Updates: Top-seeded Gonzaga opens NCAA tournament against No. 16 seed Georgia State

Second half

9:17 – GU 66, GSU ​​58: The Panthers call for a timeout as the Zags take their biggest lead of the game.

Holmgren is up to 12 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks because he and the Timme have both doubles doubles.

Scott fouled for GSU, whose bench starts to run thin after losing Nsoseme to an injury in the first half.

11:52 – GU 56, GSU ​​54: Timme continues to score inside, up to 24 points in the U12 media timeout.

Holmgren has 13 rebounds and five blocks, while Nembhard has eight assists.

14:17 – GU 52, GSU ​​50: Zags are starting to get things in the U16 media timeout, but the Panthers are not back.

Timme is up 20 points ahead in the second half as Bolton are the only other saw in double figures with 10.

Allen leads GSU with 13 points, while Roberts adds 11. Not much separates the two teams. Panthers hold a 10-9 advantage on free throws despite seven fewer attempts.

Half time

In the half, Gonzaga head coach Mark Few reiterated that Georgia State is not a 16 seed.

In the first half, the Panthers certainly did not look like a 16 seed, or maybe the Zags did not look like a one seed.

Gonzaga struggled at the offensive end, limping to a 35-33 lead at halftime in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Bulldogs shot 40% of the field, which included a stretch of 12 straight misses, 2 of 11 attempts on 3-pointers and 9 of 19 shots on free throws.

Drew Timme led with 10 points and eight rebounds, but the Panthers held a 28-23 lead on the glass, clearing with second-chance points.

GSU made an even harder time off the field 10 of 35 attempts.

First half

0:32 – GU 35, GSU ​​33: Zags get a little offended, but give up some simple glances at the Panthers.

Gonzaga should take a lead in the wardrobe, where Mark Few will look to wake up his team, which has been favored by over 20 points.

3:56 – GU 25, GSU ​​25: Gonzaga’s offense is sputtering, missing his last 10 attempts from the field and down to 8 of 24 shots in the half.

The zags are 2 of 11 on 3-pointers and 7 of 17 from the line. The only thing that keeps GU in the game is the inefficiency of Georgia State. The Panthers shoot 25.8% of the field.

Timme leads with eight points, but has 4 of 9 on free kicks.

6:20 – GU 23, GSU ​​23: Nsoseme is lying on the floor holding his right knee and seems to be in a lot of pain. The last thing the Panthers want to see is because the big man with five rebounds controlled the post.

He could get up on his own and go to the bench.

7:49 – GU 21, GSU ​​21: Panthers bulldogs the Bulldogs at the post, collecting six offensive rebounds to hold a 17-13 lead on the boards at the U8 Media Timeout.

Zags only 3 of 9 on free throws and 2 of 8 on 3-pointers.

11:02 – GU 18, GSU ​​16: Georgia State is still heavily dependent on the U12 media timeout, as the Zags hold an advantage of 53.8-29.4% on field goal percentage, but can not separate.

Hunter Sallis gets many minutes early because Watson finds him under the hoop with a rather backward feed. That game served as a four-point swing as the Panthers missed a gimme layout at the other end after a steal.

15:51 – GU 7, GSU ​​7: Sloppy start for the Zags who started 1 of 3 on free throws and had two early turnover.

Timme gets a cherry blossom dunk in the transition to lead with four points. The Panthers will not return as early as the 16 seed, 3 of 9 from the field and joined the top team in the nation at the U16 media timeout.

Foreplay

Gonzaga enters the NCAA Tournament with the top total for the second straight year and the same question that comes from fans and commentators across the country – will Mark Few and the Zags finally get the monkey off their backs?

The Bulldogs (26-3) begin their pursuit for the first men’s basketball championship against the 16-seeded Georgia State in Portland at 1:15 p.m. on TNT.

The Panthers (18-10) earned an automatic bid by winning the Sun Belt Tournament over Louisiana. GSU started the season 8-10 before winning 10 straight to finish in 3rd place in the conference.

Meanwhile, the Zags are coming off an impressive West Coast Conference Championship victory over Saint Mary’s, where Gonzaga’s revenge on the Gaels.

The winner goes to No. 9 on Saturday against Memphis, who beat Boise State 64-53 this morning.

Series history

Gonzaga and Georgia State played once on November 25, 1994, where the Zags won 90-65.

The Bulldogs have not lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament since 2008, where they lost to Davidson and a player named Steph Curry as No. 7.

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Individual Leader

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