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Spokane, Wash. – Proving their top five ranking nationally is legit, No. 3 Gonzaga tripped up the Broncos in Spokane on Wednesday night, winning 85-42. Santa Clara travels to Portland for a Sat., Feb. 23 contest at 2 pm on Time Warner Cable.
Santa Clara is 19-9 and 7-6 in the WCC. Gonzaga is 26-2 and 13-0 in the WCC. Santa Clara's 42 points were the fewest under head coach Kerry Keating since they scored 45 at Saint Mary's on Jan. 1, 2008.
Santa Clara was led by Brandon Clark's 14 points off the bench. Marc Trasolini scored eight and leading scorer Kevin Foster had four, going 0-5 from beyond the arc. Yannick Atanga scored six rebounds. Evan Roquemore had four rebounds and two points with one assist.
Santa Clara shot 30.2 percent from the field (16-53), including 23.5 percent from beyond the arc (4-17). They hit 60.0 percent of their free throws (6-10). The Broncos collected 22 rebounds, four assists, eight steals, two blocks and had 12 turnovers.
Gonzaga shot 56.9 percent from the field (33-58), including 41.2 percent from beyond the arc (7-17). They hit 70.6 percent of their free throws (12-17). The Bulldogs collected 45 rebounds, 15 assists, eight steals, three blocks and had 10 turnovers.
Gonzaga was led by three scorers in double figures. Elias Harris scored 17 with nine boards. Kelly Olynyk had 14 with seven boards. Sam Dower scored 11 off the bench. David Stockton scored nine with four assists. Mike Hart had six points and seven boards.
Trading possessions, Foster scored from six feet out to start the game at 19:00. The Zags then started a 15-0 run by answering twice inside with Harris scoring a couple of free throws at 17:56. Pangos added a three at 16:19 and later Olynyk added to the tally inside at 15:15.
B. Clark crushed a three from the top of the key at 12:50 to stop the run with the Bulldogs leading 15-5.
Harris started a new run, this one a 7-0 offensive rally, by putting it in under the basket at 11:31. Pangos scored from way out to put the Bulldogs up 20-5 at 9:30. Przemek Karnowski dumped one over Trasolini for two and Keating whistled for a quick 30 with Gonzaga leading 22-5 at 8:58.
Trasolini scored over Olynyk at 8:37 to stop the run. On the next Bronco possession Olynyk stole the ball from Foster at half-court and dunked it at 8:01. Foster scored on the next play at 6:47, but Harris answered at 6:05 to put the Zags up 26-9.
Harris scored a couple more free throws at 5:34. Olynyk scored three straight baskets inside before John McArthur scored under the basket on a nice dish from Roquemore. Mike Hart crushed a three and then Harris scored an and one as Foster picked up his third foul at 2:09, 40-11 Zags.
B. Clark scored a pair of free throws at 1:57 before Harris drove through traffic and dished it in inside for a score. Trasolini scored inside with 21 seconds left. Stockton's drive in the lane resulted in a bucket to put Gonzaga up 44-15 at the half.
In the first half B. Clark led the Broncos with five points. Yannick Atanga and Roquemore both grabbed three rebounds. Harris had 15 for Gonzaga and Olynyk added 12 with six boards.
In the first half Santa Clara shot 21.4 percent from the field (6 of 28), including 11.1 percent from beyond the arc (1 of 9). They hit 100.0 percent of their free throws (2 of 2). The Broncos collected 10 rebounds, two assists, three steals, one block and had six turnovers. Gonzaga shot 60.0 percent from the field (18 of 30), including 33.3 percent from beyond the arc (3 of 9). They hit 83.3 percent of their free throws (5 of 6). The Bulldogs collected 25 rebounds, seven assists, three steals, two blocks and had five turnovers.
Trasolini started the second half with a dunk at 19:42. Harris responded seconds later inside and then Olynyk dunked it to a roaring crowd at 16:52. Roquemore quieted the crowd going inside for two at 16:00. Hart scored from the top of the key at 14:24 and then stole the ball which resulted in a Sam Dower dunk, 55-19 Gonzaga. Dower scored an and one at 13:08 and the Zags lead was 39, 58-19.
Trasolini battled inside to score at 12:19. Bell Jr. hit a three from far out and B. Clark responded with his own at 11:29. After another Gonzaga basket, SCU called for time down 63-24 at 11:16.
Stockton tallied his own 5-0 run with a three and then a steal which resulted on a fast break basket inside. Cowels III stole the ball from Stockton and hit his own three, 68-28 Zags at 8:38. Kyle Draginis scored the Bulldogs 70th point at 8:14.
J. Clarke hit a three at 6:25 to push it to 75-32 Gonzaga. B. Clark scored his 10th point of the game by going in hard inside at 5:37. B. Clark scored a pair of free throws at 4:14, 77-36 Gonzaga.
The teams closed out the final minutes with Gonzaga winning 85-42.
Game Notes
Kevin Foster started his 115th career game. He is second all-time and needs to start tw0 more games to break the school record set by Brian Jones (116, 1996-01). Playing in his 123rd career game, Foster is now No. 6 in career games played.
Raymond Cowels III and Marc Trasolini played in their 127th career game. They need to play in two more games to break the school record set by Ben Dowdell (128, 2007-11). Trasolini is tied for seventh all-time with 99 career starts (Steve Kenilvort (1982-86).