It’s a rematch of one of the best games in NCAA Tournament history, as UCLA looks to get revenge against Gonzaga with a spot in the Elite 8 on the line.
TV schedule: Thursday, March 23rd, 9:45 pm ET (approx), CBS
Arena: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
Gonzaga and UCLA gave us one of the greatest NCAA Tournament games in recent memory. In the 2021 Final Four, the then-unbeaten Bulldogs won in overtime, 93-90 on a halfcourt buzzer-beating by Jalen Suggs. Drew Timme, who was a sophomore at the time, had a team-high 25 points in that game.
Timme has only gotten better for Gonzaga (30-5) in the years since including a bunch more 20+ point performances. The two recently came this past weekend in the team’s victories over Grand Canyon and TCU. In the 84-81 win over the Horned Frogs, the Bulldogs had to come back from a halftime deficit and had a big run to take and hold onto the lead. Timme finished with 28 points and eight rebounds, while Rasir Bolton chipped in with 17 points.
UCLA (31-5) also had a couple players who played in that famous previous matchup. Jaime Jaquez and Tyger Campbell were starters in that game, producing 19 points and 17 points/7 assists respectively. Like Timme, both Bruins have blossomed into star contributors for this title-contending team. They had a blowout win over UNC Asheville to start out the NCAA Tournament, before holding on to a 68-63 win over Northwestern, led by 24 points from Jaquez.
UCLA has been rolling throughout the season but has suffered a rash of injuries to several players. Starters Adem Bona and David Singleton have each missed time in recent games but reportedly will be good to go for Thursday. Who won’t be is Jaylen Clark, the team’s third-leading scorer and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. He suffered a season-ending injury and will be out, leaving freshman Amari Bailey as a key guy to watch since his production will be needed.
Also needed is Nolan Hickman, the sophomore starting guard for Gonzaga. He made just one field goal against TCU and will go up against one of the better perimeter defenders in Campbell on the other side. And the Bruins will need Bona to hold his own against Timme inside, something that few have succeeded at.
This is going to be an epic matchup and a chance for UCLA to get some revenge for two years ago. Look for Jaquez and company to find a way in what should be another thriller on Thursday, with the winner being one game away from a Final Four appearance.
Prediction: UCLA 77, Gonzaga 75