March 13, 1999
SEATTLE (AP) - Stanford, which has one of the biggest front lines in collegebasketball, was cut down to size by one of the smallest players in the NCAAtournament.
Matt Santangelo scored 22 points as Gonzaga upset the second-seeded Cardinal82-74 Saturday in the second round of the NCAA West Regional.
Quentin Hall, the smallest player on the floor at 5-foot-8, scored all 12 ofhis points in the second half and also had eight rebounds for 10th-seededGonzaga, a Spokane school that is best known for producing John Stockton andBing Crosby.
"What a great feeling," said Santangelo, who was recruited by Stanfordwhile in high school in Portland, Ore. "I think we wanted it more than theydid."
Stanford, which reached the Final Four last season, was the last of fourPac-10 teams to be eliminated from this year's tournament. Arizona, Washingtonand UCLA all lost in the first round.
"We're all very disappointed," Stanford coach Mike Montgomery said. "Butfor one game Gonzaga was better today and that's what this tournament is allabout."
The Bulldogs hit 10 of 12 free throws in the final minute before theirhomestate crowd. Stanford led only once - at 1-0 - although the Cardinal foughtback to tie the score at 49.
"They hit tough shots for the whole game," Stanford's Arthur Lee said."We couldn't find a weakness in their lineup."
Hall, a senior point guard from the Bahamas, hit the biggest shot of the daywhen he sank a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 3:29 left to give Gonzagaa 66-57 lead.
"I didn't like that shot, but I liked who took it," Gonzaga coach DanMonson said. "I think Quentin is the best competitor we've ever had in my 11years at Gonzaga."
Said Hall: "Normally, coach Monson doesn't like me to take that shot. "Buthe knows I will go for the kill and I did. Thankfully, it went in."
Richie Frahm had 15 points and Casey Calvery 10 for Gonzaga (27-6).
Lee led Stanford (26-7) with 24 points. Kris Weems had 18 points and MarkMadsen added 15 points and 14 rebounds for the Cardinal, who won the Pac-10championship this season.
Although Stanford's front line averages 6-foot-9, Gonzaga outrebounded theCardinal 47-33. Gonzaga also had an edge in 3-point shooting, sinking 11-of-20compared to Stanford's 5-of-11.
"They just have tremendous heart," Madsen said. "They might not be theheaviest inside guys, but they all have a lot of heart and that goes a longway."
Monson, who is considered the leading candidate for the vacant WashingtonState job, used 10 players and nine of them scored.
Mike Nilson played a key role for Gonzaga off the bench. With Gonzaga ahead63-57, he stole the ball from David Moseley with 4:28 to go. He also blocked ashot by Weems with 3:53 left and threw a full-court inbounds pass that Frahmturned into a layup for a 72-62 lead with 1:09 remaining.
Trailing 34-30 at halftime, Stanford came back to tie the score at 49 on adunk and two free throws by Madsen.
But Gonzaga, the West Coast Conference champion, then went on a 7-1 run totake a 56-49 lead. Mark Spink hit a free throw and Jeremy Eaton sank a baselinejumper for the Bulldogs before Stanford's Tim Young made a free throw.
Eaton followed with a fastbreak layup and Nilson made two free throws with7:45 left to push Gonzaga's lead to 56-50.
Gonzaga led 61-57 after Weems sank three free throws for Stanford with 5:04remaining. Frahm hit two free throws before Nilson's two strong defensive playsand Hall's key 3-pointer.
By JIM COUR
AP Sports Writer