UCLA vs. Gonzaga showdown through the eyes of Bruins greats

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LAS VEGAS — It was an instant classic, and a timeless one.

At the end of its pulsating NCAA tournament run last spring, UCLA remained unrelenting, pushing unbeaten Gonzaga so hard in the Final Four that 40 minutes of basketball weren’t enough to decide which team was moving on to the national championship game.

It took a miracle shot to deny the underdog Bruins another magical finish, Jalen Suggs’ 40-footer banking through the net in overtime to end a season that felt like the rebirth of a proud brand.

On the eve of the rematch between the top-ranked Bulldogs and second-ranked Bruins on Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena, The Los Angeles Times spoke with one prominent UCLA player from each of the last eight decades to assess how the iconic game from last April galvanized the program and what the alumni expect to happen when the teams meet for the second time in seven months.

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1940s: George Stanich

George Stanich drives to the basket in a game for UCLA.

Bio: One of the most versatile athletes in UCLA history, Stanich, 93, was the Bruins’ first All-American under John Wooden while also starring for the baseball and track teams. He won a bronze medal in the high jump in the 1948 Olympics in London and went on to work at El Camino College for close to 40 years.

What did it feel like watching the Gonzaga game?

“I felt the game could have gone either way. It was a beautiful game and it went back and forth and both teams just played strong games. I really felt that if UCLA won that game, they would have gone on and beaten Baylor. I felt they tired Gonzaga out so much that Baylor beat them pretty handily.”

How did you react when Jalen Suggs’ shot went in?

“What it really reminded me of, my last year with coach Wooden in 1950, we were playing for the Pacific Coast Conference championship of all the teams on the West Coast against Washington State and one of our players named Ralph Joeckel hit one the same way from behind half court and he had like bifocals on — he had really bad eye problems — and it hit the backboard and went in and we won two in a row [against Washington State], so it was the first time ever that coach Wooden moved on to the [NCAA tournament].”

Gonzaga forward Drew Timme, left, and UCLA forward Cody Riley battle for the ball.

What did the game mean for the program?

“I definitely felt people got involved with UCLA basketball that never even were that interested because of how they played. It was unreal, the run they had. Just a miracle — well, you have to earn the miracle a little too. Every game, they really competed. I think it really turned the tide for them to get into the national picture.”

What’s your prediction for Tuesday?

“I think it’s going to be an outstanding game between two good teams, just like it was against Villanova [when UCLA won 86-77 in overtime]. Of course, you don’t have to ask who I’m pulling for, so it will be fun to watch. I’ll probably have another full house here cheering them on.”

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1950s: Jerry Norman

UCLA basketball player Jerry Norman in an undated photo.

Bio: After playing on Wooden’s early UCLA teams, Norman became an assistant coach who expanded the Bruins’ recruiting reach nationally and was the architect of the zone press that flummoxed opponents. Put off by the UCLA athletic department’s chintzy ways at the time, Norman — who turns 92 this week — left coaching for a more lucrative career as a stockbroker.

What did it feel like watching the Gonzaga game?

“It was fun watching them get as far as they did. It’s been a long time since UCLA’s been in the Final Four. They played very, very well all the way down to the wire against Gonzaga.”

How did you react when Jalen Suggs’ shot went in?

“Well, you know it’s one of those things, the guy just happened to make a great shot at the right time. You probably make one out of a hundred like that, but that’s what’s great in sports, somebody comes up with a great play and that’s the result of it.”

UCLA guard Jaime Jaquez Jr., center, celebrates in front of Gonzaga forward Anton Watson after making a basket.

What did the game mean for the program?

“It gave UCLA a lot of great momentum going into this season and they’ve got a very good team, they’re very good defensively, they’re very well-coached and I think they’re going to be a factor.”

What’s your prediction for Tuesday?

