Difference makers: Drew Timme breaks NCAA record, pours in 36 points to led Gonzaga past UCLA

Drew Timme

Gonzaga’s all-time leading scorer set another record, becoming the first player in college basketball history to score at least 20 points in 10 separate NCAA Tournament games. The senior forward tied six other players with nine 20-plus point games in a second-round win over TCU and broke the record by scoring 36 points on 16-of-24 shooting against UCLA. Timme, who had 49 combined points in Gonzaga’s wins over Grand Canyon and TCU, has now scored 289 career points in the NCAA Tournament. Timme set the tone early, scoring 19 of GU’s 33 points at halftime, and kept his foot on the pedal after the break, adding 16 more. In addition to his 36 points, Timme had 13 rebounds, four assists, four turnovers and two blocked shots.

Jaime Jaquez Jr.

The Bruins got solid performances from Amari Bailey (16 points, 4 rebounds) and Tyger Campbell (14 points, 6 assists), but Jaquez Jr., was their best player across the board, scoring 29 points on 12-of-25 shooting to go with 11 rebounds, three assists and three steals. The Pac-12 Player of the Year, and most of his UCLA teammates, slowed down after the break – particularly in the last 15 minutes – and Jaquez Jr. was limited to just 4-of-10 shooting in the second half. Despite a rugged offensive stretch after the break, Jaquez Jr. still came up clutch for UCLA late, scoring eight point inside the final 1 minute, 14 seconds. Jaquez Jr. didn’t commit a foul in the first half, but picked up four in the second half and managed to stay in the game after being whistled for his fourth with two minutes remaining.

Key moment

Julian Strawther was 4 of 14 from the field when the ball fell into the hands of Gonzaga’s junior wing with 6 seconds remaining. Strawther, who buried a game-winning 3-pointer in Gonzaga’s win over BYU in Provo, Utah, this season, stepped up from a similar spot and knocked down a 23-footer over UCLA’s Dylan Andrews. The shot, which gave the Zags a 78-76 lead, came shortly after UCLA’s Amari Bailey put the Bruins ahead 76-75 with a 3-pointer on the other end. Campbell turned it over on the other end and Strawther was fouled on the next possession, making it 79-76 from the free throw line. Campbell missed a potential game-tying shot on the final possession to seal the win for Gonzaga.