Box Score
SPOKANE, Wash. --- The Gonzaga Bulldogs led big at the half and never looked back en route to a 90-54 win over the Portland Pilots in the West Coast Conference women’s basketball opener for both teams on Saturday at the McCarthey Center. Portland senior Laiken Dollente, who ranks third all-time in career scoring at UP, led the Pilots with 17 points.
Portland (11-5, 0-1 WCC) scored the first two points of the game and led 11-10 after Dollente drilled a three-pointer 7:30 in. But GU (12-4, 1-0 WCC) responded with a three by Courtney Vandersloot that gave a lead to the Bulldogs that they would never relinquish.
UP was still within seven points moments later, but Gonzaga ended the half on a 22-8 run to enter the locker room with a 42-21 lead.
Portland junior Jessica Clemens hit all three of her shots in the first half and connected on two free throws for a team-high eight points after 20 minutes.
Following the break, UP briefly pulled within 18 points after a three by junior Tara Cronin. But Gonzaga responded once again as the Pilots never got closer than 20 the rest of the way.
Dollente, who ranks fifth in the country in free throw accuracy, hit all six of her free throws, while nailing three three-pointers.
Clemens was the only other Pilot to score in double figures with 10 points. Cronin had eight points, while junior Lauren Angel finished with seven.
Gonzaga senior Heather Bowman led all scorers with 23 points. Courtney Vandersloot, the nation’s leader in assists, finished with nine dimes to go along with 18 points. Vivian Frieson and Katelan Redmon both netted 14 points for Gonzaga, which shot 46.7 percent (35-for-75) from the floor.
The Pilots shot 34.6 percent (18-for-52) from the field, hit seven trey’s and went 11 of 12 from the line. UP entered the game as the fifth best free throw shooting team in the country.
The Pilots hurt themselves with a season-high 29 turnovers, which led to 35 GU points. The Bulldogs also owned the paint, posting a 44-35 edge in rebounds and a sizable 52-12 advantage in points in the paint. The Bulldogs were also effective in transition as they outscored the Pilots 18-0 in fast break points.
UP could muster just five points off of 15 Gonzaga turnovers, while the Bulldogs finished with seven three-pointers and went 16 of 22 from the line.
The Pilots next return to the Chiles Center for their first home game in more than three weeks. On Thursday, the San Diego Toreros visit for a 7:00 p.m. WCC game, while on Saturday the Pilots welcome the Saint Mary’s Gaels for a 2:00 p.m. tilt.
