THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Another thriller for Zags, another heartbreak for UCLA

Mick Cronin has watched the tape countless times.

But the UCLA coach always hits pause before he’d have to watch Jalen Suggs hit that overtime winner from near half court in the Final Four two years ago.

“I’ve watched the game a lot of times,” Cronin said before Thursday night’s Sweet 16 rematch with Gonzaga.

“I stop it with 3.3 seconds every time.

“What am I … a masochist?”

Sorry, Mick.

Now you’ve got another nightmare tape to stop a heartbeat from the finish.

The shorthanded Bruins had rallied from 10 points down to take a 76-75 lead on a 3-pointer by Amari Bailey with 12.2 seconds remaining — seemingly shocking the Zags with a slap of payback.

Everyone in Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Center no doubt expected Gonzaga — who let UCLA back in the game with a series of absurd fouls, turnovers and missed foul shots — to try and let Drew Timme (36 points) rescue the whole mess by taking the last shot.

But …

Heads up, Mick.

Here comes another moment you’ll have to kill on the ol’ tape machine.

Hunter Sallis brought the ball upcourt, tossed it to Julian Strawther, set a screen and watched — along with everyone else — as Vegas native Strawther launched home a 3-pointer from the edge of the midcourt logo.

Cue pandemonium.

Cue the Bruins staring into space.

Cue Cronin to wonder how this keeps happening.

IN TRUTH, this was just about as wacky a game as its stunning conclusion.

Gonzaga was atrocious in the first half, committing nine of its ultimate 16 turnovers, failing to guard a soul and falling behind 46-33.

It felt like the deficit should have been worse, except that Timme scored 19 of his 36 points before the break to keep the Zags from being run halfway to the Bellagio.

Then things flipped.

With all due respect to Gonzaga’s second-half rise from the dead, though, UCLA was gassed.

The Bruins were missing center Adem Bona (Pac-12 freshman of the year) and guard Jaylen Clark (Pac-12 defensive player of the year).

That didn’t seem to matter in the first half, as Tyger Campbell, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and their pals kept going behind screens, then cutting straight to the basket.

The result was easy lay-ups or short jumpers that grade school kids could hit.

Meanwhile, the Zags were dribbling the ball off their feet and finding even new ways to hand the thing back to UCLA.

Gonzaga committed those nine turnovers in the first half, and UCLA just one.

One.

That pretty much tells the story of a hideous half.

By the way, even though the Zags had rallied from 10 points or more behind to win six times this season, their biggest deficit in a victory was 12.

That 13-point halftime advantage should have given the Bruins a decent head start, but with such a short bench, their fuel began running out.

GONZAGA zoomed back into things right away after the break, with Timme rattling in 10 more, and you could see UCLA beginning to tire.

To be fair to the Zags, they also must have gotten a lesson from Mark Few about handling screens at halftime – because all those easy buckets dried up with defenders in proper positions.

The Bruins went 11 1/2 minutes without a field goal and Gonzaga took command.

Ah, but what fun would it be to just enjoy the work of Timme and Malachi Smith — a huge presence in the second half — plus a furious effort on the offensive glass to roll ahead 72-62 with barely two minutes remaining?

You know, just smile and deliver a lot of high-fives.

Oh, no.

Too easy.

The Zags suddenly reverted to their ham-handed possessions from early in the game.

They weren’t too bright, either — twice fouling Jaquez on made layups to draw the Bruins closer.

Eventually, it came down to Timme proving he was mortal by missing two free throws, keeping UCLA within two points.

Then set the stage for Bailey, who came open as the Zags swarmed Campbell and Jaquez.

Swish.

Disaster loomed, but …

Strawther wasn’t bothered, hitting almost the same straightaway 3-ball that beat BYU in the final seconds.

“This is my town,” he announced, putting the cap on one of the wildest games the Zags will ever play.

Let alone win.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”