SEATTLE (AP) – Gonzaga left KeyArena roaring and Gill Coliseum in silence almost simultaneously Sunday.
The Bulldogs are grabbing the spotlight in both the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournament.
“It’s unbelievable,” Gonzaga junior guard Elle Tinkle said. “Gonzaga is such a special place. I think we’re pretty spoiled as both men’s and women’s programs to have the support of our community … and really people throughout the country. Throughout this year, we haven’t been on some radars, but we just wanted to prove we are just as successful and just as capable of going far in the postseason.”
While the second-seeded Gonzaga men ran past No. 7 seed Iowa in Seattle to reach the round of 16 for the first time since 2009, the 11th-seeded Gonzaga women were pulling off one of the biggest upsets of the women’s tournament, knocking off No. 3 seed Oregon State on its home floor.
The games both tipped right around 4 p.m. PDT. And while the women were celebrating after their 76-64 win in Corvallis, Oregon, the men were wrapping up their 87-68 victory over Iowa. It’s the first time in school history both programs have advanced to the round of 16.