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WEATHER ALERT

MARK FEW

Final Four set, a question left: Can anybody beat Gonzaga?

(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)It’s not easy to bury a team as good as USC, let alone in a half, no matter how easy Gonzaga made it look. He asked Few the day before their game against the high-flying Trojans whether his defense was getting lost in the shuffle. “Obviously, I think he’s the best defender in the country,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. Then Baylor’s bout with the virus came late in the season, requiring a pause of three weeks plus. After everything else fans weathered throughout this wacky season, a few more days might finally deliver a national championship game worth the wait.

Gonzaga's bid for a perfect season moves on to Final Four

Gonzaga (30-0) has been an offensive juggernaut rarely seen in college basketball. Ad“Everyone wants us to keep moving forward, but that’s not how we roll,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. That doesn’t lessen our desire to win this game, the next game or win two more games.”The next one won't be easy. The Bears were embroiled in one of the darkest scandals in college basketball history, when Patrick Dennehy was murdered by teammate Carlton Dotson in 2003. They played in the Final Four.”___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/College-basketball and http://www.twitter.com/AP_Top25

Quite a show: Zags stay undefeated with 85-66 win over USC

On Saturday in the national semifinals, the Zags will face 11th-seeded UCLA, which beat Michigan 51-49 in a later Elite Eight game. All-American Corey Kispert had 18 points and eight boards on an “off” night — only 6 for 19 from the floor. “We just tried to stay moving,” Suggs said about attacking the USC zone, which had been shutting down teams all month in Indy. “It was a little surprising," USC coach Andy Enfield said, “because we'd been playing great basketball.”The Zags have a way about doing that to people. ALL-WEST TEAMThe All-region team included both Mobley brothers, Suggs, Kispert and Timme, who was named the West's most outstanding player.

Unbeaten Zags keep rolling with 83-65 rout of Creighton

Nembhard had 17 points and eight assists, both season highs, to keep the NCAA Tournament's top overall seed rolling Sunday with a 83-65 rout of fifth-seeded Creighton in the West Region semifinals. Defensively, the Zags held Creighton to 40 points over the final 30 minutes as they methodically turned a 27-25 game into a blowout. “They just play so fast, so efficient with everything they do," said Marcus Zegarowski, who led Creighton with 19 points. That just about finished off Creighton as the Zags moved within three wins of becoming the first undefeated national champion since Indiana in 1976. Gonzaga: The Zags have won their first three tournament games by a combined 77 points.

Oklahoma can't hang with Timme, Gonzaga; top seed advances

Gonzaga forward Drew Timme (2) celebrates with teammate Corey Kispert (24) after defeating Oklahoma in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Monday, March 22, 2021. Drew Timme scored a career-high 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and the top-seeded Bulldogs beat No. “Thought we got a little better feel for the pace of things in the second half,” Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger said. SECOND WEEKENDThe last time Gonzaga was eliminated before the tournament's second weekend was in 2015, when the Bulldogs were a No. Oklahoma failed to reach the second week for the third straight tournament appearance since reaching the Final Four in 2016.

Gonzaga, Baylor dominate AP All-America teams

(AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)Gonzaga and Baylor spent almost the entire season holding down the top two spots in the Top 25. Makes sense they'd hold down a bunch of spots on The Associated Press All-America teams. The Bulldogs' Corey Kispert and the Bears' Jared Butler led the way with first-team nods Tuesday from the national panel of 63 media members that vote each week in the AP Top 25 poll. Just like the first- and second-team All-Americans, their teams also will be playing in the NCAA Tournament this week. ___AP Basketball Writer John Marshall and AP Sports Writers Michael Marot and Stephen Hawkins contributed to this report.

Gonzaga completes season-long run at No. 1 in AP Top 25

Gonzaga players celebrate after defeating BYU in an NCAA college basketball game for the West Coast Conference men's tournament championship Tuesday, March 9, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)Gonzaga has completed a start-to-finish run atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, will try to become the first unbeaten national champion since Indiana in 1976. 1 seeds for the NCAA Tournament. ___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/College-basketball and http://www.twitter.com/AP_Top25___Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap

The Latest: COVID forces postponement of San Jose-Vegas game

Minnesota Wild center Nick Bonino (13) skates down the ice against San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic (44) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Monday, Feb. 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___San Jose’s game against Vegas scheduled for Thursday night has been postponed after a Sharks player entered the NHL’s COVID protocol. It’s the 36th NHL game this season to be postponed for virus-related issues and 40th counting the Texas snowstorm that affected Dallas. ___The NHL is down to a season-low eight players on the COVID-19 list after play on Tuesday night, five of them on the Philadelphia Flyers. That’s a marked improvement in the 11 days since the league had a season-high 59 players on the list.

Gonzaga, Baylor sit atop AP Top 25; Kansas returns at No. 23

2 Baylor remained atop Monday's latest AP Top 25, where they have been for all 13 polls this season. 8 in the AP poll to pull closer to the committee's seeding of seventh overall shortly before the Crimson Tide scored 115 points in a win over against Georgia. THE TOP TIERCoach Mark Few’s Bulldogs received 59 of 64 first-place votes in the new AP Top 25, while Scott Drew’s Bears claimed the other five. The Jayhawks fell out of last week’s poll for the first time in 12 years. Kansas was one of three new additions to this week’s poll, joined by No.

