Field Level Media
Jan 21, 2022
Chet Holmgren scored a career-best 22 points and added nine rebounds and four blocked shots and top-ranked Gonzaga notched its 62nd consecutive home victory by beating San Francisco 78-62 in Spokane, Wash., on Thursday night.
Drew Timme scored 18 of his team-high 23 points in the second half as the Bulldogs (15-2, 4-0 West Coast) won their eighth consecutive game. Anton Watson had 11 points and Andrew Nembhard registered 10 points, seven assists and three steals as Gonzaga beat the Dons for the 22nd straight time.
Jamaree Bouyea recorded 25 points and eight rebounds for San Francisco (15-4, 2-2), which lost its second straight game. Khalil Shabazz had 15 points for the Dons.
Gonzaga shot 46.7 percent, although just 5 of 18 (27.8 percent) from 3-point range. San Francisco made just 36.1 percent of its shots, 6 of 21 (28.6 percent) from behind the arc.
The Bulldogs won their first three WCC games by an average of 30.7 points while scoring 114 per game. But they were in a battle with the Dons until pulling away early in the second half.
Bouyea connected on a 3-pointer to tie the game at 38 just 47 seconds into the second half.
But Gonzaga picked up the pace and scored 18 of the next 20 points -- including 12 straight -- to open a 56-40 advantage with 10:38 remaining.
San Francisco was within 64-54 after Shabazz hit a 3-pointer with 5:41 left. But the Bulldogs responded with a 12-2 push and increased their lead to 20 on Timme's basket with 1:43 remaining en route to closing out the win.
Holmgren scored 12 points as the Bulldogs led 36-33 at the break.
The Dons started fast and led 15-4 after Bouyea's 3-pointer seven minutes into the contest.
Gonzaga responded with a 17-2 spurt and took a 21-17 lead on Holmgren's two free throws with 9:07 left.
The Bulldogs led 36-30 when Holmgren drained a 3-pointer with 1:17 left. But Bouyea knocked down a trey with 42 seconds to go as San Francisco trailed by three at halftime.
--Field Level Media