overtime. Gonzaga wins 93-90. That's one of the five biggest shots in the history of the NCAA tournament. That had to be more than 35 feet.
Adding to Suggs' legendary night is the fact that he already authored the play of the game (and maybe the tournament) before he even touched the ball following Juzang's game-tying putback.
With the score tied at 77 late in regulation, the 6'4" Suggs blocked the 6'9" Cody Riley's point-blank layup attempt.
The future top-five NBA draft pick then corralled the ball and somehow slid a half-court bounce pass through four UCLA defenders to a cutting Drew Timme, who finished the sequence with a dunk:
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 4, 2021
Far more work needed to be done before Gonzaga could move on to the final, but Suggs made sure the Bulldogs got there.
UCLA, Led by Juzang, Achieves True Greatness
"I sit in Coach Wooden's seat, so when you sit in his seat you have to channel the things that he taught: True greatness is giving your best effort. What else can I ask from those guys?"
That's what UCLA head coach Mick Cronin told CBS Sports' Tracy Wolfson following his team's loss. He referenced the legendary John Wooden, the UCLA coach who won 10 national titles with the school.
— March Madness Men’s Basketball TV (@MM_MBB_TV) April 4, 2021
The No. 11 seed has given a tremendous effort all tournament.
The Bruins needed to win an extra game in the First Four (overcoming an 11-point halftime deficit to win in overtime no less) just to make the round of 64. UCLA also won an overtime game against Alabama in the Sweet 16 and survived No. 1 Michigan in the Elite Eight, 51-49.
After all that, this is what UCLA was up against going into the Final Four:
Gonzaga entered Saturday averaging 91.6 points per game, the most in Division I men's hoops. Its 54.8 percent field-goal rate was No. 1, and the same went for its 23.1-point scoring margin. The Bulldogs won 29 of their 30 games by 10 or more points, including their last 27.
In addition, Gonzaga entered Saturday with the highest recorded adjusted efficiency margin recorded by KenPom.com (since 2002). The Bulldogs were not only first in offensive efficiency but also fifth on the defensive end.
Naturally, Gonzaga has NBA talent on the roster: Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has Suggs (third overall), Kispert (13th) and Joel Ayayi (39th) going in the first round in his latest 2021 mock draft. That list doesn't include Timme, who scored 25 points and put Gonzaga in position for the Suggs game-winner after scoring six in the extra session.
Christian plays professional basketball in Vietnam, and the two brothers hadn't seen each other for nearly a year.
Juzang entered the Final Four averaging 21.6 points per game in the tournament, including 28 against Michigan and 27 versus BYU.
He carried the UCLA offense Saturday, playing all 45 minutes and scoring 29 points on 12-of-18 shooting. His three-point jumper gave the Bruins a late 77-75 edge, and he also nailed a mid-range jumper to answer Suggs' incredible block and assist to give Gonzaga a 79-77 lead:
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 4, 2021
Juzang looked like he could have had the chance to play the hero in double overtime, but it wasn't meant to be. Still, Juzang and the Bruins received much love on Twitter from ex-Bruins Kevin Love and Troy Aikman, among others:
Bruins Final Four bound!!! Man Johnny Juzang was great!!! Hell of a fight!!! 🐻🐻🐻
What a game. So proud of both teams tonight. One of those games when there’s not a loser - only a winner. This was college athletics at its finest. Congratulations Coach Cronin and UCLA on one great season! Hats off to Gonzaga.
— March Madness Men’s Basketball TV (@MM_MBB_TV) April 4, 2021
The Bruins may have scored fewer points, but there were no losers. UCLA ultimately achieved that greatness Wooden and Cronin referenced. A moral victory isn't getting the Bruins to the national championship, but they were simply sensational.
