(Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
By Anthony Payero
The Gonzaga Bulldogs (No. 1 seed, West Region) and the UCLA Bruins (No. 11 seed, East Region) will compete in the second Final Four game on Saturday at 8:34 p.m. on CBS in Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Bulldogs are pursuing a perfect season — a feat that has not been done since 1976 (Indiana) — and coach Mark Few makes his second Final Four appearance after missing out on a national title in 2017 (loss to UNC).
The Bruins battled through the tournament as a No. 11 seed, the lowest of the remaining teams, but knocked off No. 1 seed Michigan and No. 2 seed Alabama to stay alive. Coach Mick Cronin led UCLA from First Four to Final Four — the second team to do this ever, according to Sporting News.
The Bulldogs offense is considered the most efficient in the country, as the team holds first place in KenPom and averages 92 points and 55% shooting. Coach Few has three players to work the offense in big man Drew Timme, who is averaging 25 points in the last three games. Corey Kispert is the go-to three-point shooter and Jalen Suggs can score and create offense for his teammates as well, averaging 4.4 assists per game. Junior guards Joel Ayayi and Andrew Nembhard will be key role players as well.
The Bruins are a tough team, with a strong focus on defense and slowing down the game's tempo, especially against strong offenses. UCLA must control the tempo if they hope to end Gonzaga's dreams of perfection, and can play a tough game to make themselves more comfortable. Johnny Juzang stood out with 28 points over Michigan, and can give his team an edge against the Zags.
Player to watch on Gonzaga: Jalen Suggs
Timme has earned the bulk of the attention during this tournament for his stellar play, and Kispert serves as the team's first-team All-American but it's Suggs who can sneak his way to the top of the stat line on Saturday. He is expected to be an NBA lottery pick and is the highest recruited player to join Few. He just missed on a triple-double against Southern California, when he had 18 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
Player to watch on UCLA: Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Jaquez Jr., who averages 12.4 points per game, is the team's source of grit. He notched 27 points for UCLA against Michigan State in the First Four and he recorded 17 points and eight rebounds in a win over Alabama in the Sweet 16. A Cincinnati recruit who stayed with Cronin to play for the Bruins, Jaquez can affect the game on both ends.