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  • Arkansas Razorbacks Are Headed to the Elite 8 After Upsetting the Gonzaga Bulldogs, 74-68

Arkansas Razorbacks Are Headed to the Elite 8 After Upsetting the Gonzaga Bulldogs, 74-68

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Basketball

It took an effort that had not ever happened in college basketball to get it done but the Arkansas Razorbacks are headed back to the Elite 8 thanks to a 74-68 win over top-ranked Gonzaga on Thursday afternoon inside Chase Center.

Arkansas became the first team to ever beat an AP #1 team in the regular season (vs Auburn on Feb 8) and defeat the AP #!1 (overall #1 seed Gonzaga) in the NCAA Tournament (ESPN Stats).

Also, no men’s college basketball team had beaten two different No. 1 teams from the AP poll in the same season since 1992-93 when Georgia Tech beat Duke and North Carolina in the same season, until the Razorbacks added No. 1 Gonzaga to the win column alongside a victory over No. 1 Auburn from the regular season. Neither victory came easy, but Thursday’s put the Hogs in the team’s second straight Elite 8, something that had not happened since back-to-back trips to the Final at the end of the 1994 and 1995 seasons.

Arkansas’ defensive effort was the difference against the Bulldogs, holding the nation’s best scoring offense (87.8 ppg) and best shooting offense (52.6%) to just 68 points on 37.5% shooting. After enduring a four-minute scoring drought midway through the first half, the Razorbacks responded with a 9-0 run to take the lead and finished the half on a 13-2 run to take a 32-29 lead into the locker rooms. The late half run was fueled by forcing four Gonzaga turnovers and holding the Zags to just 1-of-7 from the field over the final 6:29.

Gonzaga quickly he drew even to open the second half but again the Razorbacks answered with a run again fueled by defense. Arkansas held the Bulldogs without a field goal for nearly five minutes to help build an eight-point lead.

Nursing a five-point lead with just eight seconds left, Au’Diese Toney’s block of a Drew Timme shot was the final momentum swing the Hogs needed. Toney put an exclamation point on the victory with a dunk with one second remaining to keep the Hogs dancing.

JD Notae led the Razorbacks with 21 points, six assists and three steals. Jaylin Williams scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to record his 15th double-double of the season while becoming Arkansas’ all-time leader in rebounds in a single season. Trey Wade’s 15 points and seven rebounds were huge in the win and marked just the fourth time this season he has scored in double digits.

Timme led Gonzaga with 25 points. Chet Holmgren scored 11 points and had 14 rebounds before fouling out.

Arkansas will face #2 seed Duke in the Elite 8. Tipoff is set for 7:49 pm (CT) and the game will be televised on TBS.

FIRST HALF: Arkansas: 32 – Gonzaga: 29

  • Both teams were having success on the offensive end with the Gonzaga leading 16-14 at the second media timeout (11:54).
  • Over the next five minutes, Gonzaga used a 6-0 run to lead 22-17 at the under eight media timeout (7:26).
  • Jaylin Williams became the school’s single-season leader for rebounds, passing Derek Hood’s 349 in 1998-98. Williams tied the mar at 5:12 then surpassed Hood with is eighth rebound of the game with 3:53 left in the first half.
  • Arkansas used a 7-0 run to get to within one, 27-26, before taking a timeout at 2:46. The Hogs extended the run to 9-0 in a Jaylin Williams dunk to give the Hogs a 28-27 lead.
  • Jaylin Williams took his second charge of the half (52nd of the year) with six seconds left and Notae hit a layup as time expired to give Arkansas a 32-39 lead at the break.
  • Notae led the Hogs with 10 points and Williams had eight rebounds.
  • Arkansas held Gonzaga to 37.5 FG% in the first half and 16.7 3PT% (2-of-12). The Bulldogs entered the game as the NCAA leader in FG% at 53.6% and were 24th in 3PT% at 37.4%.

SECOND HALF: Arkansas: 42 – Gonzaga: 39

  • Gonzaga scored the first four points of the second half to take a one-point lead. The teams traded baskets and Chet Holmgren tied the game at 36-36 with 16:54 left. Trey Wade drained a 3-pointer and the Hogs did not give up the lead the rest of the half.
  • Au’Diese Toney converted an old-fashion 3-point play at 8:36 in the period to give Arkansas a 52-46 lead. The six-point lead was the largest of the game by the Hogs through the first 27:28 of the game.
  • Jaylin Williams scored a jumper in the lane with 7:53 left to Arkansas an eight-point lead and give him 10 points and secure his 15th double-double of the season.
  • Gonzaga got to within four (66-62) with 1:27 left but the Hogs made six straight at the line inside the final 21 seconds to seal the win.