UCLA and Gonzaga: A Historic Rivalry at the Intuit Dome and Beyond
The rivalry between UCLA and Gonzaga has become a staple in college basketball, marked by unforgettable moments and intense competition. From Adam Morrison's tears to Jalen Suggs' half-court shot, their matchups have produced some of the most memorable games in NCAA Tournament history. This article delves into the recent clash at the Intuit Dome, the history of this compelling rivalry, and the significance of the Intuit Dome itself.
A Thrilling Encounter at the Intuit Dome
In a recent game at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, UCLA shook off its Gonzaga jinx under coach Mick Cronin, securing a 65-62 victory. The atmosphere was electric, with a heavily pro-Bruins crowd of 12,272 cheering the team. The game was a back-and-forth affair with UCLA ultimately prevailing.
The game started off relatively slow, with neither team really able to get into an offensive flow early. UCLA relied on Lazar Stefanovic to get them going on the offensive end. Gonzaga was carried by potential All-American Graham Ike, who met little resistance while scoring 24 points on 11-for-16 shooting. UCLA's star player Tyler Bilodeau struggled all game, as Gonzaga made it a point to double the post right on the entry pass and force Bilodeau to find his teammates. The Bruins' defensive intensity bothered the Zags early and took them out of their rhythm. UCLA managed to pull out to a lead as large as 11 in the first half. However, Gonzaga closed the half on a 9-0 run to cut the lead down to just two.
Gonzaga had to continue the game without one of their best players, Khalif Battle, who picked up a flagrant two in the first half and was ejected from the game. This certainly hurt their shooting and scoring ability. The second half was a really well-played, with a constant back-and-forth swing. For the Zags, it was the Nembhard and Ike show, as they combined for 40 of the Zags' 62 points. The story for UCLA was their prolific three-point shooting. For a team that has only shot 37% from three, the Bruins had an almost out-of-body experience, shooting 50% from three. Forward Kobe Johnson went 4 for 6 from three and provided clutch threes every time his team needed them. Sophomore Eric Dailey Jr. went 4 for 5 from three himself, leading the team with 18 points.
The sequence of events at the end were nail-biting. The game was tied 58-58 when Nembhard hit a jumper in the middle of the lane to take the lead. Sophomore guard Sebastian Mack came back on the other end to complete an and-one to give his team the lead 61-60. Gonzaga missed a wide-open three on the other end and fouled to put Skyy Clark on the line. Clark made both free throws to put his team up three. Gonzaga tried to score quickly on the other end, which they did, but UCLA did the unthinkable and fouled. With the opportunity to tie the game, Nembhard missed the free throw. With UCLA up three late and five seconds to go, Gonzaga took a half-court three with three seconds still left on the clock. The Bruins secured the rebound and the win.
Read also: UCLA vs. Illinois: Basketball History
After so much heartache over so many years, UCLA finally shook off its Gonzaga jinx under coach Mick Cronin. It looked like the Bruins might be in store for more misfortune when Sebastian Mack fouled Gonzaga’s Ryan Nembhard on a driving layup with 8.1 seconds left, sending Nembhard to the line for the free throw that could tie the score. But the basketball gods finally smiled upon the Bruins. Nembhard missed the free throw, and UCLA’s Skyy Clark chased down the rebound before getting fouled. He made both free throws to give the No. 22 Bruins a breathless 65-62 victory over the No. 14 Bulldogs in the West Coast Hoops Showdown at the Intuit Dome. Another wild finish for Gonzaga was not in store after Nembhard’s heave beyond halfcourt was well off the mark seconds before the buzzer.
It was the first victory over Gonzaga for Cronin at UCLA after having dropped his first four meetings, including a pair of heartbreakers on game-winning shots in the NCAA tournament. “We knew we let a big one slip away in New York, and we’re still feeling that,” said Clark, who was strong across the board with 11 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, “but we’ve got to learn from it and move on, so we just came into this game hungry, we did not want to lose.” After barely playing in the second half against the Tar Heels because he absorbed a shot to the face, UCLA forward Eric Dailey Jr. was fitted with a mask and scored 18 points to lead four players in double figures for the Bruins (11-2).
Even with a three-point lead, UCLA was the team that needed a little luck this time, given the breakdown in its strategy. Cronin said the plan was to foul Gonzaga if they took their time to try and get a three-pointer or let them lay it in if they went for a quick basket. The previous moments had been a redemption story for Mack. After having missed two free throws, he made a floater in which he was fouled and sank the free throw to give the Bruins a 61-60 lead with 33 seconds left. Kobe Johnson contributed all four of his three-pointers in the second half for UCLA, which shot 12 of 24 from long range. With point guard Dylan Andrews’ slump deepening, the Bruins often struggled to produce good shots - or, in a few cases, any shot while committing a shot-clock violation. Andrews, who went scoreless with one assist, was benched down the stretch in favor of Mack, who made the play his team needed.
