Last Updated 3:56 PM, November 24, 2021
Andy Wittry

No. 1 Gonzaga defeats No. 2 UCLA by 20 points in top-two matchup

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No. 1 Gonzaga answers test, crushes No. 2 UCLA in Final Four rematch
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4:44 am, November 24, 2021

Final: No. 1 Gonzaga 83, No. 2 UCLA 63

Led by point guard Andrew Nembhard's game-high 24 points, a couple of near-double-double performances and stingy defense, top-ranked Gonzaga defeated second-ranked UCLA 83-63, which is tied for the fifth-largest margin of victory in the 43 games between AP No. 1 and No. 2-ranked men's basketball teams.

UCLA center Myles Johnson scored in the game's opening minute and the Bruins never led again, as they quickly found themselves in a 10-point hole, 16-6, that then grew to more than 20 points midway through the first half.

For the game, Gonzaga shot 56 percent from the field, including 70 percent inside the arc. Nembhard was an efficient primary scoring option of the night, starting 5-for-5 from the field and finishing 9-for-13. Preseason WCC Player of the Year Drew Timme (18 points, eight rebounds) and newly elevated starter Julian Strawther (12 points, nine rebounds) were each within shouting distance of a double-double, while 7-foot freshman Chet Holmgren finished with 15 points, including two 3-pointers, six rebounds and four blocks.

UCLA shot just 34 percent from the field and made only two 3-pointers on 12 attempts.

4:21 am, November 24, 2021

Gonzaga's Holmgren blocks a shot, goes behind the back, then dunks

Gonzaga's sensational freshman, Chet Holmgren, made an incredible series of plays that will go on his season highlight reel, when he blocked a shot from UCLA center Myles Johnson, dribbled down the court, went behind his back, then flushed it to complete the sequence.

4:18 am, November 24, 2021

UCLA's shooting on 2-point jumpers much different than April

When No. 11 seed UCLA forced overtime against No. 1 seed Gonzaga in the Final Four in April, the Bruins' shooting percentage on 2-point jumpers was a major reason why. For the game, UCLA shot 68 percent on those shots.

Tonight?

The Bruins are at less than 30 percent through the first 20 minutes.

3:58 am, November 24, 2021

Halftime: No. 1 Gonzaga 45, No. 2 UCLA 25

In the 43rd matchup between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in DI men's basketball, top-ranked Gonzaga got off to a hot start against second-ranked UCLA and never let up in the first half, cruising to a 45-25 halftime lead. Point guard Andrew Nembhard led all scorers with 13 points on 6-for-7 shooting. Gonzaga shot 57.7 percent to UCLA's 27.5 percent.

UCLA's leading scorers in the first half – Johnny Juzang and Jaime Jaquez Jr., each of whom have seven points so far –  are a combined 6-for-18 from the field.

3:47 am, November 24, 2021

Chet Holmgren's 3-pointer pushes Gonzaga's lead to 20

Chet Holmgren received the pass on the right wing from Andre Nembhard and after seeing that no UCLA defenders were in the immediate area, Holmgren stared down the basket before finally firing a 3-pointer, which he swished, putting Gonzaga up 36-16. It was Gonzaga's sixth three of the first half and the Zags are shooting 60 percent from deep on their first 10 attempts of the game.

Holmgren already has nine points, four rebounds and three blocks, with more than three minutes left in the first half.

3:41 am, November 24, 2021

Gonzaga's Nembhard is the first to reach double figures

Gonzaga point guard Andre Nembhard made his first five shots, including a 3-pointer, to reach 11 points in the first 13 minutes of the game and his layup with 8:39 put the Zags up 33-10. Gonzaga started the game 13-for-19 (.684) from  the field, forcing UCLA to take three timeouts already in the first half.
3:28 am, November 24, 2021

Gonzaga extends lead to 24-8

Thanks to a 16-3 run over the span of just more than four minutes, Gonzaga extended its lead over UCLA to 24-8 and forced UCLA coach Mick Cronin to call timeout. The Bulldogs have a 12-3 advantage on the glass and the Bruinis, who are 3-for-16 from the field to start the game, have just one offensive rebound, so their offense has struggled early.

All five Gonzaga starters have scored, led by Andrew Nembhard's seven points.

3:09 am, November 24, 2021

Gonzaga takes 10-5 lead into first media timeout

Gonzaga's Andrew Nembhard (five points) and Chet Holmgren (four points) are each 2-for-2 shooting in the opening four-plus minutes of Tuesday night's clash between No. 1 Gonzaga and No. 2 UCLA, as the Bulldogs took a 10-5 lead into the first media timeout.

