Mark Few

Jordan Hawkins scored 20 points and UConn cruised past its fourth straight NCAA Tournament opponent, winning the tournament for the first time in nine years, beating Gonzaga 82-54 on Saturday night. The Huskies (29-8) have been right at home in their first extended March Madness appearance since winning the 2014 national championship, playing their best basketball of what had been an up-and-down season. In the West Region finals, UConn ruled the usually quick Bulldogs, extending the lead early in the second half to waltz right in the final segment of the bracket.

The Gonzaga Bulldogs of Spokane, Washington, who hung on to defeat TCU 80-73, was a close fight in an intense back-and-forth contest that ended in favor of the Gonzaga Bulldogs. For the eighth time since the 2015 NCAA Tournament, the 'Zags' are headed to the Sweet 16 (the 2020 tournament was postponed due to COVID). After a last second shot by TCU's Damion Baugh to make it 84-81, bettors were left reeling. Hunter Sallis of Gonzaga had.7 of a second left on his second left as he began to make both free throws to see the Zags covering the Zags, 84-78. But every bettors' worst nightmare came as Baugh picked up the ball inside the logo and let it fly as the buzzer sounded. The 3-pointer at TCU defeated the clock and the spread of 4.5 points.