When No. 4 Arkansas entered its Sweet 16 game against No. 1 Gonzaga in San Francisco on Thursday evening, the Razorbacks were 0–5 against top ranked teams in the NCAA tournament.
Even more, the Razorbacks were 2–11 all-time when playing the No. 1 team in the nation. In a tightly-contested game in which Eric Musselman’s squad barely shot better than 40% from the floor, Arkansas started a new chapter in its basketball history, holding on to upset the Bulldogs, 74–68, to advance to the Elite Eight.
“Thank you to everybody who said we had no chance,” Musselman told CBS after the game.
JD Notae, who had 10 points as the end of the first half, led the Razorbacks in scoring and finished with 21 points, six rebounds and six assists. Two other Razorback players—Jaylin Williams and Trey Wade—combined for 30 points and finished in double figures.
Arkansas led 59–50, its largest lead of the game, with 6:41 to play. However, the Zags would not give up. Gonzaga cut the deficit to five points on a jumper from Drew Timme with 3:13 to play.
But Razorbacks forward Trey Wade immediately delivered on a three pointer to put the Hogs back up by eight points. Over the final minutes of the game—which included Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren fouling out in the final stretch of the game—the teams exchanged free throws and baskets before Arkansas sealed the victory.
Timme led the way for Gonzaga with 25 points, followed by Julian Strawther with 12 and Holmgren with 11.
Arkansas’s defense held the Bulldogs to 37.5% shooting from the floor and forced Gonzaga to commit 15 turnovers.
“They were physical in all five spots…That defense is real… We could never generate a good rhythm against it," said Gonzaga head coach Mark Few after the game.
In the locker room, Gonzaga head coach Mark Few told Timme and Andrew Nembhard that despite the team’s loss, time will give them a different perspective on the outcome.
Gonzaga, which started the year at No. 1, held its top spot the entire year.
The Razorbacks will play the winner of the Texas Tech and Duke matchup in the Elite Eight on Saturday.
