Recap: Gonzaga vs. Florida State
Sports Network | March 20, 2010
Buffalo, NY (Sports Network) - Matt Bouldin's 17 points led the way, as Gonzaga staved off a late charge from Florida State to notch a 67-60 win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Steven Gray added 15 points for the eighth-seeded Bulldogs (27-6), who are making their 12th straight appearance in this event and will next play the West Regional's top seed in Syracuse after its 79-56 dismantling of Vermont.
Robert Sacre and Elias Harris each scored 13 points and had a hand in the Zags' shooting 50 percent from the floor.
Deividas Dulkys had 14 points and sank four three-pointers to help the ninth- seeded Seminoles (22-10) cut an 18-point deficit in the second half to four with under three minutes remaining.
Soloman Alabi added 13 points and six boards as Florida State was bounced in the first round of the NCAAs for the second straight year.
A pair of Bouldin jumpers less than three minutes into the second half stretched the margin to 18, but the Seminoles methodically made their way back beginning with a 13-5 burst in which they scored on six straight possessions.
Chris Singleton, whose dunk started things, had seven of the points and Alabi's slam with close to 13 minutes left made it a 10-point game, 46-36.
FSU's Luke Loucks buried a three with nine minutes remaining to keep the margin at 10, and a Dulkys triple close to three minutes later dropped for a six-point affair as Gonzaga struggled to find its shot.
Dulkys struck again from long distance with the clock at 4 1/2 minutes for a 55-50 difference.
"I thought the second half that we calmed down, executed a lot better. The looks that we had in the second half I thought we knocked them down, we finished our plays inside," said Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton.
The Bulldogs got scores from Harris and Gray on back-to-back trips to gain some breathing room at 59-52, but Dulkys banked in a three from the right wing on the ensuing possession.
Michael Snaer was sent to the line with 1:37 to play and a chance to cut the lead to two but missed both. It was a crushing result as the Bulldogs hit 5- of-6 from the stripe over the next 40 seconds for a 64-55 advantage.
Snaer came back with another Seminole three, but it wasn't enough as the Zags were able to seal the win at the line.
"I thought our mindset was great from the start," said Gonzaga coach Mark Few. "It was a great job by these guys keeping their poise down the stretch because we knew they would make a run, and they did. We knew it was going to be physical with their length and athleticism and just how tough they were on the glass."
Gonzaga had a handle on the game early on, building a 22-7 lead from the opening tip to just past the half's mid-point. Sacre put in eight straight Bulldog points during the stretch, and Florida State went the final 6 1/2 minutes without a field goal to trail by 16, 35-19, at the break.
Florida State wound up shooting 35.6 percent from the floor and 6-of-20 from three-point range...The Zags held a 38-32 advantage on the boards, getting nine rebounds from Sacre, eight from Bouldin and seven from Gray...Bouldin added three assists and as many steals...Gonzaga sank 22-of-30 from the free throw line...Demetri Goodson had nine points in the win, while Snaer scored nine and Singleton eight for Florida State.