“I haven’t seen Gonzaga, so it’s a little hard to make a judgment, but I think UCLA’s got a lot of momentum and they’re very good defensively and that’s what wins games for you — you really have to play defense as well as score points. Without seeing Gonzaga, I would go with UCLA.”

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1960s: Gary Cunningham

UCLA's Gary Cunningham, left, shoots during a game against NYU.

Bio: After helping UCLA reach its first Final Four under Wooden, in 1962, Cunningham eventually coached the Bruins for two seasons, going 50-8 to compile the highest winning percentage (.862) in program history. He went on to a career in athletic administration, retiring as UC Santa Barbara’s athletic director in 2008.

What did it feel like watching the Gonzaga game?

“I didn’t know what to expect when it started. You know, we could clearly play with them and without that miracle shot, we’re playing for the championship. I think at least my friends — and several of them played at UCLA for coach Wooden — everyone’s excited about the basketball team, but the game they all refer to is the Gonzaga game, how well we did and matching up with them and we all feel we should have won, we just got a bad break.”

What was your favorite moment?

“I liked the defense and I liked the fact that they took Drew Timme, their star in the middle, out of the game, and the other guy we took out was the guy who made the last shot. Those two guys were key to them and we took them out of the game until the end.”

UCLA guard Johnny Juzang drives to the basket over Gonzaga forward Drew Timme during the second half.

How did you react when Jalen Suggs’ shot went in?

“My thoughts reverted back to my team, how we lost to Cincinnati in a semifinal game in ancient history, in the ’62 season. I felt bad because you shouldn’t lose a game on that kind of shot, but we did and I felt bad for the team. I really got involved in it and wanted our team in the worst way to continue — it was a Cinderella team.”

What did the game mean for the program?

“It meant a milestone in terms of recruiting, that UCLA-level players look to winning programs to commit and it said, ‘OK, UCLA is on the map again and it’s a place to go because you’ll have a chance to win.’”

What’s your prediction for Tuesday?

“Everybody’s excited about the win over Villanova, but I think this game will be a good barometer of where we are. I think it will be a close game and I’m predicting the Bruins win.”

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1970s: Larry Farmer

Larry Farmer puts up a shot during a game for UCLA.

Bio: Farmer was part of UCLA teams that went a combined 89-1 and won national championships in 1971, ’72 and ’73 before returning to his alma mater as an assistant coach and head coach from 1981-84.

What did it feel like watching the Gonzaga game?

“It reminded me of Larry Brown’s first year [in 1980] where we found out on Selection Sunday that we were going to be invited to the tournament and we had to play what would then be described as a play-in game, which we won, that was the good news. The bad news was our play-in game put us up against the No. 1-ranked team in the country, which was DePaul, and DePaul had beaten us earlier in the year at Pauley Pavilion. So we beat DePaul and got all the way to the championship game. So I was kind of feeling that same Cinderella thing, that UCLA had just barely got in the tournament and they got on this incredible roll, and so here we go.”

What was your favorite moment?

“I was just thrilled that this game wasn’t going to be a blowout and everything that UCLA kept doing, I mean, we had the lead, we could play with these guys, we’re not going into this like we don’t belong there, we belong in this game and we’ve got a chance to win this. So I was really liking our chances.”

Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs passes between UCLA guard Johnny Juzang, forward Cody Riley and guard Tyger Campbell.

How did you react when Jalen Suggs’ shot went in?

“I was sitting here on my bed and I stood up and I put both hands on top of my head because I really didn’t think that I had just seen that. First of all, I didn’t really believe he had made it but then to bank it in — and I might have said, ‘Oh, s—.” Now that’s probably what I did say, if I’m going to be honest with you.”

What’s your prediction for Tuesday?

“It’s going to be a great game for college basketball — the No. 1 and 2 teams meeting this early in the season? It couldn’t be any better, and then a rematch of that game? You should have Don King doing all of the promotion for this game. I would think that my Bruins would have an edge because of the way things ended last year, so UCLA might have a little more fire in the tank based on how last year ended, but I would pick UCLA anyway.”

