Gonzaga uses dominant second half against Kansas to reach ninth straight Sweet 16
A March Madness Sweet 16 wouldn’t be complete without the presence of the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Gonzaga extended their streak of advancing past the Round of 32 to nine consecutive times by delivering a commanding performance in the second half to defeat Kansas, 89-68.
This matchup marked the first-ever meeting between Gonzaga and Kansas in tournament history, and the first half of the game lived up to the anticipation, with neither team establishing a lead greater than six points. However, Gonzaga took control in the second half.
After Kansas briefly held a 47-43 lead early in the second half, Gonzaga responded with an impressive display of dominance. Over a stretch lasting nearly 13 minutes, Gonzaga outscored Kansas 37-6, building a commanding 27-point lead that essentially sealed the outcome of the game. During this period, Gonzaga shot 14-for-17 from the field, while Kansas struggled, making only four of their 23 attempts.
Kansas suffered a second-round elimination for the second consecutive year, following their championship win in 2022. The Jayhawks’ scoring output dropped significantly from 44 points in the first half to just 24 points in the second half.
Ben Gregg, Graham Ike, Anton Watson, and Nolan Hickman collectively shot an impressive 28-for-37 (75.7%) from the field for Gonzaga. As a team, the Bulldogs had a stellar shooting performance, connecting on 60.3% of their field goals, including 53.3% from beyond the arc. In contrast, Kansas struggled, shooting only 38.6% from the field.