UCLA is just 2-for-9 from the field, despite having numerous good looks on offense.

2:57 am, November 24, 2021

No. 1 Gonzaga vs. No. 2 UCLA is now underway

For the 43rd time in the history of DI men's basketball, the top two teams in the AP poll are squaring off; this time, it's No. 1 Gonzaga versus No. 2 UCLA in a rematch of last season's Final Four clash.

The rematch is now underway on ESPN.

1:44 pm, November 22, 2021

UCLA, Gonzaga ranked No. 1, No. 2 in Andy Katz's latest Power 36

In March Madness correspondent Andy Katz's latest Power 36 rankings, UCLA and Gonzaga are ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. In the latest AP poll, they're also No. 1 and No. 2, only in the reverse order, with Gonzaga receiving 55 of a possible 61 first-place votes.

On Tuesday night, for just the 43rd time in men's basketball history, there will be a meeting between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country – the kind of matchup that should be a fitting rematch from the two schools' epic clash in the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

7:46 pm, November 16, 2021

No. 1 Gonzaga vs. No. 2 UCLA: Date, time, TV channel

Here's everything you need to know about the No. 1 versus No. 2 clash between Gonzaga and UCLA:

Date: Tuesday, Nov. 23
Time: 10 p.m. ET
TV channel: ESPN

7:18 pm, November 16, 2021

Preview: No. 1 Gonzaga vs. No. 2 UCLA

Robert Deutsch | USA TODAY Sports Images Gonzaga defeated UCLA 93-90 in overtime in the Final Four.

The top two men's basketball teams in the country, No. 1 Gonzaga and No. 2 UCLA, will meet next Tuesday, Nov. 23, in the Empire Classic in Las Vegas. The timing of this game is significant, not only because of the teams' current rankings in the AP poll, but because they met in the Final Four last season in a game that became an instant classic.

No. 1 seed Gonzaga advanced to the Final Four with an undefeated record and in pursuit of its first-ever national championship. Meanwhile, UCLA, which has won more national titles than any other program in men's basketball history, became just the second No. 11 seed to make a run from the First Four to the Final Four, as the Bruins chased an unlikely 12th national championship.

The game went to overtime and Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs gave Gonzaga an epic 93-90 victory in overtime thanks to his heroic buzzer-beater.

The clash will be the 43rd meeting between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the AP poll. Guess what? The all-time series between top-ranked teams versus second-ranked teams is tied 21-21. On average, a No. 1 versus No. 2 matchup occurs roughly once every two seasons, although there have been as many as four such matchups in a single season (1974 and 1985).

The last No. 1 versus No. 2 matchup came on the opening night of the 2019-20 season, when preseason No. 1 Michigan State faced No. 2 Kentucky in the Champions Classic. Kentucky won 69-62, behind 26 points off the bench from freshman guard Tyrese Maxey.

UCLA returned all five starters from its NCAA tournament run, while adding Rutgers transfer Myles Johnson and talented freshman Peyton Watson. Led by All-America candidate Johnny Juzang (23.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game through three games), UCLA is led by a talented group of guards and wings.

Even though Gonzaga lost three of its top four scorers from last season, including Suggs, the Bulldogs arguably have the preseason favorite for national player of the year in Drew Timme, who led the team in scoring last season and who scored a career-high 38 points against Texas. They also enrolled arguably the most talented freshman in the country in 7-footer Chet Holmgren.

Through Nov. 15, Gonzaga's offense is the most efficient in the country, per kenpom.com, while UCLA ranks sixth.

7:16 pm, November 16, 2021

UCLA leads Andy Katz's first in-season Power 36 rankings

March Madness correspondent Andy Katz released his first in-season Power 36 rankings on Monday, Nov. 15, and the UCLA Bruins check in at No. 1.

View the full Power 36 below.

7:10 pm, November 16, 2021

Watch: No. 1 seed Gonzaga defeats No. 11 UCLA in the 2021 Final Four

Gonzaga and UCLA met just seven months ago at the Final Four in Indianapolis, where No. 1 seed and then-undefeated Gonzaga faced No. 11 seed and NCAA tournament darling UCLA. The Bulldogs defeated the Bruins 93-90 in overtime on point guard Jalen Suggs' epic buzzer-beater, which you can watch below.

It was the third-longest game-winning buzzer-beater in the history of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. Click or tap here to view the complete list.