S
Mar 23, 2017; San Jose, CA, USA; Xavier Musketeers guard Malcolm Bernard (left) and guard Trevon Bluiett (5) celebrate after defeating the Arizona Wildcats during the semifinals of the West Regional of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center. Photo Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Xavier guard Trevon Bluiett scored 25 points and fed center Sean O’Mara for the winning layup with 54 seconds remaining as the 11th-seeded Musketeers upset second-seeded Arizona 73-71 in the NCAA West Regional semifinals at SAP Center on Thursday.
Xavier scored the final nine points, five by Malcolm Bernard and two by Bluiett, to earn an Elite Eight matchup with top-seeded Gonzaga on Saturday.
Arizona guard Allonzo Trier scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half, and the Wildcats took a 71-64 lead on Kadeem Allen’s driving layup with 2:52 remaining.
But Arizona missed its last six field-goal attempts, Bernard made a 3-pointer and two free throws to creep close and Bluiett tied the game on two free throws with 1:54 left.
Bernard scored 15 points and J.P Macura added 14 for Musketeers, the lowest remaining seed in the tournament. When Xavier (24-13) meets Gonzaga (35-1) in the West final, the winner will earn its first trip to the Final Four.
Center Dusan Ristic scored 17 points for Arizona, which had won six in a row and 11 of 12.
Xavier shot 52.8 percent. Blueitt made 9 of 17 shots and Bernard 5 of 6.
Arizona shot 43.5 percent and had a 35-27 rebounding edge.
Wildcats freshman forward Lauri Markkanen, averaging 15.8 points a game, scored nine points on 3-of-9 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds.
Arizona scored 10 of the first 12 points despite guard Kadeem Allen drawing two personal fouls, but Xavier slowly crept back into the game behind Bluiett and Macura, who scored 15 of the Musketeers’ final 17 points of the half. Blueitt assisted on the other basket.
Guard Rawle Alkins hit a 17-footer as time expired in the half to give the Wildcats a 37-35 lead.
Alkins suffered a fractured right index finger early in Arizona’s over St. Mary’s in the second game of the NCAA on Saturday. He scored four points in 31 minutes Thursday.
NOTES: Arizona coach Sean Miller missed out on the chance to earn another $175,000 this weekend on top of his $2.5 million guaranteed compensation. The bonus would have kicked in if the Wildcats had reached the Final Four. He earned $50,000 for reaching the Elite Eight. … Arizona and Xavier played in the 2015 Sweet 16, with the Wildcats posting a 68-60 victory in the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Xavier’s Trevon Bluiett is the only starter on either side back. … Xavier and Arizona are two of nine schools who have reached the Sweet 16 since 2008. … Xavier sophomore G Edmund Sumner was averaging 15 points and 5.0 assists before suffering a season-ending knee injury Jan. 29. Xavier was 15-6 in his 21 games
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Gonzaga’s Jordan Mathews scored 13 points and made three 3-pointers, the last with 57.3 seconds remaining, to help the Bulldogs secure a 61-58 victory over West Virginia in the NCAA Tournament West Region semifinals on Thursday.
Mathews’ 3-pointer made it 60-58, and Silas Melson sank a free throw with 37.9 seconds left before No. 1 seed Gonzaga (35-1) survived a frantic finish. The fourth-seeded Mountaineers (28-9) missed two 3-point attempts in the final 20 seconds and could not get off another as the buzzer sounded.
West Virginia’s Jevon Carter had a game-high 21 points but missed two 3-pointers in the final seconds while being harassed by Nigel Williams-Goss.
Przemek Karnowski and Johnathan Williams also scored 13 points for Gonzaga, which faces Arizona or Xavier in Saturday’s region final.
No. 3 Oregon 69, No. 7 Michigan 68
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Ducks held the Wolverines scoreless in the final 2:02, surviving Derrick Walton Jr.’s missed jumper at the buzzer to reach the Midwest Region final.
Tyler Dorsey scored 20 points for Oregon (32-5), which meets Kansas in Saturday’s region final. Jordan Bell tallied 16 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, Dillon Brooks scored 12 points and Dylan Ennis 10.
Walton led Michigan (26-12) with 20 points. He was joined in double figures by Zak Irvin (19) and D.J. Wilson (12).
No. 1 Kansas 98, No. 4 Purdue 66
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Jayhawks got 26 points apiece from Frank Mason and Devonte’ Graham to rout Purdue in the Midwest Region semifinals at Sprint Center before 18,475 fans mostly clad in Kansas’ crimson and blue.
The Jayhawks (31-4), who finished the first half on a 22-7 run, ran away from Purdue in the second half. Josh Jackson scored 15 points, Legerald Vick added 12 and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk had 10 for Kansas, which has won its three NCAA Tournament games by 90 points.
The Boilermakers (27-8) were led by Caleb Swanigan’s 18 points. P.J. Thompson added 12 points and Isaac Haas 11
