The final Sweet 16 game of Thursday night pits No. 9 Florida State against No. 4 Gonzaga. The Seminoles upset over West region No. 1 seed Xavier to reach this matchup, while Gonzaga is looking to get back to the Elite Eight for a second consecutive year.
Florida State vs. Gonzaga live stream: Time, TV channel, and how to watch 2018 NCAA tournament online
Can the Zags get back to the Elite Eight for a second-straight season?
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This game is scheduled to tip-off at 10:07 p.m. at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
How did Florida State reach the Sweet 16?
The Seminoles got here by upsetting No. 1 seed Xavier, 75-70, in the Round of 32. Florida State made a late second-half surge after Xavier’s J.P. Macura fouled out. With no Macura on the floor, the FSU went on the attack.
Sophomore guard Trent Forrest could not be stopped as he drove to the lane with conviction and Terance Mann fought hard in the paint.
Before upsetting Xavier, Florida State defeated No. 8 seed Missouri, 67-54, in the first round.
How did Gonzaga reach the Sweet 16?
The Bulldogs made it to the Sweet 16 after a scare from No. 13 seed UNC-Greensboro in the first round and then handling business against No. 4 seed Ohio State in the Round of 32.
The Spartans gave Gonzaga everything they had in last Thursday’s game. Junior guard Francis Alonso was a thorn in the Bulldogs’ side, scoring 16 points. But Gonzaga held them off thanks to clutch plays from Josh Perkins, Zach Norvell Jr., and Rui Hachimura.
Then in their Round of 32 matchup against the Buckeyes, the Bulldogs got huge games from Norvell Jr., who scored 28 points, and Hachimura, who added 25 points to help Gonzaga win, 90-84.
How can I watch this game on TV or via livestream?
Date: Thursday, March 22
Time: 10:07 p.m. ET
TV Network: TBS
Streaming: March Madness Live
Who are the players to watch?
- Zach Norvell, Jr.: The freshman out of Chicago has shown up for Gonzaga in both games thus far and needs to be talked about more.
- Trent Forrest: He will continue to play big minutes for the Seminoles off the bench as he can take guys off the dribble.
How will the Elite Eight bid be decided?
For the Seminoles to pull off another upset, they need their leading scorer Phil Cofer to show up. The senior has been quiet through the first two games, scoring a total of 19 points.
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