3-seed Gonzaga (30-5) vs. 2-seed UCLA (31-5)
THURSDAY, MARCH 23 | 6:45 P.M. | T-MOBILE ARENA | LAS VEGAS
TELEVISION: CBS
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE RADIO | LIVE STATS
 
THE TIP OFF
- Third-seeded Gonzaga clashes with second-seeded UCLA Thursday at 6:45 p.m., in the semifinals of the NCAA West Regional in the 2023 NCAA Tournament in T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
- GU is making its 24th consecutive NCAA Tournament Appearance and 25th overall. The 24 straight berths to the field is the third-longest current streak in the nation (Kansas 33 and Michigan State 25).
- The Zags are 43-24 all-time in the 25 NCAA Tournament appearances with 13 trips to the Sweet 16, five trips to the Elite Eight, two Final Fours and two appearances in the national championship game.
- The Zags are 40-22 in the NCAA Tournament under head coach Mark Few with a berth in all 24 seasons.
- Gonzaga is one of only two teams to win its opening-round NCAA Tournament game each of the last 14 tournaments, Kansas is the other at 16. The Zags are the only program to appear in the last eight Sweet 16s.
- The Bulldogs have the most wins in the NCAA Tournament since 2017, going 19-5, Kansas is next at 16-4. GU's 24 wins in the tournament since 2015 are also the most, with Villanova and North Carolina second at 21.
- Gonzaga has earned more NCAA Tournament "units" than any program in the country in the last five seasons.
- The Bulldogs are 34-18 all-time as a single-digit seed, with a 16-2 record in first round games.
- GU played in Denver in the NCAA Tournament for the third time in program history. In 2011 in the Pepsi Center, the Zags upset 6-seeded St. John's in the first round, 86-71, before falling to 3-seeded BYU in the second round. In 2016, Gonzaga upset 6-seeded Seton Hall 68-52 and 3-seeded Utah 82-59 in the first and second rounds.
- In 2021-22, top-seeded GU defeated 16th-seeded Georgia State (93-72) and ninth-seeded Memphis (82-78) in Portland, Ore., advancing to the Sweet 16 in San Francisco, where it fell to fourth-seeded Arkansas (68-74).
- GU clinched the program's eighth 30-win season, with the previous seven being in the last 10 years.
- Gonzaga clinched its 16th straight 25-win season, which is now the NCAA Div. 1 record.
- The Zags lead the country averaging 87.3 points per game and shooting 52.6 percent from the field. The Zags are also first in effective field goal percentage (.589) and top KenPom's ratings in offensive efficiency.
- Drew Timme is second in the nation with 292 made field goals and is sixth with 738 points. His 21.1 points per game rank 14th in the nation. Timme and Anton Watson are first and second in the WCC in field goal percentage at 62.4 and 61.6 percent. Watson is second in two-point field goal percentage at 66.7 percent. Nolan Hickman is second with a 2.42 assist-to-turnover ratio. Anton Watson is second averaging 1.89 steals.
- Timme was named a finalist for the Naismith Trophy, which is presented to the nation's top player.
- Timme was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year for the second straight season, while Malachi Smith was named the Sixth Man of the Year. Timme and Julian Strawther earned First Team All-WCC honors.
- Timme was named First Team All-American by Sporting News, and to the Wooden Award National Ballot. He is also a Malone Award Finalist (nation's top power forward), an award he won in 2021, while Strawther is a Julius Erving Award Finalist (nation's top small forward).
- Drew Timme is third in the nation with 280 made field goals and is seventh with 710 points. His 20.9 points per game rank 15th in the nation. Timme and Anton Watson are first and second in the WCC in field goal percentage at 62.4 and 61.6 percent. Watson is second in two-point field goal percentage at 67.2 percent. Nolan Hickman is second with a 2.40 assist-to-turnover ratio. Anton Watson is second averaging 1.85 steals.
- Timme is six points from moving into fifth in West Coast Conference history in career scoring.
 
