Gonzaga Finishes Regular Season Undefeated; Wins WCC Championship
by Michael Sorensen
@Mic_Sorensen32
@Mic_Sorensen32
In what could have been another fairytale ending for BYU over Gonzaga, The Zags ultimately showed why they are the best team in the country, overcoming a pesky BYU team 88-78. WCC Freshman of the Year and future NBA star Jalen Suggs hit two 3-pointers late in the game that all but ended BYU’s bid at their first conference tournament championship since 2001. Suggs finished with 23 while WCC Player of the Year Corey Kispert overcame a slow first half and ended with 17 points in the 88-78 win.
Coming off an emotional and physical overtime thriller with Pepperdine just 19 hours before, BYU started off the game scorching hot, shooting a blistering 61% from the field and 69% from 3 in the first half. Trevin Knell led the way for BYU in the first half, going 4-5 from 3 and putting up 15 points. The Cougars were able to answer every Gonzaga basket and then some, taking a 12 point lead into halftime for Mark Few’s biggest halftime deficit in 3 years.
The second half was a different story, however, as Mark Few and the Zags made significant changes at halftime. The Bulldogs locked down defensively as BYU struggled to find their offense that worked so well in the first half. The dynamic trio of Suggs, Kispert, and Timme showed why Gonzaga is the best team in the country, as they proved too much for BYU down the stretch. Senior guard Alex Barcello did all he could to try and will BYU past Gonzaga, finishing with 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists as teammate Trevin Knell finished with a career high 20 points.
Gonzaga is now on a school-record 30 game win streak (with their last loss coming to, ironically enough, BYU) heading into Selection Sunday. What Gonzaga has done this year is beyond incredible. The Zags have won an astonishing 23 straight games by 10+ points, surpassing the glory days of UCLA and John Wooden back in the 1960s. Gonzaga is a lock for the number 1 overall seed and will be heavy favorites to win their first national title.
BYU finishes the season with a respectable record of 20-6 and is a lock as well to make their first Big Dance appearance since 2015. BYU is hovering around the 6/7 seed line according to most metrics and bracketologists. While BYU might not have the firepower and talent compared to last year’s team, expect this BYU team to win a game or two in Indiana, especially if they can put on a performance like tonight.
Coming off an emotional and physical overtime thriller with Pepperdine just 19 hours before, BYU started off the game scorching hot, shooting a blistering 61% from the field and 69% from 3 in the first half. Trevin Knell led the way for BYU in the first half, going 4-5 from 3 and putting up 15 points. The Cougars were able to answer every Gonzaga basket and then some, taking a 12 point lead into halftime for Mark Few’s biggest halftime deficit in 3 years.
The second half was a different story, however, as Mark Few and the Zags made significant changes at halftime. The Bulldogs locked down defensively as BYU struggled to find their offense that worked so well in the first half. The dynamic trio of Suggs, Kispert, and Timme showed why Gonzaga is the best team in the country, as they proved too much for BYU down the stretch. Senior guard Alex Barcello did all he could to try and will BYU past Gonzaga, finishing with 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists as teammate Trevin Knell finished with a career high 20 points.
Gonzaga is now on a school-record 30 game win streak (with their last loss coming to, ironically enough, BYU) heading into Selection Sunday. What Gonzaga has done this year is beyond incredible. The Zags have won an astonishing 23 straight games by 10+ points, surpassing the glory days of UCLA and John Wooden back in the 1960s. Gonzaga is a lock for the number 1 overall seed and will be heavy favorites to win their first national title.
BYU finishes the season with a respectable record of 20-6 and is a lock as well to make their first Big Dance appearance since 2015. BYU is hovering around the 6/7 seed line according to most metrics and bracketologists. While BYU might not have the firepower and talent compared to last year’s team, expect this BYU team to win a game or two in Indiana, especially if they can put on a performance like tonight.