Field Level Media
Jan 19, 2020
Killian Tillie recorded 22 points and 10 rebounds as No. 1 Gonzaga beat BYU 92-69 on Saturday night in Spokane, Wash., to set a West Coast Conference record with its 33rd consecutive regular-season conference win.
Corey Kispert added 19 points, and Joel Ayayi chipped in with 14 points, six rebounds, six assists and four steals for the Bulldogs (20-1, 6-0 WCC). Gonzaga has won 34 straight home games.
TJ Haws led the Cougars (14-6, 3-2) with 17 points. Jake Toolson added 16 points for BYU. The Cougars played without leading scorer and rebounder Yoeli Childs, who was out with a finger injury.
The win might have been costly as Gonzaga's leading scorer, Filip Petrusev, left the game with 15:03 to go after turning his right ankle while trying to block a shot along the baseline. Gonzaga led 45-38 when Petrusev was helped off the court and went straight into the locker room.
"We're hoping it's just one of those sprains," coach Mark Few told ESPN. "He's a big, tough Serbian kid. We'll see."
Gonzaga doesn't play again until next Saturday against Pacific.
Despite losing Petrusev, the Bulldogs rallied and quickly opened a double-digit lead. Drew Timme's layup and two free throws by Admon Gilder gave Gonzaga a 52-40 advantage.
Haws kept the Cougars close, scoring eight straight, and BYU trailed by just 11 at 66-55 with 8:02 left.
The Bulldogs answered with nine straight to put the game out of reach.
The first half belonged to Tillie, who scored 14 points and grabbed five rebounds as Gonzaga took a 38-31 lead at halftime.
The Cougars started play Saturday as the fourth-best 3-point shooting team in the nation at 40.7 percent, but struggled against the bigger Zags. BYU didn't make a 3 until Zac Seljaas connected with 1:15 left in the first half to pull the Cougars within 36-27.
BYU was ice-cold from long range (1-for-8) in the first half. The Cougars finished the game 6-for-20.
BYU scored in the paint early and often to keep the game close. But Gonzaga's size started to take control, and with eight offensive rebounds, the Zags held a 21-14 advantage on the glass in the first 20 minutes.
For the game, Gonzaga outrebounded the Cougars, 37-21.
--Field Level Media