Demetri Goodson's thrilling end-to-end bank-in with 0.9 seconds left lifts the Bulldogs over Western Kentucky. If Gonzaga isn't careful, it's going to develop a reputation for these.
Up next for the fourth-seeded Bulldogs is a South Region Semi match-up with number one-seeded North Carolina, who dumped LSU 84-70 on the strength of the return of Ty Lawson's toe. Gonzaga-UNC goes next Friday. The teams will presumably use the time in between to rest up, and add that extra layer of polish to end-of-semester term papers.
Elsewhere from last night:
• Second-seeded Duke also advanced in a bit of a nail-biter of their own, toppling seventh-seeded Texas 74-69. The Blue Devils are going to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since...2006? That's it? Why, that's hardly a stat at all! Duke meets third-seeded Villanova this Thursday. Earlier in the day, the Wildcats pounded an O'Bannon-less UCLA squad, who were trying for their fourth Final Four in four years. Four.
• Oklahoma's Blake Griffin continued to beat through opposing defences like they owed him money. Despite being banged around all night by Michigan, Griffin grabbed 17 boards and put up 33 points (including a HUGE one-handed jam over Zack Novak) to lead the second-seeded Sooners past the Wolverines. Still nice to see Michigan headed in the right direction, though. I like nostalgia.
• Fifth-seeded Purdue held off a hard-charging Washington team 76-74, thanks in no small part to two big blocks by JaJuan Johnson in the final minute. Next up for the Boilermakers: UConn. Good luck with that.
On tap today in the early afternoon games:
(3) Syracuse versus (6) Arizona State (12:30)
(4) Xavier versus (12) Wisconsin (2:20)
(3) Kansas versus (11) Dayton (2:30)
(12) Arizona versus (13) Cleveland State (2:40)
(1) Pittsburgh versus (8) Oklahoma State (2:50)
(3) Randy Savage versus (12) One Man Gang (Wrestlemania IV)
Grab a coffee, take a couple of aspirin, and decide what you are going to order for lunch. We've got us some watching to do.