After a tough stretch featuring narrow losses to Kentucky and UConn, the Zags are coming off two solid victories over Nicholls State and Bucknell. In both games, Gonzaga started slow but cruised to comfortable wins, thanks to dominant performances from a newly revitalized Graham Ike in the frontcourt. UCLA,on the other hand, is coming off a heart-wrenching 2-point loss to UNC, where big man Tyler Bilodeau scored 26 points in 24 minutes of action, while the team’s other four starters combined for just 11 points on the night.
Both teams have struggled to consistently play to their potential this season, but as with any Gonzaga/UCLA matchup, fans should expect both teams to come out ready to be physical and push to control the pace of play—whether it’s pretty or not. A high-powered offense like Gonzaga’s against a hard-nosed defense like UCLA’s is always a recipe for an intense–and often ugly–battle. Fortunately for the overall heart-health of fans, unlike previous matchups, neither team’s entire season is on the line this Saturday.
As memorable as recent Bulldog/Bruin games have been, I don’t think I can physically sustain another tournament matchup with UCLA in my lifetime. By my estimation, 3 of the most memorable moments in Gonzaga basketball history have come against UCLA. It began in 2006, when the Bulldogs faced the Bruins in the NCAA tournament, a game in which they led for the bulk of regulation.
In the second half, however, the Zags spectacularly blew.
