UCLA wasn’t even supposed to be in the NCAA Tournament, or so said many college basketball supporters when the Bruins were given a No. 11 seed. Yet here they are in the Sweet 16, preparing for a game against No. 2 Gonzaga on Friday.
UCLA vs. Gonzaga, NCAA Tournament 2015: Time, TV schedule and live stream
Here’s how to watch this potentially high-scoring matchup.
Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
The Bruins' two wins aren't extraordinary. They controversially beat SMU 60-59 thanks to a last-second goaltending call before trouncing No. 14 UAB 92-75. Although all of UCLA's guards are solid, Bryce Alford has played incredible basketball, scoring 49 points in the two games, hitting 12 three-pointers and only turning the ball over five times. Nine of the triples came against the Mustangs in the first round.
Tony Parker and Kevin Looney are a solid duo in the frontcourt. After a quiet opening game, Parker exhibited his all-around ability on Saturday, scoring 28 points on 11-of-14 shooting, grabbing 12 rebounds and blocking a trio of shots. Meanwhile, Looney is a strong rebounder who has grabbed 21 in the two tournament games the Bruins have played.
But handling SMU and UAB is one thing; facing Gonzaga is entirely different. Gonzaga already beat UCLA 87-74 in December, a game in which Kyle Wiltjer had 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting. Wiltjer leads the Bulldogs' vaunted offense, averaging 17.1 points on 55 percent shooting from the floor and 48 percent from behind the three-point line this season.
Even in the event Wiltjer struggles, the Zags are deep. Senior guard Kevin Pangos can score and facilitate. Przemek Karnowski and Domantas Sabonis are a formidable duo in the frontcourt. Byron Wesley, a senior who starts next to Pangos, has had a quiet tournament but popped off for 25 points against Pepperdine right before the dance started. The Bulldogs have the nation's highest field goal percentage at 52.6 percent and it comes from an assortment of offensive weapons, not just Wiltjer.
Gonzaga is looking to snap a reputation as a high seed that loses early, while UCLA would like to quiet the contention that it shouldn’t be here -- whether that’s for selection into the tourney or its debatable first-round victory.
Here’s how to watch:
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET on CBS
Place: Houston, Texas
Online: March Madness On Demand
Odds: Gonzaga -8.5
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