Chet Holmgren, No. 1 Gonzaga Beat No. 9 Memphis; Will Play Arkansas in Sweet 16

No. 1 Gonzaga is onto the Sweet 16 once again after surviving an upset bid from No. 9 Memphis in the second round of the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament. 

Drew Timme scored 21 of his 25 points after halftime in the 82-78 win Saturday at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.

In a battle that exceeded nearly all expectations, Memphis utilized its athleticism to keep Gonzaga in check early. The underdogs jumped out to a 41-31 lead at halftime while holding Timme and Chet Holmgren to just six combined points.

The Bulldogs fought back in the second half, but neither side could pull away as players on each team showcased their talent:

Even when foul trouble became a major story for Memphis, the team refused to back down. The scoring margin remained within five points for the final 16 minutes of regulation, aside from two possessions that was quickly answered.

Gonzaga finally grabbed a bit of control in the closing minutes with its rapid pace making a difference:

The Bulldogs survived by hitting their final six free-throw attempts in the narrow win. 

They have now reached at least the second weekend in each of the last seven tournaments and remain a favorite to win it all this postseason.

Memphis was hoping to bust brackets around the country, but the Tigers fell just short despite 14 points from DeAndre Williams. 

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Notable Performances

Drew Timme, F, GONZ: 25 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists

Andrew Nembhard, G, GONZ: 23 points, 5 assists, 5-10 from 3

Chet Holmgren, C, GONZ: 9 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks

Jalen Duren, C, MEM: 7 points, 7 rebounds, 1 block

DeAndre Williams, F, MEM: 14 points, 7 rebounds

Tyler Harris, G, MEM: 13 points, 3 assists

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Drew Timme Leads Gonzaga with 2nd-Half Takeover 

Timme had just four points in the first half as Gonzaga struggled to even get the ball in the post. It was a major reason the squad trailed by 10 with an offense that looked lost at times.

The star big man woke up in the second half, scoring the team's first 11 points out of intermission to get back into the game in impressive fashion.

The production continued as Memphis had few answers for Timme in the post, especially once Jalen Duren and DeAndre Williams each picked up four fouls.

Gonzaga still would not have won without Andrew Nembhard, who kept the Bulldogs in contention with 13 points in the first half. 

The guard finished with five three-pointers and had some of the biggest shots in the game:

His 6-of-7 from the free-throw line also helped ice the game.

Holmgren is the best pro prospect on the roster, but it was the upperclassmen Timme and Nembhard who carried the squad to victory. 

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Foul Trouble Silences Chet Holmgren-Jalen Duren Battle

The big story entering the game was the frontcourt battle between potential NBA lottery picks Chet Holmgren and Jalen Duren. The matchup lived up to the hype early with both players showcasing their ability.

Duren got loose a few times and had several big plays. 

Holmgren had some big moments as well when the two matched up in the post:

Holmgren finished with four blocks and altered quite a few more as Memphis stayed away from the rim.

It was a fun atmosphere to see the two stars battling in the post:

The disappointment only came when both players dealt with foul trouble. Each sat for long stretches of the first half after picking up two fouls, combining for just six points at halftime.

Duren was then limited in the second half after picking up two more quick fouls. 

Second-leading scorer and fellow big man DeAndre Williams then dealt with his own foul trouble, picking up his fourth foul with more than 10 minutes remaining:

Memphis fortunately stayed competitive, and Duren made a few plays late in the game. However, he finished with only seven points and seven rebounds. 

Holmgren, meanwhile, fouled out in the last minute and scored just nine points.

Fans were treated to an excellent team battle, although scouts were likely left wanting more.