March Madness: Drew Timme Reveals How Gonzaga Can Beat UCLA

(Photo : Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) DENVER, COLORADO - MARCH 19: Drew Timme #2 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts as he comes out of the game during the second half against the TCU Horned Frogs in the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Ball Arena on March 19, 2023 in Denver, Colorado.

Gonzaga Bulldogs star Drew Timme knows exactly what they need to do to beat no. 2 UCLA Bruins when they meet in the Sweet 16 of the March Madness on Thursday.

The Bruins are obviously favored to win the contest being the higher seeded team over the no. 3 Bulldogs. UCLA's defense is also top-notch, which could very well make it hard for the top-rated offense of Gonzaga.

Despite that, Timme is not losing confidence about his team and their chances to make it to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament. In a recent interview with CBS Sports, the 22-year-old big man believes they can match up to UCLA's physicality.

"We're a group of fighters. One thing UCLA's going to do, is they're going to fight, and they're going to play hard and physical. We do that as well, so as long as we can just match that and surpass their energy and their effort, I think we'll be more than fine," Timme said.

Drew Timme Feeling Confident with Gonzaga Basketball

Sure enough, the matchup with UCLA will be difficult for Drew Timme and the Bulldogs. It could very well end up to be a low-scoring affair given the defenses that both teams possess.

If there is one thing that the Bulldogs can be happy about, though, it's the fact that Timme is playing really well in the NCAA Tournament so far. In the two games they have played to reach Sweet 16, Timme has already scored a combined 49 points on top of 14 rebounds.

Timme is certainly not feeling the pressure of going against UCLA, adding that it'll definitely be a "fun" game considering the pieces that both teams have.

"We're two totally different teams with similar pieces on both sides. They're a really good team. They're physical, they play their style, they're blue-collar, hard-nosed guys and we have to match their intensity because if not, they're going to kick our butts. It'll be a fun matchup for sure and I'm excited for it," Timme said in a different interview, via Yahoo Sports.