Blake Stepp and Ronny Turiaf combined for 58 of Gonzaga’s 70 points Friday, leading the ‘Zags (14-5/5-0) to a 70-67 win over Portland (8-10/1-4). The Bulldogs registered their 14th straight win over the Pilots in the closest final margin since Portland’s last win in the series - a 76-68 Pilot win in the championship of the 1996 WCC tourney.

Karl Aaker’s game-tying 3-point attempt from beyond half court was wide right at the buzzer, ending Portland’s upset bid.

Stepp led all scorers with 31 points, while Turiaf scored 27 points and had 10 rebounds off the bench. Portland’s Dustin Geddis had 19 points and nine rebounds, while Casey Frandsen added 16, and Adam Quick 13.

The Bulldogs had a 65-54 lead with 4:11 left, but the Pilots went on a 10-2 run to close within 67-64 at 55 seconds left in the game on a Frandsen 3-pointer. Cory Violette answered with a jumper 30 seconds later, and Winston Brooks hit a free throw for a 70-64 Gonzaga lead with 10 seconds left.

Adam Quick nailed a pressure 3-pointer on Portland’s next possession, and after Gonzaga’s Josh Reisman missed two free throws, the Pilots got the rebound and called timeout. The ball was inbounded to Aaker, who dribbled twice near midcourt and launched a shot which would have tied the game and sent the teams to overtime.

Portland, which came into the game as the WCC’s leading free throw shooting team at 75%, was just 8-of-19 at the free throw line Friday, and was outrebounded 45-29.

Led by Stepp’s 22 first-half points - and 15 from Turiaf - the Bulldogs took a 44-37 lead on the Pilots. Stepp alone was 7-of-12 on 3-pointers, leading the ‘Zags to a 51.9% first-half shooting mark. The Pilots were 15-of-33 from the field but just 1-of-3 at the free throw line, perhaps a sign of what was to come in the second half. After spotting Gonzaga a 39-24 lead with less than five minutes remaining in the first half, the Pilots responded with a 13-5 run to close within 44-37 at the break.

While holding Gonzaga to just seven second-half field goals, the Pilots were only 7-of-16 at the free throw line in the second 20 minutes.

Geddis finished the game 8-of-13 from the field for Portland, and also had two assists, a pair of blocks and a steal before fouling out. Donald Wilson struggled through a 3-of-12 night from the field, but penetrated easily on the ‘Zags.