Zags suffer NCAA heartbreaker, 96-95
Gonzaga tried to hold off the West’s No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the Arizona Wildcats, but fell in an edge-of-your-seat double-overtime thriller.
Gonzaga’s Tony Skinner missed a three with four seconds left on the shot clock, leaving Wildcat Salim Stoudamire with the final points in the 96-95 contest.
Skinner led the Zags offense with a career-high 25 points in the game — this coming from a player who barely recorded nine points a game during the regular season.
He was joined by Blake Stepp who made 19 of his 25 points after the half. Stepp had the last possession, but couldn’t sink the five-foot, follow-up bank shot at the buzzer.
Gonzaga’s loss marked the end of the West Coast Conference’s representation at the NCAA Tournament, after San Diego lost to Stanford 77-69 last week.
Pep and S.F. share pitcher honor
Pepperdine pitcher Jacob Barrack shared the WCC/Rawlings Pitcher of the Week honors with San Francisco’s Eric Bowden.
Pepperdine beat St. Mary’s 6-3 last Sunday, with 
Barrack striking out a career-high 11 hitters. He allowed only two hits in seven innings.
Bowden helped the Gaels end a 13-game losing streak to Pepperdine when he pitched St. Mary’s to a 7-1 victory over the Waves. He struck out four hitters in the contest.
March 27, 2003