NCAA Tournament 2021: Gonzaga vs. Baylor Spread, Moneyline Odds for Title Game
Apr 4, 2021
Gonzaga guard Josh Perkins (13) drives to the hoop past Baylor guard Jared Butler (12) during the first half of a second-round game in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament Saturday, March 23, 2019, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Jeff Swinger)
The NCAA men's basketball championship game is set and so are the betting lines for the sport's biggest stage.
No. 1 Gonzaga and No. 1 Baylor will finally meet after battling in the polls all year long over the top ranking. A Bulldogs victory would not only provide the first title in program history, but see the Zags become the first team to go undefeated en route to a national title since the 1975-76 Indiana Hoosiers.
Baylor is also searching for its first NCAA title after finishing as national runner-up to Kentucky in 1948.
The two teams left standing in the tournament were supposed to play each other at Bankers Life Fieldhouse back in early December, but positive COVID-19 tests within Gonzaga's traveling party forced the cancellation of that contest.
Now they'll meet as top two seeds in the tournament—the first time the No. 1 and No. 2 overall seeds have matched up for the championship since Illinois and North Carolina battled for the 2005 title—on Monday night at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
The spread slightly favors Gonzaga, but there's no question this should be one of the more tightly-contested games in March Madness history.
Tipoff is slated for 9:20 p.m. ET on CBS.
Gonzaga's Mark Few Wins 2021 Naismith Men's Coach of the Year Award
Apr 2, 2021
Gonzaga head coach Mark Few waves to fans after beating Creighton 83-65 in a Sweet 16 game in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
After leading Gonzaga to the first undefeated regular season in program history, Mark Few has been named the 2020-21 Naismith Men's Coach of the Year.
The Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Few as the winner of the award on Friday. He issued a statement about receiving the honor:
"The Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year is an incredible honor. I'm very humbled by it because I'm surrounded by so many amazing coaches in our profession that I look up to and really hold in great reverence. Especially with the year we all have been through, I think everybody did an amazing job shepherding their teams through all the challenges. This really means a lot. It's great to be honored, and I appreciate it."
Few beat out fellow finalists Scott Drew of Baylor, Juwan Howard of Michigan and Nate Oats of Alabama. This marks the second time in his career that the 58-year-old has been named Naismith Men's Coach of the Year. The Oregon native previously won it in 2016-17 after a 32-1 regular season and a trip to the national title game.
Gonzaga is two wins away from being the first men's program to finish undefeated since the 1975-76 Indiana Hoosiers.
The Bulldogs entered this season with high expectations after being ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press preseason Top 25. They have held that position all season and earned the top overall seed in the NCAA men's tournament.
Gonzaga leads the nation in scoring offense (91.6 points per game) and outscores opponents by an average of 23.1 points per game in 2020-21. Only one of its 30 games thus far have been decided by fewer than 10 points (87-82 against West Virginia on Dec. 2).
Despite playing in a mid-major conference, Few has turned the West Coast Conference school into a national powerhouse since replacing Dan Monson as head coach prior to the 1999-2000 season. They have made 20 consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament and has earned a No. 1 seed four times since 2012-13.
Few will lead Gonzaga into the Final Four for the second time in school history. The Bulldogs will play UCLA on Saturday at 8:34 p.m. ET, with the winner advancing to the championship game Monday.
5-Star Guard Hunter Sallis Commits to Gonzaga over Kentucky, Kansas, More
Mar 26, 2021
Gonzaga men's basketball secured a future backcourt star Friday when combo-guard Hunter Sallis joined its 2021 recruiting class, according to ESPN's Paul Biancardi.
The 5-star prospect is the No. 18 overall player, No. 2 combo-guard and No. 1 player from the state of Nebraska in the class of 2021, per 247Sports' composite rankings.
Sallis, who checks in at 6'5" and 175 pounds, drew interest from a number of other teams throughout the recruiting process, including Kentucky, North Carolina, Kansas, Louisville, UCLA and Nebraska.
