The No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region Houston Cougars(31-4) will take on the No. 8 Gonzaga Bulldogs(26-8) in the 2nd Round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. This game will take place in Wichita, Kansas Saturday night.
The Cougars advanced following a 78-40 drubbing of SIU Edwardsville. Gonzaga also had a solid game on Thursday against the Georgia Bulldogs. Another storyline heading into this matchup is the great coaches for each team. Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson and Gonzaga Head Coach Mark Few are two of the best coaches in the sport. They have been atop the profession for decades but are searching for their first championship. Which team will win and punch their ticket to the Sweet Sixteen?
Houston Dominates An Overmatched Opponent
Unlike some other high seeds, the Cougars never gave SIU Edwardsville a chance. They took an early lead and never looked back. That should give the team boatloads of confidence heading into this marquee matchup. The Cougars scored 78 points thanks to a balanced offensive attack. Even though they shot 40.9% from the field and 35.7% from deep a tough shooting day did not impact the team’s offensive output.
The team’s defense was tremendous on Thursday. SIU was held to 30.6% shooting from the field and 8.3% from three-point range. That sort of defense would be helpful against Gonzaga. Houston’s best player, L.J. Cryer, struggled shooting in the opening round. Guard Milos Uzan added 16 points in the blowout victory. Many of the team’s top players will be rested for Saturday’s game. They had most of the second half off in the 1st Round.
Gonzaga’s Offense Carries Team To Victory
Much like Houston, Gonzaga jumped out to a big lead and kept their foot on the accelerator. They took a 21-point lead into halftime allowing them to coast to victory. The Bulldogs had a great day on offense scoring 89 points. They shot 55% from the field and 60% from three-point range.
Their offense was paced by Guard Khalif Battle. He scored 24 points in the 1st Round win. Like their opponent on Saturday, Gonzaga allowed their key players to rest in the second half. Gonzaga’s defense also had a great game. They held the Bulldogs to 35% shooting from the field and 19.2% from downtown.
Final Thoughts
Gonzaga and Houston are coming off dominant performances against overmatched opponents in the opening round. It is tough to know how much can be gleaned from those dominant victories. Both teams will be well prepared Saturday night in Kansas. Houston is a slight favorite and has been the better team this year. Even with a team as talented as the Cougars, it is hard to count out a marquee program like Gonzaga.
