Gonzaga falls to Texas in second round of NCAA Tournament | Recap and highlights
It had been 24 years since Gonzaga lost to a No. 11 seed at the NCAA Tournament.
Mark Few assured Texas wasn’t your typical No. 11 seed, highlighting the Longhorns’ athleticism and talent in a news conference Friday afternoon.
The third-seeded Zags learned it the hard way in an NCAA Tournament Round of 32 matchup with Texas, taking an eight-point lead in the first half but failing up to come up with the stops they needed in the second half of a 74-68 season-ending loss at the Moda Center.
In a game that featured 10 lead changes. Texas forward Camden Heide knocked down his first shot of the game – a 3-pointer from the right corner – to give the Longhorns a four-point advantage and ultimately send them to the Sweet 16 in San Jose.
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Gonzaga’s season ends short of the Sweet 16 for the second straight year. The Zags (31-4) had previous made nine straight Sweet 16 appearances prior to last year’s Round of 32 loss to Houston and Saturday’s result against Texas.
Graham Ike led Gonzaga with 25 points, making 10 of 22 shots from the field, 1 of 4 from the 3-point line and 4 of 4 from the free throw line. Jalen Warley was the only GU player to finish in double figures, scoring 10 points to go with eight rebounds and five assists.
Ike cut Texas’ deficit to one point with a thundering dunk inside the final minute, but Heide responded with a 3-ball at the other end and Mario Saint-Supery missed a 3 with nine seconds remaining. Dailyn Swain grabbed the defensive rebound and pushed ahead to 7-foot Matas Vokietaitis, who converted a layup with two seconds remaining.
The Zags grabbed their largest lead of the half on Davis Fogle’s baseline jumper with 4 minutes, 29 seconds to play, but the Longhorns chipped away at the deficit and went into the halftime break with a 3-point lead when Jordan Pope drained a pull-up 3-pointer on Texas’ final possession.
Vokietaitis and guard Jordan Pope both had 17 points for the Longhorns, who finished 31 of 60 from the field. Nic Codie scored 12 points and Swain added 11 more for Sean Miller’s team.
First half
15:34 - GU 6, UT 4: Gonzaga starts 3 of 6 from the field to take an early lead.
Jalen Warley has two points, two rebounds and an assist.
9:37 - GU 18, UT 15: Gonzaga has made its last three shots and is shooting 64% from the field to open up a slight edge.
Graham Ike leads the Zags with six points.
7:08 - GU 23, UT 19: Gonzaga’s offense continues to hum, making 5 of its last 7 shots.
Ike has nine points and two assists.
4:20 - GU 28, UT 20: Texas has gone cold, missing its last six shots. The Longhorns’ scoring drought has reached 2:48.
0:40 - GU 33, UT 32: Gonzaga’s 8-point has shrunk to one after Texas makes its last six shots.
Halftime
Texas closes on a 7-0 run to take a 35-33 lead at halftime.
Ike is the first in double figures with 11 points. Warley and Emmanuel Innocenti are close behind with seven points apiece.
The Longhorns struggled initially from the field but they made their last seven shots and their field goal percentage rose to 52.
Second half
15:33 - UT 43, GU 40: Gonzaga briefly regained the lead before Texas received consecutive baskets from Chendall Weaver and Dailyn Swain.
11:43 - UT 49, GU 47: Both teams continue to trade baskets in the second half.
Gonzaga’s field goal percentage has slipped to 49.
9:05 - GU 51, UT 51: Ike scores on a layup to tie the game.
Ike is up to a game-high 19 points.
7:04 - UT 57, GU 54: Swain leaks out behind Gonzaga’s defense for a breakaway dunk.
Swain is one of four Longhorns in double figures.
5:26 - UT 62, GU 56: Gonzaga calls a timeout after Jordan Pope makes a 3-pointer.
Pope leads the Longhorns with 14 points. Ike has four fouls.
2:52 - UT 66, GU 64: Texas calls timeout after Ike’s layup cuts the lead to two points.
0:32 - UT 69, GU 68: Ike cuts Texas’ lead to one with a dunk.
Texas calls timeout with possession.
Starting 5s
Gonzaga: Mario Saint-Supery, Adam Miller, Emmanuel Innocenti, Jalen Warley, Graham Ike.
Texas: Jordan Pope, Tramon Mark, Dailyn Swain, Camden Heide, Matas Vokietaitis.
Pregame
No. 3 seed Gonzaga and eleventh-seeded Texas took different routes to their round of 32 matchup.
The Zags won the West Coast Conference Tournament, earning an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, and secured their 17th consecutive first-round win over Kennesaw State.
Texas had to sweat out Selection Sunday on the bubble before dispatching NC State in the First Four and BYU in the first round.
Texas was able to extend its season due in large part to center Matas Vokietaitis, who should earn the assignment of guarding Graham Ike.
After debuting in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, Gonzaga’s trio of Jalen Warley, Mario Saint-Supery and Davis Fogle will need to continue their strong play against the Longhorns.
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