NCAA TOURNAMENT NOTES
- Gonzaga is making its 24th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and 25th overall.
- The 24 straight berths to the field are the third-longest current streak in the nation (Kansas and Michigan State), and the sixth-longest in NCAA Div. 1 history.
The Zags are 43-24 all-time in their 24 NCAA Tournament appearances with 13 trips to the Sweet 16, five trips to the Elite Eight, two Final Fours and two appearances in the national championship game.
- GU is 40-22 in the NCAA Tournament under Few with a berth in all 24 seasons of his head coaching career.
- The Bulldogs have the most wins in the NCAA Tournament since 2017, going 19-5, Kansas is next at 16-4. GU's 24 wins in the tournament since 2015 is also the most, with Villanova and North Carolina second at 21. Duke and Kansas both have 20.
- Gonzaga is one of only two teams to win its opening-round NCAA Tournament game each of the last 14 tournaments, Kansas is the other at 16.
- The Zags are 34-18 all-time as a single-digit seed, with a 16-2 record in first round games as a single-digit seed.
- The Zags receive a three-seed for the third time in program history, with the last coming in 2006 when they advanced to the Sweet 16.
- Gonzaga played in Denver in the NCAA Tournament for the third time in program history. In 2011 in the Pepsi Center, the Zags upset 6-seeded St. John's in the first round, 86-71, before falling to 3-seeded BYU in the second round. In 2016, Gonzaga upset 6-seeded Seton Hall 68-52 and 3-seeded Utah 82-59 in the first and second rounds.
- In 2021-22, top-seeded Gonzaga defeated 16th-seeded Georgia State (93-72) and ninth-seeded Memphis (82-78) in Portland, Ore. The Zags then advanced to the Sweet 16 in San Francisco, where it fell to fourth-seeded Arkansas (68-74).
 
MADE FOR MARCH
- Drew Timme has 253 total points in the NCAA tournament, making him the all-time GU leading scorer in the tourney. That also ranks 24th all-time in NCAA history.
- He has 100 made field goals in the tournament, which also leads GU in tourney all-time, and ranks 20th in the history of the tournament.
- Timme's 51 made free-throws during the tournament tops the program, while his 73 attempted free throws are second.
- Timme's 87 rebounds are also most in the tournament in program history, while Anton Watson is seventh with 58 boards.
- Watson is tied for third in program history with 14 steals in the NCAA Tournament in his career.
 
MARCH HISTORY
- Drew Timme recorded his ninth 20-point performance in the NCAA Tournament in the win over TCU.
- That mark matches the most 20-point games in a career in the NCAA Tournament's history. Richard Hamilton (UCONN), Corliss Williamson (Arkansas), Glen Rice (Michigan), Danny Manning (Kansas), Elvin Hayes (Houston) and Bill Bradley (Princeton) all have nne 20-point games in the NCAA Tournament.
 
SWEET 16 ALL OVER AGAIN
- Gonzaga is the only program in the country to appear in each of the last eight Sweet 16s, including this year.
- Per ESPN stats, the Zags are the fourth program ever to reach eight straight Sweet 16s. They join UCLA, Duke, and North Carolina.
- Since the field expanded in 1985, North Carolina and Duke had streaks of nine straight Sweet 16s, which rank as the longest.
- The Bulldogs appear in the Sweet 16 for the 13th time in program history, which ranks 21st in NCAA history.
- All 13 appearances have been since 1995-96, which ranks seventh in the nation.
 
SCOUTING THE BRUINS
- UCLA secured their third consecutive Sweet 16 berth with a 68-63 win over Northwestern in the second round in Sacramento, Calif., Saturday. Three Bruins scored in double figures, with Jaime Jaquez Jr. totaling a team-best 24 points. Amari Bailey finished with 14 points and six assists, while Tyger Campbell totaled 12 points – all at the free throw stripe (12-for-12).
- The Bruins won the Pac-12 regular season title, going 18-2 in conference play.
- UCLA is one of the country's best defensive teams, allowing only 60.2 points per game, which ranks sixth in the country. It is second in turnover margin (5.5) and fourth in scoring margin (13.9).
- Jaquez Jr. averages a team-high 17.5 points per game, and a team-best 8.1 rebounds.
- Campbell adds 13.4 points per outing, along with 4.9 assists. He ranks fifth in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.11).
- Bailey also chips in 10.9 points per game.
 
