INDIANAPOLIS — After a heartbreaking loss to the Baylor Bears in the 2021 NCAA national championship, the Gonzaga Bulldogs gathered for an emotional last huddle of the season.
The No. 1 Bulldogs came up short with an 86-70 loss to the No. 1 Bears in the title game on Monday night. Gonzaga cut Baylor's lead down to 10 by halftime but couldn't seem to find rhythm in the second half.
KREM's Brenna Greene tweeted an emotional video of the Gonzaga players forming a circle in Lucas Oil Stadium following the game. She described forward Jalen Suggs as "beside himself" at the end of the huddle, adding in another tweet that he was "absolutely distraught." Suggs was hugging his teammates and was brought to tears.
Senior forward Corey Kispert said during a postgame press conference that Drew Timme told the team during a huddle toward the end of the game "that he loved us and that he wouldn't change a single thing."
"[He said] he loved playing with this team. He loved fighting with us every day and he wouldn't want to do it with a different group of guys," Kispert added.
Kispert also expressed gratitude for the 2020-2021 season with the Zags.
"I’m so grateful to be able to wear this name on my chest. This has been by far the most special six months of my life and I’m so, so thankful it turned out the way it did. I wouldn’t trade it for the world," Kispert said.
When speaking about his legacy, Kispert said he wants people to remember how much he cared about this Gonzaga team.
"Being a Zag means being a great son, brother, a great friend. I want people to remember me as someone who’s able to those things as good or better than what I do on the floor," Kispert said.
