April 5 (UPI) — The undefeated Gonzaga Bulldogs and the second-seeded Baylor Bears will square off Monday in the NCAA men’s basketball national championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Much like the 2019 tournament, a first-time champion will be crowned. Virginia beat Texas Tech in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the 2020 tournament to be canceled.
Gonzaga, which is appearing in the title game for the first time since 2017, advanced to Monday’s final with an overtime win over UCLA on Saturday night. In a game that featured 19 lead changes, star guard Jalen Suggs sank a half-court shot at the buzzer to cement the Bulldogs’ place in the final.
In the Zags’ pursuit of their first title in program history, the team also is seeking the first undefeated season since 1976, when the Indiana Hoosiers went unbeaten.
Baylor, the tournament’s No. 2 overall seed, hasn’t appeared in the men’s final since 1948, when it lost to Kentucky. Before this year, the school’s last Final Four appearance came in 1950.
The Bears (27-2) have rolled through the tournament, winning all five games by nine points or more. They reached the title game following their dominant 78-59 victory over No. 2 seed Houston on Saturday.