Gonzaga, UCLA headline teams coming to Portland for NCAA Tournament

Chet Holmgren and Gonzaga are the top-seed in the NCAA Tournament and being their run this week at Moda Center (AP Images)

The Gonzaga Bulldogs are the top overall seed in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, and they will begin their run at a hopeful return to the championship game this week at Moda Center in Portland.

The Zags are the West Region’s top-seed, and face 16-seed Georgia State in the opening round on Thursday.

Also representing the West Region among the Portland visitors is 8-seed Boise State, the regular season and tournament champions out of the Mountain West Conference. The Broncos will face 9-seed Memphis, runners-up in the American Conference tournament, led by head coach Penny Hardaway.

In the East Region, the 4-seed UCLA Bruins are coming to the Rose City and will face 13-seed Akron on Thursday at Moda Center.

Rounding out the Portland field is St. Mary’s out of the WCC. The Gaels are the 5-seed in the East Region and will face the 12-seed play-in winner between Wyoming and Indiana, who meet on Tuesday.

The full schedule for Thursday’s first-round action in Portland on March 17th:

West Region: (8) Boise State vs (9) Memphis – 10:45 a.m. (TNT)

West Region: (1) Gonzaga vs (16) Georgia State – 1:15 p.m. (TNT)

East Region: (5) Saint Mary’s vs (12) Wyoming/Indiana – 4:20pm (TBS)

East Region: (4) UCLA vs (13) Akron – 6:50pm (TBS)