The stylistic shift that helped transform Gonzaga from perennial contender into upset-proof machine wasn’t necessarily designed to deflate inferior opponents — but on Saturday night in Portland, that’s exactly what it did.
It exhausted ninth-seeded Memphis, who once led by 12 in the second half of a second-round NCAA men's tournament game.
It weighed down legs, and hastened breathing, and dragged weary hands to knees as the Zags roared back to victory.
“That’s something that meant a lot to the guys,” Gonzaga strength and conditioning coach Travis Knight said of Memphis’ fatigue.