Tuesday night’s Gonzaga-UCLA game was the most appealing matchup so far in the 2021-22 college basketball season, featuring the No. 1 and 2 teams in the country (it also featured an emotional return to the ESPN booth for broadcasting legend Dick Vitale amid his battle with cancer).
Well, No. 1 Gonzaga steamrolled No. 2 UCLA 83-63 at the Good Sam Empire Classic in Las Vegas, in a game that was essentially over five minutes in.
Gonzaga got 24 points from Andrew Nembhard, 18 points from Drew Timme, 15 points from Chet Holmgren, and 12 points from Julian Strawther.
Holmgren, a string-bean 7’0″ freshman, is enormously talented — and with tons of upside, especially as he fills out — and in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. You can see why here:
Gonzaga, UCLA, Purdue, and Kansas have all been perceived as possible No. 1 teams in the country. While we may not be able to conclusively say anything in comparison to Purdue or Kansas just yet, Gonzaga at least looked on another level than an absolutely loaded UCLA team that went to the Final Four last season. And this is after Gonzaga lost star point guard Jalen Suggs to the NBA.
It’s just one game, but it was an eye-opening performance by the Bulldogs.
Here’s a sampling of how the college basketball world reacted to the Zags’ win:
I guess Gonzaga deserves to be #1
The Zags are currently favorites to win the National Title at +600
— BetMGM
(@BetMGM) November 24, 2021
You know when you have a great team?
When you beat the number two team in the country and no talks about the Preseason National Player of the Year (Drew Timme) because your PG (Andrew Nembhard) and freshman star (Chet Holmgren) are that exceptional.
Gonzaga again has the goods.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) November 24, 2021
Chet Holmgren is an ELITE shot-blocker. Just wait til this kid puts on some weight.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) November 24, 2021
When he puts on some weight… look out pic.twitter.com/DcLuu7RE0t
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) November 24, 2021
I don't think UCLA has gotten a single good shot this game. Not one. They're offense is built on playing iso ball and finding mismatches, but:
Gonzaga's perimeter players are *really* locking up They now they can get aggressive, overplay because UCLA is terrified of Chet — Rob Dauster (@RobDauster) November 24, 2021
— Liddle Tina (@liddle_ktina) November 24, 2021