There is plenty that immediately jumps out about his game, including his versatility as someone with both impressive ball-handling skills who can break down a defense off the bounce and the ability to score from the wing as a jump-shooter or slasher when there is open space.
Sallis also possesses the athleticism to get out in transition and finish above the rim when there is traffic.
That ability also helps him stay in front of opponents on the defensive side, and his quick hands help create turnovers and chances on the other end.
"It's hard not to marvel at the athleticism. Everything is just so effortless with him. How he glides down the court on the break, or how he rises up to volleyball-spike a shot attempt into the stands, or how he sizes a guy up and bolts baseline for a layup. If you exhale for a second, Sallis makes you pay. And there's just so much room for him to grow."
If Sallis builds on that description during his collegiate career, he will likely be lacing it up in the NBA in the not-too-distant future.
He will also help the Bulldogs remain among the ranks of national title contenders. While 5-star recruits coming to Gonzaga may be a thing of recent history, the program has established itself among the upper echelon of men's basketball and is attempting to complete an undefeated season in the 2021 NCAA tournament.
Recruits like Sallis will help it remain among the country's best.
Jalen Suggs, No. 1 Gonzaga Top No. 8 Oklahoma to Reach Sweet 16
Mar 22, 2021
Gonzaga forward Drew Timme (2) pulls down a rebound while playing Oklahoma in the first half of a college basketball game in the second round of the NCAA tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Monday, March 22, 2021. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
In a tournament full of upsets, No. 1 Gonzaga avoided disaster with an 87-71 win over No. 8 Oklahoma.
Three top-two seeds have already been eliminated early in the 2021 NCAA men's basketball tournament, but Drew Timme scored a career-high 30 to help the No. 1 overall seed advance to the second weekend.
Oklahoma provided significant resistance throughout the game, jumping out to a surprising eight-point lead early in the first half. The Bulldogs eventually took control and built a 12-point halftime lead that grew to 19, although the underdogs never went away.
Austin Reaves made numerous tough shots on his way to 27 points, cutting the deficit to single digits with under two minutes remaining.
Gonzaga simply had too much firepower and used elite free-throw shooting (23-of-26) to hold on and eventually pull away Monday at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Gonzaga improved to a perfect 28-0 on the season while reaching the Sweet 16 for the sixth straight tournament.
Taking nothing away from anyone but Jalen Suggs is my number 1 pick-in the @nba draft. He is a flat winner. Makes winning plays. Plays both ends, competes every play!!!!
The second half was more of the same. The Sooners made key shots and seemingly did everything they could to win yet couldn't cut the margin enough for a comeback.
While the matchups will only get tougher in later rounds, the Bulldogs will clearly be a difficult team to stop in this tournament.
Austin Reaves Show Not Enough for Oklahoma
You want your senior leader to step up in big games, and Austin Reaves did just that for Oklahoma.
The guard played with no fear on his way to 27 points as he kept the Sooners in the game.
HOLY FINISH!
Austin Reaves in traffic, through contact, UP AND UNDER.
Those watching along couldn't help but be impressed with the talent and effort on display from the Wichita State transfer:
Austin Reaves: 3-star recruit, no ranking in state, 1 offer. He’s been the best player on the floor through 10 mins vs undefeated Gonzaga pic.twitter.com/WS8pWDijuo
The challenge for Oklahoma was finding more production offensively, especially with second-leading scorer De'Vion Harmon unavailable due to NCAA protocols.
Kur Kuath made a huge impact defensively with five blocks.
Alondes Williams had some big moments in the second half, but it wasn't enough to keep up with the best team in college basketball.
What's Next?
Creighton and Ohio will now battle for the chance to face Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 on Sunday.
Jalen Suggs, No. 1 Gonzaga Dominate No. 16 Norfolk State in 2021 NCAA Tournament
Mar 20, 2021
Gonzaga forward Drew Timme (2) looks to pass as Norfolk State guard Kashaun Hicks (2) defends during the first half of a men's college basketball game in the first round of the NCAA tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
The No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament is into the second round after blowing by No. 16 Norfolk State for a 98-55 Gonzaga victory.
