Sunday Morning Shootaround: Gonzaga Wins At The Buzzer

Why are the late game always the best games of the day? I happened against last night, as Duke needed the benefit of a couple close calls against Texas While Gonzaga got a last second bucket from Demetri Goodson that allowed them to advance.

GAME OF THE DAY: Gonzaga 83, Western Kentucky 81

The Zags had built an 81-72 lead with just 2:14 left to play, but Western Kentucky was not about to go away. An Orlando Mendez-Valdez three cut the lead to 81-77, and after a Gonzaga turnover, Mendez-Valdez found Steffphon Pettigrew for a dunk that cut the lead to two with 58.7 seconds left. The Hilltoppers would got a stop at the other end, setting up the final sequence.

AJ Slaughter missed a three, but Pettigrew was johnny-on-the-spot and tipped in the rebound, tying the game up at 81. The freshman Goodson took the inbounds with 7.2 seconds left. He went the distance, going around two Hilltopper defenders. The lane opened up in front of him, and the freshman hit a runner off the glass with 0.9 seconds left to send the Zags to their first Sweet 16 since 2006.

PLAYER OF THE DAY: Blake Griffin, Oklahoma

He was beaten up, yet again. Manny Harris undercut him going for a rebound, sending Griffin sprawling on his back. A Zak Novak elbow going for a loose ball bloodied his nose. He hit the floor a number of times. But none of it was enough, as Griffin finished the game with 33 points and 17 rebounds, leading the Sooners to the Sweet 16 for the first time in six years. He scored 8 points in a 12-2 Sooner run to start the second half, opening up a 42-31 lead that Michigan was never able to recover from.

Griffin's effect on the game was more than just the numbers he put up. His presence inside is what allowed Austin Johnson and Willie Warren to get good looks from the perimeter. The two of them combined to go 6-13 from three, and when those two are knocking down shots, it makes Oklahoma near impossible to beat.

Griffin also had the dunk of the day yesterday:



The most impressive part of this dunk is that he doesn't take off going towards the basket. He kind of slides around the guy trying to take the charge, posterizing him while avoiding an offensive foul.

They were good too:

• AJ Price, UConn: Price had 27 points and 8 assists as UConn rolled past Texas A&M.
• JaJuan Johnson, Purdue: Johnson had 22 points, 6 boards, and 4 blocks, including two blocks on Washington's last possession to help seal the win.
• Jon Brockman, Washington: Brockman played the last game of his career, finishing with 20 points and 18 boards.
• Matt Bouldin, Gonzaga: Bouldin helped the Zags hold off Western Kentucky with 20 points, 8 boards, and 6 assists.
  
• Orlando Mendez-Valdez, Western Kentucky: Mendez-Valdez had 25 points and 7 assists, but only had 8 points after the first 10 minutes.
  
• Gerald Henderson, Duke: Henderson led Duke with 24 points.
  

TEAM OF THE DAY: Villanova

The Wildcats put a beat down on UCLA, 89-69. They were up 28-11 ten minutes into the game, and never looked back. It was a complete team effort for the Cats, as they out physicaled and out hustled the Bruins. Villanova is a dangerous team in this tournament because of their versatility. They have so many guys that can play on the perimeter, which allows them to spread out a defense. Against the Bruins, it worked because UCLA was not rotating defensively. It should be fun to watch them go up against Duke, as the two teams match-up very well with each other.