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Gonzaga Basketball

GU-Pepperdine: 3 keys’ to Bulldogs’ 96-49 win

Pepperdine forward Chris Reyes, left, and Gonzaga guard Silas Melson vie for a rebound during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017, in Malibu, Calif. Gonzaga won 96-49. (Ringo H.W. Chiu / Associated Press)

The No. 3 Gonzaga Bulldogs defeated the Pepperdine Waves 96-49 on Saturday at the Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, California. Here are the three keys to the Zags’ win:

Key moment

There wasn’t much drama in this one as Gonzaga took command early, but a 23-6 burst gave Gonzaga a 21-point lead with 7 minutes left in the first half. Zach Collins scored seven points in the run.

Offensive player of the game

Przemek Karnowski scored at will early with three field goals in the first 4-plus minutes. The big man finished with a team-high 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting in just 19 minutes. He added two assists.

Defensive player of the game

Nigel Williams-Goss, Jordan Mathews and Silas Melson took turns defending Lamond Murray Jr. and held the WCC’s leading scorer to just 12 points. Melson did a solid job of contesting several of Murray’s shots.