Baylor and Gonzaga were supposed to play in early December in Indianapolis, but it was canceled because of COVID-19 issues with the Zags’ program.
Baylor coach Scott Drew said he and Gonzaga coach Mark Few discussed the cancellation at the time.
“As we were riding back (to the hotel) we said, ‘You know what, if we end up playing this game in the Final Four or the championship game, that sounds like a better idea,’” Drew said. “That was the goal for both of us.”
Baylor (27-2) will face fellow top seed Gonzaga (31-0) on Monday night to cap an NCAA Tournament played in and around Indianapolis because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and both programs will aim for a first national title.
Baylor advanced with a 78-59 win over Houston, and Gonzaga made it with a 93-90 overtime victory against UCLA.
While Baylor has the top trio of guards in the nation, the Bears have had plenty of help from their bench to reach the final.
“I’m so impressed with Baylor,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. “I keep going back to them … I don’t think I’ve seen a team with five guards at that level. There’s no drop-off, and they’re good at both ends.”
Sampson along the way reeled off the names Jared Butler, Davion Mitchell, MaCio Teague, Adam Flagler and Matthew Mayer, lest anyone not be clear on Baylor’s guard-oriented dominance of UH in the Bears’ victory Saturday.
The Bears reached that goal by clamping down on the Cougars defensively, in springing to a 45-20 halftime lead.
“We studied those guys pretty well, and knew their tendencies,” Butler said. “We wanted to come out as the aggressors, and you’ve got to start that on the defensive end, especially in a game like this.”
The nation has become familiar with Butler, Mitchell and Teague, but reserves Flagler and Mayer have gained notoriety of late, as well. Flagler for his consistent hot hand off the bench; Mayer for his aggressiveness and mullet hairdo.
Mayer and Flagler combined for 19 points and seven rebounds on Saturday in 42 minutes, in offering UH no reprieve from the relentlessness of Butler, Mitchell and Teague.
“All year long our secret to our success has been our bench,” Drew said. “It’s a starting rotation — not (just) five guys — we’ve got a starting rotation and everybody comes in and provides a lift for us. That’s been a big reason why we’ve been successful all year.”
With a 25-point lead at halftime, as well, and UH never making a game of the Final Four showdown over the final 20 minutes, Drew was able to substitute in multiple reserves, and keep the legs of his “starting rotation” fresher for the Zags.
“You never plan on that,” Drew said of being able to empty his bench time and again late in games in the tournament. “You plan on it going down to the wire, and if you’re blessed and play really, really well, you get a couple of those special nights.”
Saturday was so special for the Bears in their first Final Four appearance since 1950, walk-on senior Mark Paterson, who began his college career at St. Edwards in Austin, knocked down a jump shot with 19 seconds remaining.
“It was great seeing Paterson get a bucket,” Drew said.
This is the third time since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985 that the preseason AP No. 1 and 2 teams will play for the title Gonzaga-Baylor joins Duke-UConn (1999) and Arizona-Duke (2001).
Brent Zwerneman reported from College Station.
brent.zwerneman@chron.com
twitter.com/brentzwerneman
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