After win over TCU, Gonzaga looks ahead to UCLA matchup in Sweet 16

The Bulldogs and Bruins will play Thursday in Las Vegas

It wasn’t pretty, but the Gonzaga men’s basketball team still prevailed in an 84-81 win over TCU in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday in Denver.

The win advances the third-seeded Zags to the Sweet 16 where they will play No. 2 UCLA on Thursday in Las Vegas.

• GAME STORY | PHOTO GALLERY

Here are the key takeaways from Gonzaga's win:

TIMME HELPS ZAGS OVERCOME SHOOTING WOES

Photo by Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports

Cold shooting nights have led to the eliminations of several teams in this year’s tournament, and Gonzaga seemed en route to suffering the same fate midway through Sunday’s game.

The Zags shot 12-for-33 from the field and 2-for-14 on 3-point attempts in the first half, which ended with TCU ahead 38-33. Drew Timme, who had a team-high 10 points before halftime, was Gonzaga’s only starter shooting 50% or better from the field until that point.

The All-American forward added 17 more points in the second half, finishing as Gonzaga’s leading scorer with 28 points on 12 of 21 shooting. He also added eight rebounds and three assists.

“That’s what it takes to win,” Timme said. “You’ve got to put it all on the line, you can’t save yourself for the next round because there could be no next round. It’s balls out, metal to the pedal, pedal to the metal — whatever that saying is — every time.”

Timme made a hook shot and a 3-pointer during a 13-0 run that turned a five-point deficit into an eight-point advantage for the Zags. Gonzaga remained ahead until the final buzzer sounded.

“Drew Timme is great,” said TCU guard Mike Miles Jr. “We really didn’t have an answer for him but that’s what happens when the other team has one of the best players in the country.”

Miles Jr. was instrumental in keeping the Horned Frogs competitive from start to finish. He ended with 24 points and shot 8-for-13, while also dishing out four assists.

GONZAGA’S PATH TO THE FINAL FOUR NO LONGER INCLUDES KANSAS

Photo by Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports

When the field of 68 teams was announced a week ago, it appeared Gonzaga’s journey to the Final Four would require beating arguably the best team in college basketball.

However, the Zags will no longer have to worry about a meeting with top-seeded Kansas in the Elite Eight. The Jayhawks suffered a 72-71 loss to eighth-seeded Arkansas in the second round on Saturday.

The elimination of Kansas weakens Gonzaga’s regional competition, but Mark Few’s squad will still have to battle top-tier talent to advance in the tournament.

Next up for the Zags is UCLA on Thursday in Las Vegas. The Bruins, who defeated Northwestern 68-63 on Saturday, are the nation’s second-best team in adjusted defensive efficiency by KenPom, allowing 87.6 points per 100 possessions. Gonzaga is 76th in the same metric.

If the Zags get past UCLA, they will continue to go up against elite defenses. Gonzaga’s two potential Elite Eight opponents, Arkansas and UConn, are 14th and 15th in adjusted defensive efficiency.

It will be a test for Gonzaga’s offense, which leads the country in scoring with 87.4 points per game. The Bulldogs will likely have to shoot better than they did against TCU - 44.8% from the field and 32% from beyond the 3-point arc. 

PHOTO GALLERY

(Photos by Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports)

Photo by Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports

Photo by Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports

Photo by Michael Ciaglo, USA TODAY Sports

Photo by Michael Ciaglo, USA TODAY Sports