Arizona zigs, zags and steals its way to Sweet Sixteen

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


The Arizona Wildcats stole the show in San Diego tonight as they zigged and zagged their way to the Sweet Sixteen with a 84 -61 third-round NCAA Tournament win over Gonzaga.

The 'Cats stole the ball from the Zags 15 times, blocked eight shots and flustered a very good Gonzaga basketball team into committing 21 turnovers. Arizona led by 28 with two minutes to go in the game when the Wildcats coach Sean Miller called timeout and made wholesale substitutions.

Five Arizona players scored in double figures with Aaron Gordon and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson leading the way with 18 points apiece. Nick Johnson scored 17, T.J. McConnell pumped in 12 and Gabe York added 11 as Arizona shot 49 percent from the field, hitting 32 of 65 attempts.

Arizona dished out 24 assists with Gordon and McConnell tying for honors in that department with six apiece.

Arizona (32-4) move on to the Sweet Sixteen and a meeting next Thursday in Anaheim against a familiar foe, San Diego State (31-4).

Way to go, Wildcats! Congrats also to Stanford (23-12) and UCLA (28-8) for making the Sweet Sixteen as well.