LAS VEGAS — One of the things that makes March Madness so entertaining is the storylines. It's the upsets, the Cinderella stories and the rivalries. There’s certainly no shortage of storylines between Gonzaga and UCLA. This will be the eighth time the teams have faced each other and the fourth time in the tournament.
Anticipation for this game is through the roof.
It’s the shot that’s still fresh in the minds of basketball fans nationwide.
Jalen Suggs hits a 40-footer at the buzzer in overtime of the Final Four to push the Bulldogs past the Bruins and propel Gonzaga to the National Championship game.
However, to understand the history between the two teams, you have to look back to 1999.
Long before the Bulldogs were a national powerhouse, the team went to Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles for a pre-season game and stunned the Bruins, beating them by 16.
The two teams have met a total of seven times, three times in the tournament. Of those matchup-ups, Gonzaga has won five. UCLA’s been the victor twice
But one of those Bruins wins is one of the most painful losses in GU basketball history.
17 years ago, the teams squared off in the Sweet 16. Gonzaga was the heavy favorite behind the nation's leading scorer, Adam Morrison. The Bulldogs blew a 17-point lead and lost to UCLA by 2. The upset left Morrison in tears and the GU nation stunned.
Nine years later, in 2015, the Bulldogs were out for revenge when the teams again met up in the Sweet 16. This time, the Bulldogs handled UCLA, beating them by 12 behind solid performances by Przemek Karnowski and Domantas Sabonis.
In their most recent match-up, early last season, Gonzaga easily beat the Bruins by 20.
That brings us to this year’s match-up. UCLA the No. 2 seed, Gonzaga the No. 3 seed.
This time, they’re set to square off in the Sweet 16. UCLA is hoping to move past the Suggs buzzer beater. The Bulldogs are out to prove they’re the best team in the west.
Thursday, when the teams are scheduled to play each other, marks 17 years to the day when UCLA upset Gonzaga in the Sweet 16.
There’s a reason they call it March Madness, and we’ll have to wait to see how this one shakes out. The sports world will be watching.
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