Gonzaga Earns Third Straight NCAA Tourney Berth

By
Bernie Wilson
January 7, 2006, 5:22 AM ET
3 min read

S A N  D I E G O, March 6, 2001 -- Look who's back in the NCAAs — Gonzaga.

Picked to finish third in the West Coast Conference, theBulldogs instead won their third straight NCAA tournament berth,surviving a barrage of late 3-pointers to beat Santa Clara 80-77Monday night.

Dan Dickau scored 19 of his 25 points in the second half and wasnamed MVP of the WCC tournament. He was 6-of-8 from the free-throwline in the last 1:36, and Gonzaga (24-6), known by many as theZags, enters the NCAAs having won 18 of 19 games.

Unprecedented Third Straight WCC Tourney Title

Gonzaga won five NCAA games the last two seasons. It fell a winshort of the Final Four during its surprising run in 1999, thencame back for more last year, reaching the regional semifinalsbefore being eliminated.

Although they were picked to finish third in the WCC, the Zagslost just one game — at Santa Clara in the final week — and were the No. 1 seed in the tournament.

"This is so sweet because everyone expected us to drop off,"said Casey Calvary, the only current Bulldogs player who started onboth of the NCAA teams. "But we're back again."

Gonzaga opened the tournament with a 40-point win over SaintMary's, then survived early scares against San Diego and SantaClara.

"With the way we're playing, I think we're ready to make a runlike the last two years," Dickau said.

Gonzaga won an unprecedented third straight WCC tourney title.

"There is supreme satisfaction of a mission accomplished,"coach Mark Few said. "But now there's much more left to be done."

Second-Half Rally

Santa Clara made 10 3-pointers in the second half to rally froma 13-point deficit, including one by Kyle Bailey to pull SantaClara to 78-77 with 24.9 seconds left.

Gonzaga still had fouls to give, though, and fouled the Broncosbefore they could get off shots in the final seconds. After atimeout, Jamie Holmes shot an airball from behind the arc as timeran out, sending the Zags into a familiar celebration.

Blake Stepp added 21 points for the Bulldogs. He keyed a 22-3run in the first half by making three 3-pointers.

Brian Jones scored 21 for Santa Clara (20-12), and Steve Rosshad 20.

Gonzaga brushed off an early deficit for the second straightnight, coming back from 11 down just six minutes in. In Sundaynight's semifinal win over San Diego, Gonzaga was down by 14 in thefirst half before going on a 16-0 run.

This time, the Bulldogs used a 22-3 run that gave them a 38-29lead three minutes before halftime. Stepp hit three 3-pointers,giving him four in the half, and Calvary made three field goals.

"They are a very good team that can give you problems in thetournament," Santa Clara coach Dick Davey said. "They create alot of problems that other teams don't."