SERIES NOTES
- This will be the eighth all-time between Gonzaga and UCLA. The Bulldogs have won five of the previous seven meetings.
- The Zags have won the last two NCAA Tournament matchups, with GU winning the latest 93-90 in overtime in the national semifinal in Indianapolis in 2021. Jalen Suggs hit the game-winner as time expired from near half-court. Drew Timme led the Bulldogs with 25 points.
- The Bulldogs won the last meeting, 83-63, in T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Nov. 23, 2021. Drew Timme scored 18 points with eight rebounds. Julian Strawther added 12 points and nine rebounds.
- Gonzaga won the first all-time between the programs, 59-43, at UCLA on Dec. 11, 1999.
- The Zags are 42-18 against Pac-12 foes under Few.
- GU has won its last 12 meetings against Pac-12 foes.
- The Bulldogs are 5-3 against Pac-12 opponents in the NCAA Tournament.
 
AGAINST THE BRUINS
- In his two games against UCLA, Drew Timme scored 25 points going from 11-of-15 from the field in the 2021 Final Four, and then 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field last season in Las Vegas. He had four rebounds in the first meeting and eight in the second.
- Anton Watson only played 10 minutes in the national semifinal in 2021, scoring two points on free-throws. He played five minutes in last season's meeting, not taking a shot, and had four fouls.
- Rasir Bolton made both of his three-point attempts in the Las Vegas meeting last season and had nine points. Julian Strawther had 12 points and nine rebounds.
 
INSIDE T-MOBILE
- In three games against Central Michigan, UCLA and Duke last season inside T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas native Julian Strawther totaled 47 points and 22 rebounds. He was 17-of-34 from the field in those games, going 8-for-18 from three-point range.
- Timme totaled 46 points on 18-of-31 shooting from the field. He grabbed 20 rebounds.
 
UP NEXT
- With a victory, Gonzaga would advance to the West Regional final on Saturday. It would be the Bulldogs' sixth appearance in the Elite Eight.
- The Zags would play the winner of the other West Region semifinal between fourth-seeded UCONN and eighth-seeded Arkansas.
 
MILESTONE WATCH
- Drew Timme ranks first in program history with 2,259 points and is tied for fifth with 873 rebounds. He is eight rebounds from passing Cory Violette for fourth all-time at GU in rebounds.
- Anton Watson is seventh all-time in GU history with 162 steals in his career. He needs six more for sixth. Watson's 66 steals are also three from second for most in a single season.
 
THIRTY-WIN CLUB
- Gonzaga reached the 30-win plateau for the eighth time in program history with its win over TCU.
- GU has reached 30 wins in a season eight times, all coming in the last 11 years; 32-3 in 2012-13, 35-3
in 2014-15, 37-2 in 2016-17, 32-5 in 2017-18, 33-4 in 2018-19, 31-2 in 2019-20, 31-1 in 2021-22.
- Gonzaga is the only program in NCAA Div. 1 history to reach post five consecutive 30-win seasons, accomplishing the feat from 2016-17 to 2021-22.
- GU has finished with 29 wins three previous times.
 
ELITE FEAT
- Gonzaga is one win from its sixth appearance in the Elite Eight.
- The Zags have appeared in the Elite Eight four times in the last seven tournaments. (2015, 2017, 2019, 2021)
 
PROTECTING THE RIM
- After reaching at least five blocks in a game only seven times during the season, the Zags had a season-high eight blocks in the first round win over Grand Canyon and five blocks against TCU.
- Drew Timme had three blocks versus Grand Canyon and Ben Gregg came off the bench with three versus Texas Christian.
- In the last five games, GU has 29 blocks, with 20 coming in the last three contests.
 
WELCOME TO THE 1K CLUB
- Julian Strawther needed nine points in the game against Texas Christian to reach the 1,000-point plateau in his career. He finished with the game with 10.
- Strawther is the 49th member of the 1,000-point club in Gonzaga's program history.