SALT LAKE CITY: Gonzaga performed an almost excellent second half, busting open a back-and-forth recreation with a 15-0 run Saturday to drag away from Kansas for an 89-68 win and lengthen its nation-best streak of journeys to the Sweet 16 to 9.

Anton Watson shot 8 for 11 for 21 factors on a day when principally everybody in a navy jersey was a star, particularly after halftime.

The fifth-seeded Zags (27-7) made their first 5 3-pointers of the second half, not lacking from lengthy vary till 1:30 remained and the sport had lengthy entered prolonged rubbish time.

Mark Few’s workforce will make its common journey to the second weekend to play the winner of Sunday’s recreation between Purdue and Utah State.

Nolan Hickman completed with 17 factors for the Zags, and large man Graham Ike had 15 factors and 9 rebounds, going toe to toe with KU’s Hunter Dickinson, who completed with a quiet 15 factors. Making all of the Bulldogs look good was Ryan Nembhard, who blew off a tough taking pictures night time (1 for six) and completed with 12 assists.

While Gonzaga was cruising, elements of this regarded painfully acquainted to followers of the fourth-seeded Jayhawks (23-11), who’ve struggled with depth, taking pictures, consistency and accidents — main scorer Kevin McCullar Jr. (knee) was out for the event. During Gonzaga’s 15-0 run, the Jayhawks missed 10 straight photographs and by no means obtained inside single digits once more.

A couple of of these misses regarded unusually ugly, together with when Dickinson grabbed a rebound below the bucket and regarded poised for a simple bucket however might barely get the ball to the rim.

For 22 minutes, a minimum of, this recreation lived as much as its billing — a uncommon showdown between much-adored energy packages. There have been eight lead adjustments. At one level late within the first half, the groups mixed to make 9 straight photographs from the sector, buying and selling leads nearly each time down.

It ended abruptly when Ike made a turnaround jumper, then Watson took a dish from Ben Gregg on the following possession for a simple layup. It was the beginning of a 15-0 run that expanded to 32-4 and pushed the lead as excessive as 27.

Gonzaga gained each its video games in Salt Lake City by 21. The opener in opposition to McNeese might need been anticipated. That the second was such a breeze, even in opposition to a flawed KU workforce, was a shock.

ON THE SIDELINE

Lamar Simpson, the official who referred to as the phantom foul that helped KU lock up its opening-night win over Samford, watched each video games from press row because the alternate official.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and protection: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)