NCAA Tournament: Gonzaga's "unbelievable" swish defeats UCLA in true March Madness fashion

Las Vegas, Nevada - The Gonzaga Bulldogs' Julian Strawther came through with one of the biggest game-winners of the NCAA Tournament yet, sending Bruin Nation packing and driving the internet bonkers.

The Gonzaga Bulldogs' Julian Strawther came through with one of the biggest game-winners of the March Madness tournament yet, and the internet went bonkers!
The Gonzaga Bulldogs' Julian Strawther came through with one of the biggest game-winners of the March Madness tournament yet, and the internet went bonkers!  © Sean M. Haffey / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

The Gonzaga Bulldogs and UCLA Bruins already have a deep-seated rivalry when it comes to the March Madness Tournament.

In 2006, the Bruins swept past the Bulldogs to advance to the Elite 8. In 2021, Gonzaga got its March Madness revenge in the Final Four, when Jalen Suggs shot a near half-court buzzer-beater to put the then undefeated Zags into the national title game.

But with 13 seconds left on the clock in the final quarter on Thursday, UCLA guard Amari Bailey knocked down a perfect three to put the Bruins up one 76-75.

While it looked as if UCLA were going to run away with the game, Strawther stepped up big and shocked the college basketball world – in front of his hometown crowd no less.

Just a few seconds after Bailey's score, the Bulldogs guard shot one of the tournament's most clutch swishes from the deep to take down the Bruins 79-76.

Afterwards, Twitter went crazy, to say the least.

"You weren’t dreaming!!! This really happened last night !!!" one fan tweeted.

"The ending to this game was unbelievable. This is March baby!!" another fan wrote.

"I cannot believe what we just witnessed. All-time levels of madness. Julian Strawther just became a Gonzaga hero. Absolute heartbreak for UCLA," another chimed in.

When do Gonzaga and UConn play in the Elite 8 Round of March Madness?

Following their victory, the Gonzaga Bulldogs will now face the UConn Huskies in the March Madness Elite 8 Round.
Following their victory, the Gonzaga Bulldogs will now face the UConn Huskies in the March Madness Elite 8 Round.  © CARMEN MANDATO / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

Following their victory over UCLA, the Gonzaga Bulldogs are now set to face the UConn Huskies in the March Madness Elite 8 Round.

On Thursday, UConn thoroughly outplayed Arkansas 88-65 to earn their first trip to the Elite 8 since 2014, the year they won it all.

Gonzaga and UConn are set to face off in the Elite 8 round on Saturday at 8:49 PM ET.

Cover photo: Collage: SEAN M. HAFFEY & Carmen Mandato / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

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