Recap and highlights: No. 1 Gonzaga moves to 4-0 in WCC with win at LMU
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LOS ANGELES – Filip Petrusev scored 16 points, Corey Kispert added 15 and the No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs breezed past Loyola Marymount 87-62 at Gersten Pavilion on Saturday.
With the win, Gonzaga is now 4-0 in WCC play with three of the wins coming on the road.
LMU’s Eli Scott led all scorers with 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting in 36 minutes.
The Zags took control late in the first half when they used a 10-1 run, behind six points from Petrusev, to expand their lead to 14.
Drew Timme had a productive game for GU off the bench. The freshman forward grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds and scored 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting.
Gonzaga shot 52.5% and held LMU to 38.6% from the field. The Zags advantage inside – powered by Petrusev, Timme and Killian Tillie – helped GU outrebound the Lions, 41-23, and dominate scoring in the paint, 44-26.
Ryan Woolridge had 13 points for Gonzaga (18-1, 4-0) and Admon Gilder chipped in 12. The senior guards combined to make three 3-pointers for the Zags, who went 8 of 22 from deep, but made 6 of 12 3s in the second half.
Tillie finished with eight points, six rebounds and four assists.
Ivan Alipiev was the only other LMU (7-10, 1-2) scorer in double digits. He had 11 points.
Gonzaga freshman Anton Watson had to leave the game in the first half when he landed awkwardly on his side after making a layup through a foul. He has dealt with a left shoulder injury nearly all season.
Stadium / YouTube
First half
15:51 – Gonzaga 6, LMU 2: Slow start in Los Angeles as there have been more turnovers than made baskets.
Gonzaga is 3-of-5 shooting and has turned the ball over twice. Loyola Marymount has made 1 of 5 shots and has turned it over three times.
Corey Kispert got the Zags on the board first, Joel Ayayi added a layup and Filip Petrusev threw down a dunk to put GU up 6-0.
Erik Johansson has LMU’s two points.
11:27 – Gonzaga 12, LMU 6: Coery Kispert leads GU with four points as the early shooting woes continue for the Zags and Lions.
Gonzaga has made 46.2% of its shots, but has gone 0 of 3 from 3-point range.
LMU is 3-of-12 shooting and has turned the ball over five times.
7:24 – Gonzaga 19, LMU 12: Both teams continue to struggle shooting as the Zags lead by 7.
Neither team has hit a 3-pointer yet. Gonzaga is 0 of 8 from 3, LMU is 0 of 7.
Corey Kispert, Joel Ayayi and Drew Timme each have four points to pace GU.
Gonzaga freshman forward Anton Watson had to leave the game after he landed hard after making a layup. Watson has battled injuries all season, most notably an injured left shoulder.
3:42 – Gonzaga 30, LMU 17: Gonzaga has made of 4 of its last 5 field goal attempts, including a 3-pointer, to stretch the lead to 13.
Admon Gilder stepped into a 3 at the top of the key for the games first make from beyond the arc.
Filip Petrusev keyed the Zags’ run by scoring five straight points for GU and he has a game-high eight. Seven Bulldogs have scored.
Halftime
Half – Gonzaga 38, LMU 22: Filip Petrusev and Drew Timme each have eight points for GU and the Zags lead the Lions.
Timme, a freshman forward, has come off the bench to go 3-of-4 shooting and pull down a game-high five rebounds.
Petrusev scored six points during a 10-1 run by the Zags that stretched their lead from 5 to 14 with about five minutes left in the half.
Eli Scott leads LMU with seven points. The Lions are 9-of-26 shooting and have made just 1 of 9 3-point attempts.
Admon Gilder and Ryan Woolridge have each added six points for Gonzaga. Gilder has made both of the Bulldogs’ 3s as GU is just 2 of 10 from distance.
Gonzaga rode a 6-0 run into halftime thanks to its defense. The Lions didn’t score in the last 2:30 of the half and missed their final four shots.
Second half
15:49 – Gonzaga 43, LMU 29: Slow start to the the secon half for Gonzaga as they have three turnovers and just one made basket in the first four minutes.
Ryan Woolridge made a 3 for GU and he is up to a team-high nine points.
Eli Scott has nine points to lead LMU.
11:59 – Gonzaga 50, LMU 34: Ryan Woolridge is up to 11 points to lead all scorers as the Zags continue to hold a double-digit lead in Los Angeles.
Corey Kispert is up to eight points for GU after he connected on his first 3-pointer of the game during a quick 5-0 Zags’ run heading into the timeout.
Loyola Marymount has not scored in over 2:30.
6:41 – Gonzaga 67, LMU 46: Zags take a 6-0 run into the under-8 timeout and now lead by 21.
Coery Kispert leads the Bulldogs with 15 points. Ryan Woolridge has 13 and Admon Gilder, Drew Timme and Filip Petrusev each have 10.
Eli Scott has a game-high 18 points for LMU, which has not scored in over 2 minutes.
The Zags have made 6 of their last 7 shots and are now shooting 58.8% in the half.
Starting 5
