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Gonzaga University scored 16 of the game’s final 18 points on Sunday afternoon as the Bulldogs (7-10, 2-0 WCC) extended their West Coast Conference regular-season win streak to 19 games with a 56-42 win over Saint Mary’s College (6-9, 1-1). Gonzaga improved to 5-1 at home this year as 1,312 fans watched the Bulldogs sweep the opening weekend of WCC play for the second straight season at the McCarthey Athletic Center.
Jontelle Smith converted on one of two free throws with 6:39 remaining in the game to knot the score at 40-40. Senior Katie Prichard would drain a 3-pointer from the top of the key on the Bulldogs next possession and Gonzaga would run off the next 14 points secure the win. Serena Benavente hit a jumper with 1:52 left in the game to end the Saint Mary’s drought but that would be final points for the Gaels. Jami Bjorklund had six of her nine points during the late Gonzaga run.
Both teams struggled from the floor in the first half with Saint Mary’s shooting 41 percent and Gonzaga 23 as the Gaels pulled away for a 22-19 half time lead. Maija Lahde had all 10 of her team-high points in the first half for SMC including a driving lay-up with 2:09 that gave the Gaels a 20-19 advantage. Saint Mary’s would miss all six free throw opportunities and was only 4-for-19 from the charity stripe for the game.
Gonzaga held close in the first half on the back of senior Ashley Anderson who scored 13 of the Bulldogs 19 first half points. Anderson was 4-of-6 from the field while the remainder of the GU team was 2-for-20. Anderson also hit 5-of-6 from the free throw line.
The Bulldogs continue to ride Anderson down low in the second half as she finished with a game-high 21 points and 12 rebounds to collect her second straight double-double. She was 8-of-13 from the field for the game. The Bulldogs as a team also warmed up in the second half shooting 40 percent. Stephanie Hawk chipped in with 13 points and 8 rebounds as Gonzaga played its second straight game without Anne Bailey who missed the weekend series due to an illness. Following Bjorklund’s nine points, no other Bulldog scored more than three.
Gonzaga will hit the road next weekend with games in the Los Angeles area against Pepperdine University and Loyola Marymount University. The Bulldogs tip off against Pepperdine on Thursday night at 7 p.m. and play at LMU on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. LMU and Gonzaga were preseason favorites to win the regular-season WCC title and both will enter the week as the league’s only remaining unbeaten teams at 2-0.