Gonzaga defeats UCLA in the NCAA Tournament

Julian Strawther made a 3-pointer with 6 seconds left to counter a 3-pointer by UCLA’s Amari Bailey, lifting Gonzaga to a 79-76 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 victory over UCLA on Thursday night.

The Bruins (31-6), the No. 2 seed in the West Region, rallied from an eight-point disadvantage in the final 1:05 to take a 76-75 lead on Bailey’s 3-pointer with 12.2 seconds remaining.

The Zags (31-5) drove the ball up the court, and Strawther stepped into a 3-pointer, bringing the crowd to their feet.

Malachi Smith of Gonzaga stole the ball from UCLA’s Tyger Campbell, but Strawther only made one of two free throws on the other end, giving the Bruins an opportunity.

At the buzzer, Campbell’s 3-pointer struck the back of the rim, propelling the Zags off the bench and into the Elite Eight against UConn on Saturday.