Last year national championship 20211/5/2024 The Bears made 10 3s on the night but four of those came in the opening 10 minutes, with Teague's triple at the 10:09 mark building their lead to 19 points. But - like the rest of the game - the outcome was a credit to Baylor acting as the aggressor. Gonzaga's historically efficient offense took a tiny step back from its regular dominance, as the team finished 25-of-49 from the floor and 5-of-17 from 3-point range. Baylor's shooting, extra chances the difference ![]() Lose, as they did, and they're now one of several great teams - 1991 UNLV, 1999 Duke and 2015 Kentucky to name a few - that were dominant yet unable to go the distance.Īn unassailable resume this team would have had with a win to top it off in the finale, but by every metric this team's place among great college basketball teams is etched into stone. Win, and it would be the first since Indiana in 1976 to become an undefeated champion. The loss complicates the legacy of a team that otherwise was trending towards sports immortality. Gonzaga became the first undefeated team since Indiana State in 1979 to enter the title game and lose, pushing undefeated teams in the national championship to 7-3 all-time. Here are a few takeaways from Monday night's grand finale. He became the first player in a men's national championship game to produce at least 20 points and seven assists since Carmelo Anthony did it for Syracuse in 2003. Butler was the catalyst behind the sharpshooting effort that did not cease, as he went for 22 points with a game-high four 3-pointers and seven assists. A championship edition of Eye on College Basketball recaps the national championship game.īaylor guards Jared Butler, MaCio Teague and Jared Butler - long the staples of success for this team - fittingly led the way for the Bears with a combined 56 points and 12 assists. "And then defensively, we're pretty good."īaylor blows out Gonzaga in shocking, dominant fashion. We got off to a great start," Baylor coach Scott Drew said. "They came out and they fed off of each other. ![]() Its lead after dipping to single digits ballooned to as many as 20 in the second half, as Baylor sucked the life out of the only team that never looked lifeless all season. ![]() But Baylor had a bigger share of runs, led by 10 made 3-pointers and buttressed by a big game on the offensive boards that gave it 18 more shot attempts. It marked the largest deficit Gonzaga faced all season.ĭespite this, Gonzaga had its share of runs, cutting the lead to 10 by halftime and to nine points in the second half. Which turned into 29-10 less than 10 minutes into the game. In a stunningly lopsided season finale the Zags never once led in, Gonzaga's season ends with a 31-1 record and with Baylor - 73 years removed from its last national championship game appearance - celebrating its first-ever men's basketball title.īaylor ascended to the top of the sport with style, too, jumping out early to a 9-0 lead. 1 seed Baylor on Monday in the NCAA Tournament championship game. The previously-undefeated Bulldogs took their first loss of the season, falling 86-70 to No. The only opponent Gonzaga could not beat was its last.
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