March Madness 2021: Gonzaga Bulldogs Continue Record Breaking Run With Win Over USC Trojans

The 2020 March Madness tournament has been tough for the top seeds. There have been multiple upsets so far, and certain favorites have been sent packing early. But amidst this chaotic and exciting tournament, the Gonzaga Bulldogs have continued to assert their dominance.

The Zags entered the tournament as the favorites. Tonight, they showed why they hold that title, as they thumped the USC Trojans in their Elite Eight battle. It was a commanding win, and with that, they broke a few more records.

The Bulldogs thrashed the Trojans by 19 points to record their 27th consecutive double-digit win. This is the longest streak by any NCAA team in the last 60 years.

Gonzaga also became the first D-1 program to have five straight seasons of 30+ wins. Although they haven’t had any NCAA tournament success, the Zags have been dominant overall, and this record is a testament to that.

Finally, they also became the sixth team to win the first four games of the NCAA tournament by 15+ points. The last time this happened was back in 2004 when the UConn Huskies achieved it and went on to win the title. So could this mean that the Zags will go on to lift the title themselves?

Gonzaga Bulldogs’ Big 3 stars in a statement win

Corey Kispert, Drew Timme, and Jalen Suggs have been the stars of the Zags’ 2020-21 campaign so far, and tonight, they lived up to the expectations.

Facing a team like the Trojans is no easy task. They had a huge win against Kansas earlier, followed by another impressive win against Oregon. But their run was halted by the Bulldogs’ who were led by their Big 3 tonight.

Timme led the scoring with 23 points while shooting 10-19 from the field. Suggs was close to a triple-double and had 18 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. He also shot the ball well, going 7-11 from the field. Kispert struggled with efficiency, but his 18 points and eight rebounds were vital for their win.

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Throwback to the 2006 March Madness thriller between the Bulldogs and Bruins

The Zags will face the UCLA Bruins in their Final Four game. They have faced the Bruins five times in the NCAA tournament, but their most memorable encounter was from 2006.

Gonzaga controlled the game for the first 37 minutes and also held a 17 point lead at one stage. But in the last 11 minutes, the Bruins took over. They were behind by one in the final 20 seconds when Jordan Farmar stole the ball before passing it to Luc Richard Mbah a Moute who hit the game-winning layup.

Bulldogs’ Derek Raivio attempted a quick dribble to the rim to score, but Mbah a Moute stole the ball to seal the win. It was an emphatic comeback, and that was one of the most iconic March Madness games. The Zags will be keen to avoid that when they face the Bruins on Sunday.