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1980s: Darrick Martin

UCLA's Darrick Martin controls the ball during a game against California.

Bio: Martin completed his UCLA career second in school history in assists (636) and steals (179) while helping the Bruins reach an NCAA tournament regional final in 1992. He went on to a lengthy professional career before transitioning into coaching and player development as a lead instructor for Legacy West Basketball alongside Mitchell Butler, a fellow Bruin teammate.

What did it feel like watching the Gonzaga game?

“Well, it was really good to watch. The UCLA kids were competing, they played hard, they were playing for one another. Throughout the whole tournament run, it was just kind of really cool to watch them fight and get through and advance — you know, survive and advance is the thing, and they went out there and played really well, played together on both ends of the floor and it was cool. Definitely made me feel prideful.”

What was your favorite moment?

“Just their whole run, to see it from game to game, their confidence growing each game, them playing together, them taking and making timely plays on both ends of the floor, that was what kind of stood out to me, that they were able to do that on the offensive end and the defensive end — when they needed a stop, they got a stop, when they needed a big bucket, they got a big bucket, so that was really cool.”

UCLA forward Cody Riley scores over Gonzaga forward Drew Timme in the second half.

How did you react when Jalen Suggs’ shot went in?

“All I could do was smile and laugh because I couldn’t believe the game came down to that and a guy hits a half-court shot to go in to beat UCLA and I had to kind of sit there for a minute and watch it again, it was a little bit in disbelief. But at the end of the day, the kids, they played very well, they fought hard, to watch them make that run through the tournament was really cool because you could tell they were playing for one another — that’s what UCLA basketball is about, talented guys playing together and pulling in the same direction.”

What did the game mean for the program?

“You know, it was a good start to what they have going there. … As far as UCLA basketball being ‘back,’ we’ve never left—they went through a down period and they’re playing to rectify that, but UCLA basketball is here to stay. It’s UCLA, Kentucky, North Carolina and Duke and everybody else is still scratching for a brand.”

What’s your prediction for Tuesday?

“UCLA had a big win against Villanova, which is really good, and I think they have a lot of confidence and it extends from last year and the success they had and you can see it carrying it over to this year and how they’re playing, so it will be a good test for them and it will be exciting. Games like this are why you go to UCLA to play basketball.”

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1990s: Tyus Edney

UCLA teammates give guard Tyus Edney a ride on their shoulders.

Bio: Immortalized for his coast-to-coast layup in the final 4.8 seconds against Missouri in the NCAA tournament, Edney was the point guard on UCLA’s last national championship team in 1995. He spent three-plus seasons in the NBA and played overseas for more than a decade before returning to UCLA, where he is now the director of engagement for the athletic department.

What did it feel like watching the Gonzaga game?

“Fortunately, I was there. I mean, it was intense. I just felt like Gonzaga had a pretty smooth season, so I felt like if we could just challenge them and just stay in the game and keep it close into the second half, we would have a chance to win and we did better than that. We outplayed them, I thought, like the whole game. I mean, it took that shot for them to beat us, so I think everyone appreciated that for sure.”

What was your favorite moment?

“I just remember how it was a fun, high-level game to watch, two evenly matched teams just battling and answering. A team would make a little run and the other would answer back with a run. When people were saying it was one of the best college games they had seen, I agreed. This game was unbelievable.”

UCLA guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. fights for a loose ball with Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs, left, during the first half.

What was your reaction when Jalen Suggs’ shot went in?

“Disbelief. The first instinct is look at the clock — did it count, did it really go in, how did he make that, where did he just pull up from, all those things are going through your mind. It was stunning. I think all UCLA-side people were just mouth open, like, what just happened? And then they’re celebrating and it was a complete shock.”

What did that game mean for the program?

