After a rowdy first two days of the NCAA Tournament, the Gonzaga Cinderella story is the last remaining as the Round of 32 returned to chalk and advanced the majority of favorites.
For Gonzaga, however, the Bulldogs returned to a role they’d so often assumed in years passed. Despite starting the season ranked in the AP Top 25, Mark Few’s group stumbled throughout the non-conference and then lost three conference games, including getting swept by Saint Mary’s and losing in Spokane to BYU. Thanks to a run through the WCC Tournament in Las Vegas, the Zags found themselves in a manageable match-up against Seton Hall in the first round. After taking care of business there, they dominated Utah and Pac-12 Player of the Year Jakob Poeltl to punch their ticket into the Sweet 16.
That’s where we remembered just how talented Gonzaga is, especially sophomore big man Domantas Sabonis. Sabonis has averaged 20 points and 13 rebounds through two games in the tournament, proving his worthiness next to his frontcourt mate and preseason Player of the Year candidate Kyle Wiltjer.
Up next for Gonzaga is No. 10 seed Syracuse, who took care of business against a Middle Tennessee team that shocked the college basketball world on Friday with the historic upset of Michigan State. The Orange make six teams from the ACC to make the Sweet 16, the most teams from one conference in tournament history.
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