Box Score
LAS VEGAS, Nev. --- The 20th-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs overcame an early deficit to defeat the Portland Pilots 96-71 in a semifinal game at the 2011 West Coast Conference Basketball Championships at the Orleans Arena on Sunday. The top-seeded Bulldogs (27-4) advance to the tourney’s final, while the No. 4 Pilots end the season at 16-15.
The Pilots started off strong as junior Nakeisha Brown hit a three and freshman Amy Pupa converted a lay-up to give Portland an early 5-2 advantage. Pupa then made a tough left-handed shot off the glass moments later that made it 7-6 four minutes into the game.
But it was all Gonzaga after that as the Bulldogs scored 12 unanswered points after trailing by one. The run would grow, allowing the Bulldogs to take a 44-21 lead into the half-time locker room.
It was more of the same in the second half as the Bulldogs had an answer for everything the Pilots did. UP was able to score 50 points after the break, but the Pilots were never closer than 22 points.
Portland junior ReZina TecleMariam, who scored a career-high 28 points during UP’s quarterfinal win over Santa Clara on Saturday, led the Pilots with 14 points. Junior Natalie Day added 13, while sophomore Sarah Kliewer came off the Portland bench to score 12.
Kliewer hit five of seven shots, and connected on a pair of three-pointers.
The Pilots shot 54.5 percent in the second half after going a little cold from the field during the first 20 minutes. They shot 43.1 percent (22-for-58) overall, hit 10 three’s and went 11-for-15 at the line.
The Bulldogs shot a sizzling 56.9 percent (41-for-72), which is easily a season-high for a Portland opponent. GU also added five three-pointers, while going 9-for-14 at the stripe.
WCC Player of the Year Courtney Vandersloot was methodical, finishing with 16 points and 14 assists to lead the Zags. Kayla Standish seemingly couldn’t miss, hitting 10 of 13 shots on the day for a game-high 23 points. Janelle Bekkering (17), Katelan Redmon (12) and Claire Raap (10) also reached double figures in scoring.
The Bulldogs took advantage of their size advantage over Portland, claiming a 42-26 edge in rebounds and a 50-28 advantage in points in the paint. GU also had just 10 turnovers, while turning 17 UP miscues into 18 points.
Gonzaga next advances to the WCC Final, which is set for Monday at 12:00 p.m. GU will play the winner between San Diego and Saint Mary’s, who squared off in the day’s other semifinal.
