LAS VEGAS – There was a new magic act that debuted on the Las Vegas strip Saturday, and Andre Jackson was the headliner.
The junior forward put on a show of otherworldly athleticism and basketball IQ as he led the fourth-seeded UConn men’s basketball team to an Elite Eight win over No. 3 seed Gonzaga, 82-54, at T-Mobile Arena.
There was a prolonged feeling out process for both teams to start the game. UConn had to figure out its offense, how it’d handle the way Gonzaga star Drew Timme defended the middle of the court, leaving Jackson (20 points, six rebounds) uncovered to have an extra big on Adama Sanogo (10 points, 10 rebounds, six assists). Gonzaga’s offense had to adjust to UConn’s speed and versatility, and it was a stalemate for much of the first half.
