PORTLAND, Ore. – The No. 5 Gonzaga Bulldogs used a 23-1 advantage in second chance points to pull away from Portland for an 89-66 win in front of a sellout crowd of 4,852 Saturday night at the Chiles Center.
Sophomore guard Marcus Shaver Jr. continue his stellar play of late for Portland and finished with a team-high 18 points. Sophomore guard JoJo Walker added 11 points and a season-high 11 assists, while sophomore forward Jacob Tryon chipped in 10 points off the bench. Freshman big man Hugh Hogland also provided a boost off the bench with eight points and six rebounds.
Shaver Jr. is averaging 21.3 points over the last three games and shooting 52 percent from the field and three-point range during West Coast Conference play.
The Bulldogs (18-2, 5-0 WCC) extended their winning streak to nine games and have now won 26 consecutive conference road games. Rui Hachimura led a balanced attack with 17 points and nine rebounds as seven Gonzaga players were in double figures.
The Pilots (7-13, 0-5) came out strong to start and led 6-5 after a Shaver Jr. three-pointer. Gonzaga pushed to a double digit lead on a three-point play from Hachimura at 25-15 and carried a 41-26 lead into the half.
Portland pulled within 48-36 on another Shaver Jr. three early in the second half. Gonzaga did not lead by more than 20 until the final three minutes of regulation.
Gonzaga shot 50 percent overall and Portland finished at 48 percent from the field, but the difference came in the rebounding department. The Bulldogs gained a 41-22 edge on the boards, which translated into a 22-point edge in second chance points. Gonzaga attempted 20 more field goals in the game.
The Pilots will continue WCC play with a pair of road games next week. Portland and San Francisco meet on Thursday at 7 p.m., before the Pilots visit Pacific on Saturday at 1 p.m.