Box Score
SPOKANE, Wash. --- The No. 13 Gonzaga Bulldogs rode a big first half to a 76-49 victory over the Portland Pilots in West Coast Conference men’s basketball action Thursday night at the McCarthey Athletic Center. Before a sellout crowd of 6,000 and a national television audience on ESPN2, the Pilots had their four-game win streak snapped.
The Bulldogs (18-4, 7-1) remain tied for first place in the WCC standings with the win, while the Pilots (14-8, 5-3) have now dropped 14 consecutive games to Gonzaga.
Senior forward Robin Smeulders led the Pilots with 12 points, while senior forward Ethan Niedermeyer added 11 points.
The Bulldogs gained control of the game with a 20-2 run midway through the first half to turn 15-15 tie into a double digit margin. Gonzaga scored 22 points in the paint in the first half and had a 22-10 rebounding advantage for the period. The Pilots, meanwhile shot just 9-for-24 from the field which led to a 41-21 deficit at the break.
Gonzaga continued to apply the pressure to open the second half with a putback by Elias Harris on their first possession and then forced a Pilot turnover which led to a transition Demetri Goodson layup on the next play. The Bulldogs would lead by as much as 31 points late in the second period.
Portland entered the game with the lowest turnovers per game average in the league (10.4) and committed a program low four turnovers in the first meeting with the Bulldogs earlier this year. But Thursday saw Portland commit 16 turnovers.
Senior guard Matt Bouldin led the Bulldogs with a game-high 20 points, while Goodson added 12 and Harris 10.
Portland shot 36 percent from the field for the game and was 5-for-21 from the three-point line. Gonzaga finished at an even 50 percent shooting and 7-for-18 from the three-point line. Gonzaga gained a 40-30 rebounding margin and 40-18 edge in points in the paint. The 49 points for Portland was the team’s second lowest total of the season.
The Pilots entered the game 4-0 without injured leading scorer Nik Raivio (Achilles’ strain), but the Pilots missed Raivio’s 14.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game more than ever on Thursday.
The Pilots will return for a two-game homestand next week. Portland hosts San Diego on Thursday at 8 p.m. on ESPNU and then Saint Mary’s on Saturday at 6 p.m. on ESPN2. Tickets are still available for both games through Ticketmaster or at the Pilot Box Office (503-943-7525).