It's the 12th straight tournament where Bulldogs head coach Mark Few has brought his team to the round of 32 as 2021 looks like his best chance to deliver a long-awaited title back to Spokane, Washington. Jalen Suggs and Drew Timme combined for just 16 points in the victory as an overmatched Spartans team could hardly keep up.
Norfolk State (17-8) needed a career performance from reserve guard Jalen Hawkins to eek out a 54-53 victory over Appalachian State in the First Four for the right to face the Zags. That would prove to be the team's lone highlight in the NCAA tournament as the Spartans' second-ever appearance ends the same way their first did—with just one victory before elimination.
The still undefeated Bulldogs (27-0) now move onto face No. 8 Oklahomaas Gonzaga attempts to reach the Sweet 16 for the sixth straight tournament.
Devante Carter, G, Norfolk State Spartans: 12 PTS, 4 AST
Kyonze Chavis, G, Norfolk State Spartans: 12 PTS, 4 STL
Kispert in Control For Zags
Just when it looked like Gonzaga could be in for a bit of trouble after Drew Timme and Jalen Suggs fell into early foul trouble, Corey Kispert came to the rescue and then some for the top-seeded Bulldogs.
In an epic first half performance, Kispert went 5-of-7 from behind the arc with 15 points as the Zags turned a one-point deficit with 12 minutes left in the first half into a 20-point lead at the break. None of the early bad breaks seemed to faze the Bulldogs even a little bit.
As Suggs went to the bench early, Anton Watson came in and promptly went 4-for-4 from the field with five rebounds, two assists and a steal.
Saturday night felt as much like a tune-up game for Gonzaga as anything else—even by No. 1 vs. No. 16 standards.
Mark Few's club spent much of the second half feeding the players who struggled in the first frame. They tossed lobs to Suggs to make sure he got a few highlights, fed Timme down low to make sure he got his post game working and cleared the way for freshman guard Julian Strawther to knock down a few shots from deep in order to get used to playing in the tournament.
Rarely will postseason games look as easy as the Zags showed on Saturday night. Which is exactly why Few tried to take advantage in every way, turning an ugly start into a complete team win.
Yet before that could happen, it was Kispert who showed even if he's not the team's top option, he's reliable enough to keep the team afloat when things look rough.
Zags' Depth Too Much For Spartans
In theory, Norfolk State did everything it was supposed to if it wanted to upset Gonzaga on Saturday.
The Spartans put likely lottery pick Suggs in foul trouble four minutes into the game and held him to just four points with 12 minutes remaining in regulation. NSU put forward Timme in early foul trouble, too, taking away another of Gonzaga's top playmakers.
The Spartans even matched the Bulldogs with six turnovers in the first half.
Not with Joel Ayayi, Kispert and Watson still on the floor. The trio combined for 30 points through 20 minutes as the Bulldogs took a 20 point lead into halftime. As much as Norfolk State did right, it couldn't keep up with the depth of Gonzaga.
The Spartans shot 27.3 percent from the floor in the first half to Gonzaga's 46.7 percent with NSU connecting on just three three-pointers. That was never going to be enough against the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament no matter how well the rest of Norfolk State's game plan worked.
Getting the right breaks against Gonzaga won't be enough for any team in the tournament. The Spartans can take some solace there.
Anything less than a perfect game against the Bulldogs won't lead to a victory. And even then it might not be enough to topple Few's best team in years.
What's Next
Gonzaga advance to face No. 8 Oklahomain the second round Monday. No tipoff time was announced as of Saturday night.
Bracketology is an inexact science, but that doesn't stop anyone from trying. Every March, people fill out brackets for the NCAA men's basketball tournament only to watch some 13th seed from a mid-major conference blow it all up in the first round...
