SAN JOSE, Calif. — Not long after losing to Arizona’s Sean Miller at the 2015 NCAA Tournament, Xavier coach Chris Mack jokingly said his friend should let him win the next one. ADVERTISING SAN JOSE, Calif. — Not long after
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Not long after losing to Arizona’s Sean Miller at the 2015 NCAA Tournament, Xavier coach Chris Mack jokingly said his friend should let him win the next one.
This was no gift between former colleagues.
The Musketeers earned this one and now they’re headed to the Elite Eight for the first time in a decade.
Trevon Bluiett kept Xavier close with a big first half and the Musketeers made the clutch plays down the stretch against the West Region’s No. 2 seed, upsetting Arizona 73-71 on Thursday night.
“I personally have so much respect for Sean and his staff,” Mack said. “I know it’s heartbreaking for them because they had a special year, a special season and I know it’s tough. But today is a Xavier day.”
Xavier (30-13) fought through a string of injuries and a late losing streak to reach the NCAA Tournament, then opened with a pair of upsets. The Musketeers passed their biggest test to date with confident performance against one of college basketball’s storied programs.
Bluiett scored 18 of his 25 points in the first half to help Xavier keep up with the athletic Wildcats. The Musketeers tracked Arizona after it tried to pull away in the second half, getting a late basket inside by Sean O’Mara while shutting down one of the nation’s best offensive teams down the stretch.
Next up is their first Elite Eight since 2008 and third overall, a showdown with No. 1 seed Gonzaga on Saturday.
“We’re all tough guys. We stuck together,” said Xavier’s J.P Macura, who had 14 points. “We’re not really backing down from anyone.”
Arizona (32-5) appeared to be in control after Allonzo Trier scored 15 straight points to push the Wildcats’ lead to six. Arizona stalled out on offense, though, failing to score over the final 2:52 as Xavier closed with a 9-0 run.
Trier had a final shot, but missed a 3-pointer with 8 seconds left and the Wildcats were unable to track down Malcolm Bernard as he dribbled out the clock .
GONZAGA 61, WEST VIRGINIA 58
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Jordan Mathews hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with under a minute to play and top-seeded Gonzaga survived a rough shooting night for both teams to beat No. 4 seed West Virginia 61-58 Thursday night to advance to the West Regional final.
On a night that featured 51 fouls and only 34 made baskets, Mathews delivered the big shot that sent the Bulldogs (35-1) to their third Elite Eight in school history.
It didn’t come easily. West Virginia (29-8) had three shots to tie the game but Tarik Phillip missed a shot from the lane and Jevon Carter missed two 3-pointers after Silas Melson made one foul shot. The Mountaineers rebound both misses but couldn’t get another shot off before the buzzer.
MIDWEST REGION
OREGON 69, MICHIGAN 68
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Tyler Dorsey scored 20 points and made the go-ahead layup with 1:08 left, and third-seeded Oregon ended No. 7 Michigan’s dramatic postseason run with a 69-68 victory in a Midwest Regional semifinal on Thursday night.
Dorsey, the man the Ducks call “Mr. March,” had his sixth straight game scoring 20 or more points.
The Wolverines (27-11) had one more chance to extend their run after Dylan Ennis missed a free throw with 15 seconds left. But Derrick Walton, who had carried the Wolverines the last three weeks, was off with his long jumper just before the buzzer.
Jordan Bell had a double-double for the Ducks (32-5), with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Pac-12 player of the year Dillon Brooks added 12 points and Dylan Ennis had 10.
Walton led the Wolverines with 20 points, eight assists and five rebounds. Zak Irvin had 14 of his 19 points in the second half and DJ Wilson had 12 points.
Oregon plays Kansas on Saturday in the regional final.
KANSAS 98, PURDUE 66
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Player of the year front-runner Frank Mason III poured in 26 points, Kansas turned on the jets in the second half and the top-seeded Jayhawks soared to a 98-66 blowout of No. 4 seed Purdue on Thursday night in the Midwest Regional semifinals.
Devonte Graham also had 26 points and Josh Jackson had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Jayhawks (31-4), who led by 7 at halftime before their up-and-down pace finally wore down the Boilermakers.
Kansas used two big runs, including an 11-0 charge highlighted by Lagerald Vicks’ 360-degree drunk, to coast into a matchup with No. 3 seed Oregon on Saturday for a spot in the Final Four.
The Ducks survived a nail-biter against Michigan earlier in the night.
Caleb Swanigan had 18 points and seven boards for the Boilermakers (27-8), but the 6-foot-9, 250-pound All-America candidate had to work for all of it.
