By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Nigel Williams-Goss scored 23 points, Gonzaga’s big men combined for 27 and the Bulldogs kept South Carolina from taking a game-tying shot in a 77-73 victory Saturday night in a matchup of first-time teams at the Final Four.
The Bulldogs’ 7-footers, senior Przemek Karnowski (13 p.) from Poland and freshman Zach Collins (14 p.), took care of things on both ends of the court, combining for 18 rebounds. Collins also had a career-high six blocks. French Killian Tillie, brother of Baskonia‘s Kim Tillie, rebounded for Gonzaga, was fouled and made two free throws to cement the game. For the losing side Estonian big man Maik Kotsar had 4 points and 3 rebounds.
Kennedy Meeks muscled away the game-saving offensive rebound in a 77-76 victory over Oregon after ice-cold Carolina missed its fourth straight free throw down the stretch. The Ducks tried to steal the game behind 21 points by Greek-American Tyler Dorsey (photo) but couldn’t. Meeks finished 11-for-13 to match his career high with 25 points, and he had 14 rebounds, eight of which came on the offensive glass and none of which was more important than the last.