Saint Mary’s got exactly what it was looking for with a 78-74 win over Gonzaga in the 2012 West Coast Conference Tournament final on Monday night. It just took overtime for the Gaels to take the latest round in one of college basketball’s best rivalries and claim an automatic NCAA Tournament berth.
WCC Tournament 2012, Saint Mary’s Vs. Gonzaga: Gaels Prevail, 78-74, In Overtime Thriller
Saint Mary's was led by Matthew Dellavedova, who had 22 points and four assists, leading the Gaels in both categories. And despite missing a game-winning runner as time expired in regulation, he salted away the game for the Gaels, hitting two clinching free throws in overtime.
Rob Jones (18 points), Jorden Page (16 points), and Brad Waldow (13 points) joined Dellavedova in double figures for Saint Mary's.
Gonzaga rallied from a 68-63 deficit in the final 30 seconds of the second half to force overtime thanks to Elias Harris' big three-pointer.
But Harris, who had 22 points and 13 rebounds for the Zags, didn't even attempt a shot in overtime, as the Bulldogs led for just 49 seconds of the extra period. Robert Sacre added 17 points for Gonzaga in the losing effort.
For more Gonzaga coverage, check out The Slipper Still Fits.
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