SAN JOSE, Calif. (CBS/AP) — Nigel Williams-Goss scored 23 points while orchestrating Gonzaga’s efficient offense, and the Zags finally shook their overrated tag by routing Xavier 83-59 on Saturday to reach the Final Four for the first time. Gonzaga (36-1) has been dogged by criticism through the years despite winning consistently, in part for playing in a weak conference but also for never making the Final Four. The Zags (36-1) claimed their spot in Arizona and history with a superb all-around game, showing off their usual offensive efficiency while flexing the smothering type of defense that had previously been the chink in their armor. Gonzaga found the range from the perimeter after struggling the first three NCAA games, making 12 of 24 from 3-point range. 1 in defensive efficiency during the regular season and shut down the underdog and 11th-seeded Musketeers (24-14) to become the first WCC team to reach the Final Four in 60 years. Now the Zags are headed to the desert, where they'll play the winner between South Carolina and Florida in next week's Final Four. The Musketeers brought their turn-the-page jar of ashes to the NCAA Tournament, where they burned through a string of upsets to reach their third Elite Eight and first since 2008. The Final Four was the only thing missing on Few’s resume, which includes 18 straight NCAA Tournaments, eight trips to the Sweet 16 and a third Elite Eight after surviving West Virginia’s constant pressure in the regional semifinals. No opponent made half its shots in a game against Gonzaga all season, with San Francisco posting the top mark of 46.9 percent. After hitting 29 percent of its 3-point shots its first three NCAA games, Gonzaga found the range against Xavier, hitting 8 of 13 from the arc in the first half, mostly against the Musketeers' zone or on kick-outs from Karnowski . Xavier got off to a good start offensively by working the ball around, but hit a dry spell and made 1 of 5 from 3-point range as Gonzaga stretched to lead to 49-39 by halftime. Nigel Williams-Goss and Jordan Mathews each hit 3-pointers early in the second half to help the top-seeded Bulldogs build a 59-42 lead over No. Gonzaga kept the machine rolling in the second half, continuing to make shots while its defense prevented the Musketeers from making any kind of run. Like we said, 1939 is a long drought, but we owe all the ex-players." 1 seed, rolling to a dominating 83-59 win over Xavier in the West Region final on Saturday that should silence those critics. Xavier’s J.P. Macura gave the crowd at the West Regional final a collective gasp when his shot from three-quarters court banked in at the end of the first half of the Musketeers’ game against Gonzaga. Now, they'll face the winner of Sunday's game between North Carolina and Kentucky in the Final Four in Glendale, Arizona.
The first two places in the Final Four are decided. In the West Region in San Jose, California, Gonzaga defeats Xavier 83–59, advancing to the first Final Four in the program's history.