Gonzaga, Baylor top NCAA committee's initial rankings

(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)Gonzaga and Baylor have played like the nation's best teams all year. The committee that will ultimately select the field of 68 for the NCAA Tournament sees it that way, too. 1 overall seed followed by the Bears in rankings released Saturday by the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee. “There's two teams that have been amazing all year.”Third-ranked Michigan and fourth-ranked Ohio State followed as the other two No. NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt said the NCAA is requiring seven consecutive days of COVID-19 testing for teams before arriving for the tournament, as well as daily testing throughout their stay.

Kansas' record Top 25 run over; Michigan jumps to No. 3

Michigan took advantage of Villanova's loss at St. John's to jump into the top three, Ohio State climbed three spots to No. The Jayhawks began their Top 25 streak on Feb. 2, 2009, when freshman guard Bryce Thompson was 6 years old. “We have plenty of games to go win and I know this team can do it,” Kansas guard Christian Braun said. 15, followed by Tennessee, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Creighton and Southern California. The Bruins dropped out, along with Kansas, Florida and Drake, whose 18-0 start was spoiled in a 74-57 loss to Valparaiso.

Gonzaga, Baylor remain atop AP Top 25; Alabama cracks top 10

Gonzaga forward Drew Timme celebrates after scoring a basket during the first half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Pacific in Spokane, Wash., Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)Gonzaga, Baylor and Villanova remained atop The Associated Press men's college basketball poll Monday, while ninth-ranked Alabama climbed to its highest ranking in 14 years. Villanova remained third followed by Michigan, with the Wolverines cracking the top five for a second straight season under Juwan Howard after being unranked earlier in the year. 18 Tennessee took the week's biggest tumble, falling 12 spots after losses to Florida and Missouri. ___More AP college basketball: http://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and http://www.twitter.com/AP_Top25___Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap

No. 1 Gonzaga overcomes slow start, beats Saint Mary's 73-59

Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs (1) shoots against Saint Mary's forward Dan Fotu (42) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Moraga, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021. Saint Mary's pulled to 56-48 on Dan Fotu's layup with 9:01 to play before another decisive Gonzaga burst, this time 8-0. “Not a pretty game for us, and Saint Mary’s deserves a lot of credit for that,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. “You have to generate some points against those guys because they’re going to score,” Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett said. Saint Mary’s: At Loyola Marymount on Thursday.

Gonzaga-Baylor remain 1-2 in AP Top 25; Texas rises to No. 4

The top-ranked Zags and second-ranked Bears remained 1-2 in Monday's latest Top 25 as they have all season. 25 Florida State had the week's biggest tumble, falling seven spots after losing at Clemson and then having its game against No. 6 Kansas fell three spots after the Texas loss, bringing the total of teams that fell from last week's rankings to 11. CONFERENCE WATCHThe Big Ten continues to have the biggest haul of ranked teams, though the Big 12 has a strong showing in the poll's top tier. But the Big 12 has three of the top six teams in Baylor, Texas and Kansas, and five teams overall.

Big Ten grind highlights marquee matchups of ranked teams

17 Michigan State — sets the stage for what could be an epic start to the new year in the improbably deep Big Ten. 15 Illinois and Michigan State visits the Cornhuskers. The weekend wraps up Sunday with Wisconsin visiting Penn State, Northwestern heading to Michigan and Ohio State traveling to Minnesota in a pair of matchups involving ranked teams. The Hokies already have wins over teams that were ranked in Villanova and Clemson. BIG 12 BATTLESThe Big Ten has the most teams in the Top 25 but the Big 12 may have the best — the league has five teams ranked in the top 13.

Gonzaga, Big Ten continue to dominate Top 25; Wisconsin 6th

(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)It's hard to decide who has been more dominant in men's college basketball this season: Gonzaga or the Big Ten Conference. The sixth-ranked Badgers began a run of Top 25 teams from the league, jumping three spots after wins over Nebraska and then-No. 12 Michigan State. The Hawkeyes dropped from fourth to 10th while surprising Rutgers began a run of four more Big Ten teams at No. Minnesota, whose lone loss came to Illinois and which was last ranked on Dec. 4, 2017, plays its next six against Top 25 teams: Michigan State, at Wisconsin, Ohio State, at Michigan, at Iowa and the Wolverines at home.

No. 1 Gonzaga faces stiff test against No. 16 Virginia

Gonzaga has played one close game, a five-point win over West Virginia, and is winning by nearly 18 points per game. The Hawkeyes dropped a spot in this week's AP Top 25 after losing by 11 to Gonzaga. 19 Michigan, which moved up six spots in this week's poll, faces Nebraska. RANKED VS. RANKED: Two games on Wednesday feature ranked teams facing each other. 13 Creighton (6-2), which dropped four spots in this week's poll after losing to Marquette.