Newell, a projected first-round NBA draft pick, proved UGA’s lone bright spot, scoring 20 points on 6-of-8 shooting while pulling down a team-high eight rebounds in what was surely his last game with the Bulldogs.
Georgia committed five turnovers and missed five shots before Newell put his team on the scoreboard on Thursday.
The Bulldogs, for all their success in Coach Mike White’s third year at the helm, looked very much out of their element under the bright lights of the Big Dance.
Georgia (20-13) went toe-to-toe with some of the nation’s top teams throughout the season, knocking off conference champs from the SEC (Florida), Big East (St. John’s) and WAC (Grand Canyon).
But Gonzaga (26-8), winning its opening round game for the 16th consecutive time as it played in its 26th consecutive NCAA tournament, looked and played like a team that knew it belonged.
Khalif Battle led four Zags scorers in double figures with 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting.
The Zags hit 11 of their first 14 shots out of the gate as their lead mounted, up 27-3 at the 11:43 mark, with 15 of their points coming off 7 Georgia turnovers.
The Bulldogs managed a brief run before the half when a Somto Cyril dunk triggered a 7-0 burst capped by a pair of Silas Demary Jr. free throws that cut the Gonzaga lead to 37-23, but it was far too little, and already too late.
By the time Newell provided the final points of the first half — on a highlight-worthy leaping, spinning drive — the scoreboard still reflected a comfortable 48-27 Gonzaga lead.
The stats told the story at intermission, with the Zags connecting on 8 of 11 shots beyond the 3-point arc, while UGA was just 1-of-13 shooting the 3-ball.
Georgia’s defense managed to turn over Gonzaga seven times through the first 20 minutes, but the Bulldogs had committed 10 themselves, unable to move the ball effectively.
Teams leading by 20 or more points at halftime in previous NCAA tournaments were 191-0 all-time, and the Zags made sure to extend that to 192 wins.
Georgia couldn’t get any closer than 16 points in the second half, when Blue Cain hit his second 3-pointer of the second half to make it 64-48 with 12:24 left.
Gonzaga advances to face Midwest Region No. 1-seed Houston — a 78-40 winner of SIU-Edwardsville — on Saturday looking for what would be its 10th consecutive Sweet 16 appearance.
MORE TO COME
Gonzaga guard Nolan Hickman (11) looks at Georgia forward Asa Newell (14) as he lies injured on the court during the first half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Wichita, Kan. The Bulldogs lost 89-68. (AP Photo/Travis Heying)
