Gonzaga rallies, avoids Michigan State upset on flight deck
CORONADO, Calif. — Drew Timme likened it to the sensation of taking part in hoops in a park as a child, solely this time it was on the flight deck of one of many world’s strongest warships.
Timme led No. 2 Gonzaga in a spirited comeback from a 12-point deficit, ending with 22 factors and 13 rebounds because the Bulldogs beat Michigan State 64-63 Friday night time on the USS Abraham Lincoln at North Island Naval Air Station.
“It is undoubtedly one thing completely different. It is one thing you do not expertise each day,” Timme mentioned. “I feel rising up taking part in within the park is one thing that helped us. And look, they needed to play on it too. … It wasn’t the prettiest sport to look at but it surely was simply put your nostril within the dust and maintain going and do not cease and I assumed it was a real take a look at of our grit and coronary heart and I feel we did an excellent job of answering the bell immediately.”
Timme twice gave the Zags the lead within the remaining 2:27. His inside shot made it 63-61 earlier than Malik Corridor answered with a hook to tie it. The Zags scored only one extra level, when Timme made the second of two free throws with 1:51 left.
Gonzaga’s Julian Strawther was known as for touring with 31 seconds left and Michigan State’s Jaden Akins missed a desperation 3-pointer simply earlier than the buzzer.
“Gonzaga is who Gonzaga is as a result of they’re actually good,” Spartans coach Tom Izzo mentioned. “However they have a go-to man. Down the stretch that man, he simply rose up. That is what he is speculated to do.
“I wish to really feel so good concerning the setting, our followers, the veterans, the way in which our workforce performed, however how do you’re feeling good once you lose a sport once you led for half-hour? It is laborious to do.”
Timme had tied the sport at 55 with a 3-point play and Bolton tied it once more at 59 with a giant 3-pointer.
Strawther had 13 factors and 9 rebounds, and Nolan Hickman scored 10 for Gonzaga (2-0).
Michigan State massive man Mady Sissoko scored 10 of his 14 factors within the first half however dedicated his third foul early within the second half and did not have a lot of an impression the remainder of the way in which.
The Spartans (1-1) led 45-33 three minutes into the second half earlier than Timme and the Zags went on an 11-0 run to tug to 45-44. Timme made a spin transfer layup, was fouled and made the free throw, after which fed Rasir Bolton for a baseline jumper to shut inside three factors. Efton Reid III’s slam dunk obtained the Zags to 45-44.
Tyson Walker made a layup with 12:10 left to interrupt MSU’s five-minute scoring drought.
Timme’s 3-point play tied it at 55-55 after which Bolton hit a 3-point shot for a 59-59 tie with 3:54 left.
As spectacular as he was total, Timme made simply 4 of 10 free throws and will have given the Zags a cushion late within the sport.
The sport was performed 11 years to the day after North Carolina beat Michigan State on the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson at North Island NAS, with then-president Barack Obama and spouse Michelle watching from courtside.
The groups wore camouflage uniforms with U.S.A. on the again. Simply earlier than the second half started, the gang rose for the retiring of the flag at sundown. The gang of three,000 was made up principally of sailors from the plane service in addition to followers of each groups.
Michigan State led 38-31 at halftime largely on the energy of the highly effective inside sport of the 6-foot-9 Sissoko. Sissoko had three slam dunks within the remaining 5 minutes of the half, together with on an alley-oop go from A.J. Hoggard. His remaining two dunks helped the Spartans take management. Michigan State had consecutive steals, which had Izzo emphatically pumping his fist.
Neither workforce was afraid to hoist 3-pointers and every workforce made a shot from behind the arc within the first two minutes. The wind appeared to have an effect on only one 3-point shot because the six-level conning tower and the scoreboard blocked a lot of the wind off the Pacific Ocean.
