Gonzaga Basketball: 3 keys to beat UConn Huskies in Elite 8 matchup

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 23: Julian Strawther #0 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs shoots the game-winning three-point basket during the second half against the UCLA Bruins in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 23, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /

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Gonzaga Basketball Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /

The latest chapter in college basketball’s best modern non-conference rivalry has been written, and wow what a chapter it was. For those that didn’t stay up late (and if not, you need to think about your priorities), Gonzaga Basketball overcame a furious last-minute comeback from UCLA with a shot for the ages by junior Julian Strawther to reach the Elite Eight.

The win for the Bulldogs was the rubber match in a trilogy that dates back to 2006, which also pitted a two-seeded, defensive-minded Bruins squad against a three-seeded, offensive juggernaut Zags team in the Sweet Sixteen. That game was won on the back of a late comeback by UCLA, which famously left Gonzaga superstar Adam Morrison in tears on the court. That Bruins team made it all the way to the national title game before losing to Joakim Noah, Al Horford, and the Florida Gators.

Interestingly, the next tournament matchup between the teams also catapulted the winner to a national runner-up finish, this time when Gonzaga point guard Jalen Suggs hit an overtime buzzer-beater in 2021 to pull Mark Few’s undefeated team to within a game of the program’s first title, where they ultimately fell short against Baylor.

Each of the three NCAA Tournament matchups between Gonzaga and UCLA have been all-time classics. Will the latest iteration also propel Gonzaga to a national title game loss, or will they finally reach the top of the mountain? Before they can think of all that, a dominant UConn Huskies squad stands in their way in the final of the West regional.

UConn has been the most impressive team in the tournament thus far, dispatching Rick Pitino’s Iona Gaels, a St. Mary’s team that beat fellow West Coast Conference member Gonzaga earlier this year, and an Arkansas team that knocked off defending champion Kansas the round before, winning all three games by an average of 21 points.

Whereas Gonzaga was able to oust a shorthanded UCLA team that fought valiantly despite missing two starters to injury, they’ll receive no such quarter from UConn. The Huskies are healthy, deep, and talented, with a frontcourt as strong as any in the nation. So what will it take for Gonzaga to stop the tournament’s hottest team and reach their third Final Four? Here are three keys to a Zags victory.