Gonzage and UCLA have history this season as the Bruins could be looking for revenge as the Sweet 16 continues. UCLA suffered one home loss all season and it was the Bulldogs that dished it out. Back in December the two teams met prior to conference play kicking off and the Bruins suffered the defeat. Now the two teams face off once against as the No. 2 seed Gonzaga take on a UCLA team many did not expect to reach this point in the tournament.
UCLA came in as a No. 11 seed and many believed they would fall victim to an early exit. However, Cinderella teams came through the first round and UCLA managed to upset tournament favorites, UAB. The Blazers held on for a good portion of the game, but UCLA proved to be too much getting the 75-92 win. Tony Parker led the way with 28 points and 12 rebounds as five players reached double figures. The Bruins stuck with what they were good at, getting the ball inside and simply making smart shots. Now they have a chance for a little redemption against Gonzaga.
The Bulldogs started slow in their game against Iowa, but pulled away for a convincing win. Kyle Wiltjer dominated with 24 points while Domantas Sabonis added 18 points in the win. This is Gonzaga's first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 2009 and the team aims to make the most of it. Gonzaga has a streak of 17 straight NCAA appearances that is the fourth longer active streak in the tournament while UCLA has not won a championship since 1995.
Wiltjer is the leader of Gonzaga after transferring from Kentucky. The team is on a five-game win streak thanks to his 17.1 points averaged and 6.1 rebounds. He put up 24 points in the first win against UCLA earlier this year. Slowing him down will certainly be a tough task for UCLA who continues to try and put prove critics wrong. History is not on the Bruins side as the team has struggled when they get to this point in the tournament, but an Elite 8 appearance is the overall goal.
