Wichita, Kan.-Lj Cryer agreed with a maximum of his career with 30 points, including two free throws with 14.2 seconds, and sown No. 1 Houston clung to beat Gonzaga 81-76 on Saturday night to reach Sweet 16 for the sixth NCAA tournament.
J’wan Roberts added 18 points and thousands Uzan made two last free throws with 2.1 seconds, giving the Coupars (32-4) their 15th consecutive victory and pushing them to a regional semifinal against Purdue number 4 on Friday night in Indianapolis.
Houston also finished the career of Nine Sweet 16 of Gonzaga, which had been the longest active streak of the nation.
“It’s not just winning the game,” said the Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson. “It is overcoming a great program like Gonzaga.”
The Bulldogs (26-9) followed 76-67 with just over 2 minutes to the end when Graham Ike made two free throws to begin his return offer, and most ended up reaching the foul line. And when Uzan turned the ball and Khalif Battle made two own free throws, the bulldogs had reached 77-76 with 21 seconds.
Houston got the ball for Cryer, who received a foul, and made his two free throws to extend the leadership. At the other extreme, Ja’vier Francis filled the attempt of 3 battle points from the corner, and azan demolished his bad shots to seal the victory.
“Gonzaga is as good as anyone we have played throughout the year,” said Sampson. “If they had been sown elsewhere, that is a team that could have had the opportunity to get to the Eight Elf, or maybe Fur Four. They are so good.”
Ike finished with 27 points for the bulldogs. Battle scored 17 and Ryan Nembhard had 10 points and 11 assists.
“It ended up being an excellent basketball game, especially the way in which our boys made their way back. I am very proud of the way they hung up with him,” said Gonzaga coach Mark Pets. “Houston was everything and more than we thought it would be.”
Since no program has won more games than Gonzaga and Houston in the last eight seasons, it seemed that his second round confrontation in the west media region would have been more suitable for the second weekend.
Or even the Final Four, where the Bulldogs and the Couchars were on opposite sides of the support in 2021.
However, during much of the game, Houston seemed deserving of his sown number 1 and Gonzaga his place in number 8. The Couchars affirmed their physical domain in the perennial power of the west coast, while Cryer, the player of the year Big 12, poured 16 points in the first half to give Houston a 35-27 advantage in the break.
Roberts, who twisted the ankle in the tournament of the conference last week, took over the second half. The most winning player in the history of Cougars began to intimidate his way for the baskets, and that allowed the Couars to maintain their leadership.
Gonzaga made a final race for the section, but could never overcome them.
Take food
Gonzaga was second at the national level in annotations with 86.7 points per game, and surpassed it in a defeat of Georgia’s 89-68 in the first round. But the Bulldogs ended less than that brand against the registered defense of Houston.
Houston was able to rest his stars during an unequal victory over Siu Edwardsville on Thursday. Those fresh legs seemed to bear fruit in the final minutes on Saturday, when Gonzaga was trying to return to the game.
Next
The Cougars will play the Boilermakers for a place in the Eight Elite.
