 - in this case, an inch-by-inch takedown of the nation's most prolific offense, punctuated by Tariq Owens' major rejection of Rui Hachimura with 56 seconds left - one of Texas Tech's seven blocked shots, to go with nine steals and 16 forced turnovers.''It's real. That defense is real,'' Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. ''It impacted us tonight. They took a lot of balls tonight.'' Jarrett Culver, an NBA prospect who chose his hometown college over several other suitors, led the Red Raiders with 19 points. Matt Mooney, out of Wauconda, Illinois, and playing as a graduate transfer from South Dakota, had 17.But, as usual, the biggest stats came on defense.Texas Tech held the Bulldogs to 42 percent shooting, some 10 points below their average. This was only the fourth time Gonzaga was held under 70 this season. In short, the Red Raiders gave the Zags very little room to breathe.''I think I turned the ball over five times in the first half,'' said Gonzaga forward Brandon Clarke, who finished the game with six. ''It's something I've never done.'' After falling behind by 7 points late, Gonzaga (33-4) chipped away and pulled within 71-69 on Zach Norvell Jr.'s putback with 11 seconds left. ButJosh Perkins reached over the end line and tipped the ball out of Mooney's hand as he was inbounding, and the refs called a technical.''I just reached at it,'' Perkins said. ''It was a bonehead play, something I'll think about forever.'' Moretti (12 points) did the honors - sinking the technical free throws to ice the game.He was the player brought to tears earlier this month, when his family visited from Italy and Beard brought them into the meeting room to surprise him.If he thought that was fun, just wait.''I can't believe we're here after all the work we did this season,'' Moretti said.Though Gonzaga was the only team to beat Duke and Zion Williamson at full strength this season, there will be no rematch in the Final Four. With Clarke (18 points, 12 rebounds) and Hachimura (22 and 6), both of whom could be possible lottery picks, this might have been Few's most talented team - even more talented than the squad that made the national final two seasons ago.But programs find talent in lots of different corners, and Beard has been amassing his share - then coaching it up - since he arrived in Lubbock three years ago. It's his 12th stop on a nationwide tour through community colleges, Division II and assistant's jobs - most notable among them the 10 years he spent at Texas Tech working for Bob Knight and then Knight's son, Pat.''It was like getting a PhD in coaching every day,'' Beard said.Texas Tech wasn't picked to do much after losing players from the team that stalled out at the Elite Eight last year. But as the preseason, then the regular season, wore on, Beard said opposing coaches kept telling him the Red Raiders might be something special.He relished putting a large chip on his players' shoulders, telling them they had to work harder because they weren't the All-Americans and NBA prospects that dot the rosters of some of those bigger, more-famous teams.A good story line, for sure. But Beard might be changing his tune ever so slightly.''I don't mind the underdog, chip-on-the-shoulder story, but it disrespects these players a little bit when people don't understand, we have really good college players,'' he said. ''We have one of the best teams in the country this year.'' One of the four best, at least.DON'T MESS WITH TEXASThe Red Raiders are the first Texas team to make the Final Four since University of Texas went in 2003.FINAL AUDITIONDespite the loss Clarke's prospects certainly went up again. He was 7 for 10 from the field and had two more blocks to bring his nation-leading total to 117. His most amazing stat: He finished the season with the same number of blocks as missed field-goal attempts.NEXT UPTexas Tech takes its show to Minneapolis, where it will meet the winner of the East Region final between Duke and Michigan State.---More college basketball: https://apnews.com/MarchMadness and https://twitter.com/-Top25)
Mar 29, 2019Gonzaga has the nation's most efficient offense. Texas Tech has the top-rated defense.Strengths will collide in the West Region final on Saturday as the top-seeded Bulldogs tangle with the third-seeded Red Raiders in Anaheim, Calif."We show our team clips of winning basketball. We show a lot of Gonzaga clips -- their passion, their togetherness, their courage, how aggressive they are," said Texas Tech coach Chris Beard."I can say this early on: No one has more respect for Gonzaga than I do personally and our program." Gonzaga averages 88.2 points per game, shoots 52.8 percent from the field and, according to coach Mark Few, is better in transition than any team he's even had. That's saying something: This is the third squad he has taken to the Elite Eight in the past five seasons; his 2017 team played for the national title.The Bulldogs (33-3) were battle-tested this season by playing Duke, North Carolina and Tennessee in the nonconference."We saw early on, Tennessee and North Carolina were physical and athletic in both the offensive and defensive end, and I think it prepared us a lot," said guard Zach Norvell Jr. "And also us taking those losses, we understood what it took to come out with a game like that -- you want to bring the fight to them and be more physical for 40 minutes." But the Bulldogs haven't seen anything like Texas Tech's defense, which is coming off a historic performance in the Sweet 16.The Red Raiders (29-6) held Michigan to 44 points -- the lowest ever for a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament -- and limited the Wolverines to 32.7 percent shooting, including 5.3 percent from beyond the arc (1 of 19).Michigan coach John Beilein said Texas Tech was better in person than on game tape."Without question," he said."And that was the scouting reports we heard from the different people that played them during this year, that you're going to be amazed at how quick they are, how good they are at staying in front of people and how they rally to the ball, which usually gives us open threes and you still can't get open threes." The Michigan game was really just more of the same from Texas Tech, rated No. 1 defensively in the metrics on KenPom.com, which ranks Gonzaga as having the top offense.But that's merely focusing on half of the matchup.Gonzaga's defense can be pretty salty, too. The Bulldogs forced 14 turnovers, blocked six shots and held Florida State to 39.3 percent shooting in a 72-58 victory in the Sweet 16. A big front line of Rui Hachimura, Brandon Clarke and Killian Tillie will be a challenge for Texas Tech on both ends of the court.Hachimura averages 19.6 points. Clarke, a transfer from San Jose State, averages 16.9 points and 8.5 rebounds. He has blocked 13 shots in three NCAA Tournament games."Games like these are why I came here," he said. "It's really, really fun to me and I want to soak up every moment of it." Norvell contributes 15.1 points per game, and senior point guard Josh Perkins dishes 6.3 assists per game.Texas Tech has ample offense, led by sophomore wing Jarrett Culver, a potential NBA draft lottery pick who averages 18.9 points and is hard to handle one-on-one off the dribble. When guards Davide Moretti and Matt Mooney are hitting 3-pointers, the Red Raiders have the kind of balance that is tough to beat.Texas Tech is making a repeat trip to the regional final after playing in its first Elite Eight last season, when the Red Raiders lost to eventual champ Villanova."Just enjoy the ride, not just the destination," Beard said of his message this time around. "The best thing about it is I get to coach these guys another day. I just love coaching this team." --Field Level Media
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