Gonzaga's Defense Slips, Season Ends in Upset Loss to Texas in Round of 32

Since forward Braden Huff went down with a dislocated knee in the middle of January, the Gonzaga Bulldogs have been able to cover up the holes in their playstyle, primarily by dominating on the defensive end.

But in the second round of the NCAA tournament, the Texas Longhorns pieced together an excellent offensive performance against the Zags. They shot 51.7% from the field, the best mark an opponent of GU has posted since Portland downed Gonzaga on February 4, and the fourth-highest clip it’s allowed all season of the year. Texas also only turned the ball over five times, the lowest forced turnover total from the Bulldogs’ perspective.  

Yet, the Zags still had an opportunity to win the game, down just a point with 32 seconds to go. But another lapse defensively resulted in a crushing three from the corner out of the hand of Camden Heide, and the Zags’ response afterward was jarring. Mario Saint-Supéry then missed short on an out-of-sync three; no Longhorns were fouled, and Mark Few left the court with a timeout in his pocket as Gonzaga fell 74-68, their season coming to an end before the Sweet 16 for the second straight year.