Cooper Kaifes hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:21 left in the game, Jerome Marshall followed with a layup and Samford held off Oregon State 78-77 in nonconference play.
Former Gonzaga player Stephen Gentry has been hired as an assistant coach on the Bulldogs’ basketball staff to replace Tommy Lloyd, who became the head coach at Arizona.
Top-seeded Gonzaga did against Creighton what it’s done in this unbeaten season. Drew Timme scored 22 points as the Bulldogs rolled past the fifth-seeded Bluejays 83-65 rout in the Sweet 16.
Gonzaga has completed a start-to-finish run atop The AP men’s college basketball poll. Coach Mark Few’s Bulldogs received all 60 first-place votes to stay atop the final poll.
Gonzaga will be the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament in its bid to complete the first undefeated season in 35 years. The Bulldogs are in the West Region.
Jill Townsend scored on an 15-foot fadeaway jumper as time expired and No. 18 Gonzaga rallied past second-seeded BYU 43-42 in the WCC championship to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
Jill Townsend led a balanced attack with 14 points and 10 rebounds and No. 18 Gonzaga defeated Santa Clara 72-62 in the semifinals of the WCC tournament.
Michigan finally broke the stranglehold of Gonzaga and Baylor atop The AP men’s college basketball poll, taking advantage of the Bears’ loss at Kansas to leap into the No. 2 spot.