Drew Timme on Gonzaga-UCLA Final Four rematch: 'We gotta match their intensity ... if not, they're gonna kick our butts'

This is Drew Timme's third consecutive trip to the Sweet 16 and it has been a different challenge every year.

In 2021, The Zags were the No. 1 overall seed and undefeated heading into the NCAA tournament. Future NBA lottery pick Jalen Suggs was the steady floor general and Timme, a sophomore, had a breakout season, averaging 19 points and 7 rebounds per game. The point-forward combo was one of the best duos in college basketball. Head coach Mark Few and Gonzaga ran into one of the hottest teams in the tournament, No. 11 UCLA, in the Final Four. It was a battle from start to finish, and it went into overtime. With the game tied in the final seconds of OT, Suggs took the inbound pass, dribbled three times and threw up a shot right over halfcourt. The ball went through the hoop as time expired, sending Gonzaga to the championship game and UCLA home in a crushing loss.

Nearly two years later, the two teams will square off again in the Sweet 16 in the West region Thursday night in Las Vegas: No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 3 Gonzaga.

"We’re two totally different teams with similar pieces on both sides," Timme told Yahoo Sports. "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."

UCLA's Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tyger Campbell were both on the UCLA team in the Final Four loss two years ago and Timme is very familiar with both of them.

"I’m really comfortable with [their] game," Timme said. "This is our third matchup and we’ve played against each other in high school numerous times as well. It’s just one of those things where we all know each other so well and it’ll be fun to play against each other again on the biggest stage in college basketball."

Jaquez had a phenomenal season and was named the 2023 Pac-12 Player of the Year, averaging 17.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists this season. He's the glue guy for this UCLA team and is instrumental in the team's success this year.

This year's Gonzaga team is different than the others the past two seasons. The Zags have had one-and-done, NBA draft lottery talent with Suggs and Chet Holmgren in the past two consecutive seasons. Timme's role on the team this year has expanded without any star power but he's just as excited to be playing with this group.

"We earned the right to be here," Timme said. "While there is pressure, we worked hard to be in this position. We’ve overcome a lot to get here and that’s what makes it so special [this time around]."

This will be the third time UCLA and Gonzaga have faced one another in the past two years. The Zags are 2-0 in that span and beat UCLA by 20 points in November 2021. UCLA has a dangerous combination of experience with Campbell, Jaquez and David Singleton, and young talented freshman Amari Bailey and Adem Bona.

Gonzaga's team is full of upperclassmen who have been in Few's system for three or more years. Timme, Julian Strawther and Anton Watson have all clicked and found their chemistry at the right time, combining for 47 points and 29 rebounds in the 84-81 win over TCU to get to the Sweet 16.

"When it’s tournament time, it’s all basketball," Timme said. "We all lock in. It’s the highest intensity that you can get and that’s what makes it so much more fun. You have to lock in as a team and the teams that are connected during this part of the season do really well and we're locked in."