“Not just the game, but I think getting to the Final Four was huge in itself and it wasn’t like, oh, they got there and now it’s a blowout; it’s like they got there and they’re supposed to be there and they should have won that game and been a finals team and that just gets all UCLA people excited to say, ‘Look, this is kind of where we want to be and we want to be in the mix of playing for a chance to win a championship.’ ”

What’s your prediction for Tuesday?

“I think it’s going to be a close game, but I feel like we have a little revenge to get. “

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2000s: Lorenzo Mata

UCLA's Lorenzo Mata reacts after a win over California on March 8, 2008.

Bio: A fan favorite known for his hard-nosed play, Mata was part of three Final Four teams before embarking on a lengthy professional career.

What did it feel like watching the Gonzaga game?

“I was going down memory lane of that game that we played against Gonzaga [in the 2006 NCAA tournament, a 73-71 UCLA victory] and I was like, oh, man, it’s turning out to be like exactly the same game. It came down to the wire; in the game that we played somebody did a full-court pass to J.P. Batista and he caught it and he did like a little turnaround jumper that went off the glass and it was a little long. In this case, Jalen Suggs made a ridiculous shot.”

What was your favorite moment?

“Everybody at the place where I was at, it was all Mexicans and every time Jaime [Jaquez Jr.] scored, we were all cheering and there was a moment where before the game started, like me and six of my close friends, were like, ‘All, right, every game basket that Jaimito scores, we’ve got to do something like down an adult beverage or something like that.’ ”

Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs celebrates after making the winning basket in overtime against UCLA.

What was your reaction when Jalen Suggs’ shot went in?

“It sucks to lose that way, but I think that was the only way that Gonzaga was going to beat UCLA that night.”

What did that game mean for the program?

“We’ve always known that UCLA is a basketball school and those times where Ben Howland got let go and Steve Alford came in, there were some up-and-down years, so people that stuck with the program and stuck with the team know how hard it is to get not only to a Final Four but to get a good seed in the NCAA tournament and this team resembled a lot of the teams I was a part of.”

What’s your prediction for Tuesday?

“If it all goes how I think it should go, I think UCLA should win by like 12 or 15. They’re going to have that grudge from that last Final Four and they want to show they’re the better team.”

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2010s: Thomas Welsh

UCLA center Thomas Welsh celebrates during a game against USC on Feb. 18, 2017.

Bio: After twice reaching the NCAA tournament regional semifinals while at UCLA, Welsh was selected in the second round of the NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets. He appeared in 11 NBA games before commencing a career overseas and now plays for the New Taipei Kings of the Taiwan P League+.

What did it feel like watching the Gonzaga game?

“Just watching that game, it epitomized all the good things in college basketball and just an incredible display of competition as well. I think it surmises what college basketball is all about.”

What was your reaction when Jalen Suggs’ shot went in?

“I remember I was at a loss of words just watching it live. I didn’t know what to think, I didn’t know what to feel, I think it was just a hollowing moment and obviously kudos to him for making that shot, but it was hard to watch as a Bruin fan.”

UCLA guards Johnny Juzang, front, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. walk off the court after losing in overtime to Gonzaga.

What did the game mean to the program?

“I think it’s a revitalization of the program — I think there are a lot of pieces that are coming together at the right time, a lot of talented young prospects are circling UCLA as the place they want to be and obviously the team is unbelievably talented this season as well. I think that season, for me and I’m sure for a lot of my fellow alumni and fellow UCLA fans, was just kind of refreshing to see, I think, the Bruins back where we should be.”

What’s your prediction for Tuesday?

“I think Myles Johnson will be more than able to hold his own in the game, so I think that will be the deciding factor, how well we’re able to contain those two big guys [Gonzaga’s Drew Timme and Chet Holmgren] because as far as we’re concerned, you know what we’re going to get from our backcourt — I think the players will come in firing and I think that after losing a game as pivotal as last season’s was, I think it without a doubt just lit a fire under their butts. I think in a game like this where it’s two heavyweights, I think the team that wants it more is going to be the team that takes it and I think we’re going to want it more going into this game.”