No. 1 Gonzaga comes alive late to race past Georgia St 93-72

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Gonzaga coach Mark Few has seen plenty of No. 16 seeds in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. When he watched video of Georgia State, the longtime Bulldogs' coach didn't see a team that fit that profile.

Few turned to be correct. Gonzaga spent 30 minutes struggling to create any separation against the 16th-seeded Panthers before pulling away late for a 93-72 win on Thursday.

“Once we started really breaking them down, I kept telling people that’s not a 16 seed,” Few said after Gonzaga won its 13th straight first-round game in the NCAAs. “I think they showed it tonight. Georgia State gave us quite a fight.”

The Bulldogs eventually had too much size and skill for the Panthers. Drew Timme scored 22 of his 32 points in the second half, making up for a sluggish start by the Zags and a long stretch of the first half when the tournament's No. 1 overall seed couldn't make a basket.

Even when Gonzaga’s offense kicked into gear after halftime, the Panthers didn't fold.

The eventual overwhelming surge from the Bulldogs finally arrived with about 10 minutes to go. Gonzaga went on a 24-1 run, turning a four-point game into the blowout that was expected. The Zags will face the West Region's No. 9 seed, Memphis, in the second round on Saturday.

Timme was the catalyst, topping 30 points for the fifth time in his career while also grabbing 13 rebounds. Chet Holmgren, the Zags' 7-foot freshman, added 19 points, 17 rebounds and seven blocks.

“My guys had my back and the coaches believed in me. I just had confidence from them,” said Timme, who was 3 of 7 shooting and 4 of 9 at the foul line in the first half. “It’s really reassuring. It really can help give you a boost when you get a little down on yourself.”

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