SPOKANE, Wash. --- The Gonzaga Bulldogs pulled away from the Portland Pilots on Thursday night to claim a 75-36 win in a West Coast Conference women's basketball game at the McCarthey Athletic Center. The win allows the first-place Bulldogs to stay perfect in the WCC.
 
The Pilots claimed the first four points of the game and used a stifling defense to hold the Zags without a field goal during the opening three-and-a-half minutes. The Bulldogs finally found their offense, but so did Kate Andersen who had a pair of buckets during the opening frame to keep the Pilots within 11-8.
 
Darian Slaga connected on a shot to open the second quarter, and Lisa Kaempf followed with a baseline jumper to allow the Pilots to hang around. Portland was still within six points when Andersen converted a lay-up with 4:42 left in the half, but that's when the Bulldogs embarked on a sizable run to give them a 37-18 lead at the break.
 
The Bulldogs' lead would grow in the third quarter, and they would cruise to the win from there.
 
Slaga finished with 10 points to lead the Pilots (4-16, 0-9 WCC), while Andersen and Kaempf each added six. Portland was solid on the glass, and Andersen, Slaga, Sara Zaragoza, and Ashley Gray each corralled five boards on the night. Julie Spencer collected a team-best six rebounds.
 
Jill Barta led three Bulldogs (16-4, 9-0 WCC) in double figures with 21 points, and she helped the Zags shoot 48 percent on the night. Gonzaga also held a slight 44-43 edge in rebounds, and the Bulldogs turned 19 Portland turnovers into 27 points.
 
The Pilots next return to The Bluff to host Saint Mary's on Saturday, with tip-off set for 2 p.m. at the Chiles Center.