The halftime score - UCLA 27, Gonzaga 25 - looked like a misprint, given the Bruins shot only 29% and committed nine turnovers. The advantage came thanks mostly to UCLA making five of 12 three-pointers (compared to Gonzaga’s two of 11), forcing the Bulldogs into 11 turnovers, and grabbing two more rebounds than their counterparts. The Bruins looked like they were headed to a much larger cushion after Clark used a crossover move to free himself for a jumper that capped an 11-0 run for his team, giving UCLA a 24-13 lead. Tensions momentarily rose late in the first half when Gonzaga guard Khalif Battle was assessed a flagrant-2 foul and ejected for clobbering Dailey, the contact prompting Cronin to shed his suit jacket before conversing with officials about the play. The loss of their third-leading scorer seemed to galvanize the Bulldogs the rest of the first half. They went on to hold UCLA scoreless for more than four minutes while rolling off a 9-0 push that wiped out most of the Bruins’ big lead. UCLA played without center William Kyle III, who was sidelined by an unspecified medical issue, according to a team spokesperson. In the end, the Bruins had just enough to break through against the team that had tormented them so much.
A Look Back at the UCLA-Gonzaga Rivalry
The rivalry between UCLA and Gonzaga is rich with history, dating back nearly two decades. Memorable moments include:
Read also: Navigating Tech Breadth at UCLA
- Adam Morrison's tears: Images of Adam Morrison sobbing on the court after a loss to UCLA are etched in the minds of college basketball fans.
- Jalen Suggs' half-court shot: Suggs' incredible buzzer-beater in the 2021 NCAA Tournament is considered by some to be the best game ever played in NCAA Tournament history.
- The 2021 NCAA Tournament Matchup: In the latest matchup, Anton Watson scored a career-high 32 points, and No. 11 Gonzaga held off UCLA 69-65 in the fifth-place game at the 2023 Maui Invitational.
The series between UCLA and Gonzaga has been closely contested, with several matchups going down to the wire. The two schools have faced each other multiple times in recent years, including NCAA Tournament games and neutral-site contests. The upcoming matchup versus Gonzaga will mark UCLA's first game at the Seattle venue since January 6, 2000, when the Bruins faced Washington at what was then named KeyArena, while Washington's home basketball arena was being renovated. First built in 1962, the venue now named Climate Pledge Arena underwent a renovation in the mid-1990s and reopened as KeyArena, home to the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics. The building closed in 2018 and underwent a multi-year renovation before opening in 2021 as Climate Pledge Arena.
Intuit Dome: A New Era for Los Angeles Basketball
The Intuit Dome, located in Inglewood, California, is the new home of the Los Angeles Clippers. The arena is south of SoFi Stadium and the Kia Forum. The arena had a groundbreaking ceremony on September 17, 2021, and opened on August 15, ahead of the NBA season. The Clippers previously shared Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Center) with the Los Angeles Lakers and never had any ownership interest in any of its home arenas. The previous deal with Crypto.com Arena allowed for a different Clipper court and required a 'neutralization' process before and after each game to cover up and then restore Laker achievements, banners, and sponsorships, along with setting its own court lighting pattern.
Various lawsuits were filed to prevent the construction of the arena. In a move to settle the litigation, Ballmer announced in March 2020 that he would acquire The Forum from MSG for $400 million in an all-cash deal. The sale was completed in May, with all existing employees retained under the new ownership. Ballmer described a goal for the new arena to be a "basketball palazzo". A 23-year naming rights deal for at least $500 million was announced with Mountain View, California-based financial software company Intuit, naming the arena Intuit Dome.
The 18,000-seat arena was designed by AECOM. The practice facility is 85,000 square feet, the team offices 55,000 square feet, and the sports medicine clinic 25,000 square feet. The arena features a seating section known as "The Wall", 51 consecutive rows with no suites positioned on the baseline adjacent to the visitor's bench exclusively reserved for Clippers fans. The arena features a double-sided halo board similar to the one at neighboring SoFi Stadium.
The Clippers played their first preseason game at the arena on October 14, winning 110-96 against the Dallas Mavericks. They played their first regular-season game at the arena on October 23, against the Phoenix Suns, losing 116-113 in overtime in front of 18,300 fans. The Clippers would get their first regular-season win at the arena on November 4, when they defeated the San Antonio Spurs 113-104.
Read also: Understanding UCLA Counselors
The Intuit Dome is set to host major events, including the 2026 NBA All-Star Game and events for the 2028 Olympics. The arena has already hosted numerous concerts and events.
tags: #ucla #gonzaga #intuit #dome #history
