Gonzaga Advances to First Final Four
The Gonzaga Bulldogs ended one Cinderella run, while also snapping a drought of their own, as they are heading to their first ever Final Four. The Bulldogs took care of 11th-seeded Xavier with ease on Saturday, 83-59, in the Elite 8. Nigel Williams-Goss led the way with 23 points, while Johnathan Williams added 19 in the Zags' 36th win of the season. The Bulldogs have had plenty of opportunities to reach the Final Four since 1999, reaching the Sweet 16 eight times in that span. Gonzaga as a team shot 12-of-24 from three-point range, becoming the first WCC team in 60 years to reach the Final Four. They will now battle either South Carolina or Florida in Arizona next week. Xavier was participating in their third Elite 8 in school history, and first since 2008.
Oregon Gets By Kansas to Final Four
The Oregon Ducks are making a long-awaited return to the Final Four, as they put away top-seeded Kansas on Saturday night, 74-60. Tyler Dorsey had 27 points, while Dillon Brooks contributed 17, as the Ducks advanced to their first Final Four since 1939. Dorsey had six three-pointers, and Jordan Bell added 11 points, 13 rebounds, and eight blocks in the clutch victory. Oregon took the lead four minutes in to the game, and never trailed after that, leading by 11 at halftime. Frank Mason III had 21 points in his final game with the Jayhawks, who were coming off a dominating Sweet 16 victory over Purdue. Oregon's lead got as large as 19 points in the second half, before Kansas was able to narrow the margin by the end of the game. The Ducks will go up against either North Carolina or Kentucky next week in the Final Four.
Raptors, Clippers Clinch Playoff Spots
Two familiar faces in the NBA Playoffs as of late clinched spots again on Saturday, including one from each conference. First, the Los Angeles Clippers got past the Utah Jazz, 108-95, to clinch their sixth consecutive playoff appearance. Jamal Crawford led the way off the bench with 28 points against a Jazz team that has also already clinched in the West. Crawford scored 17 of his points in the final 12 minutes, while Blake Griffin added 15 points in the win. The Clippers now trail the Jazz by a half game for the No. 4 seed in the playoff picture. Meanwhile, in the East, the Toronto Raptors clinched their fourth straight playoff appearance with a 94-86 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday. DeMar DeRozan and Serge Ibaka had 18 points apiece in what was the Raptors' fifth straight victory. Toronto's four straight playoff appearances sets a franchise record, as they never trailed after scoring the game's first seven points on Saturday. The Mavericks now trail the Denver Nuggets by four games for the final playoff spot in the West.
The Gonzaga Bulldogs ended one Cinderella run, while also snapping a drought of their own, as they are heading to their first ever Final Four. The Bulldogs took care of 11th-seeded Xavier with ease on Saturday, 83-59, in the Elite 8. Nigel Williams-Goss led the way with 23 points, while Johnathan Williams added 19 in the Zags' 36th win of the season. The Bulldogs have had plenty of opportunities to reach the Final Four since 1999, reaching the Sweet 16 eight times in that span. Gonzaga as a team shot 12-of-24 from three-point range, becoming the first WCC team in 60 years to reach the Final Four. They will now battle either South Carolina or Florida in Arizona next week. Xavier was participating in their third Elite 8 in school history, and first since 2008.
Oregon Gets By Kansas to Final Four
The Oregon Ducks are making a long-awaited return to the Final Four, as they put away top-seeded Kansas on Saturday night, 74-60. Tyler Dorsey had 27 points, while Dillon Brooks contributed 17, as the Ducks advanced to their first Final Four since 1939. Dorsey had six three-pointers, and Jordan Bell added 11 points, 13 rebounds, and eight blocks in the clutch victory. Oregon took the lead four minutes in to the game, and never trailed after that, leading by 11 at halftime. Frank Mason III had 21 points in his final game with the Jayhawks, who were coming off a dominating Sweet 16 victory over Purdue. Oregon's lead got as large as 19 points in the second half, before Kansas was able to narrow the margin by the end of the game. The Ducks will go up against either North Carolina or Kentucky next week in the Final Four.
Raptors, Clippers Clinch Playoff Spots
Two familiar faces in the NBA Playoffs as of late clinched spots again on Saturday, including one from each conference. First, the Los Angeles Clippers got past the Utah Jazz, 108-95, to clinch their sixth consecutive playoff appearance. Jamal Crawford led the way off the bench with 28 points against a Jazz team that has also already clinched in the West. Crawford scored 17 of his points in the final 12 minutes, while Blake Griffin added 15 points in the win. The Clippers now trail the Jazz by a half game for the No. 4 seed in the playoff picture. Meanwhile, in the East, the Toronto Raptors clinched their fourth straight playoff appearance with a 94-86 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday. DeMar DeRozan and Serge Ibaka had 18 points apiece in what was the Raptors' fifth straight victory. Toronto's four straight playoff appearances sets a franchise record, as they never trailed after scoring the game's first seven points on Saturday. The Mavericks now trail the Denver Nuggets by four games for the final playoff spot in the West.
