Recap and highlights: Rasir Bolton catches fire in final minutes to lead Gonzaga past San Francisco 77-75
SAN FRANCISCO — Gonzaga played the second half like it was only a matter of time before it would capture the lead.
It took until the final 8 seconds, but senior Rasir Bolton played hero.
The Bulldogs cut a 12-point halftime deficit to one possession eight times and tied the score twice in the final minutes, before Bolton grabbed an offensive rebound and made the winning layup to beat San Francisco 77-75 at War Memorial Gym on Thursday.
Bolton, who scored 11 of his team-high 22 points in the final 5 minutes, gave Gonzaga its first lead since the opening basket.
The ninth-ranked Bulldogs (13-3, 2-0 West Coast) trailed by six with 6 minutes left before Bolton scored the Zags’ next nine points with three 3-pointers.
He cut the lead to two points and got a steal on the other end, before passing to Nolan Hickman for a game-tying breakaway layup.
Former Washington State guard Tyrell Roberts recaptured the lead for the Dons (11-7, 0-3) with a layup, leading to a Gonzaga timeout with 1:10 remaining.
Anton Watson took a gather step past Khalil Shabazz on the baseline for a dunk through contact with 56 seconds left. He missed the go-ahead free throw.
Drew Timme, who scored 11 points on 3-of-16 shooting from the floor, missed the potential winner in the paint, allowing Bolton – one of the shortest players on the court – to rise for the rebound and make the winner.
GU continues road play Saturday at Santa Clara.
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First half
15:31 – USF 13, GU 8: Hot start for the Dons, who open 3 of 6 on 3-pointers to take the early lead at the U16 media timeout.
Former WSU guard Roberts leads with five points. Strawther and Bolton both made a 3-pointer for GU.
10:21 – USF 23, GU 20: Dons hanging onto the lead at the U12 media timeout. Seven different scorers for USF, led by Roberts and Meeks at five points.
Similar stats for Gonzaga, which has seven scorers led by Strawther’s five. Both teams shooting 47% from the field.
7:19 – USF 33, GU 24: Foul on Bolton at the U8 media timeout, as the Dons extend their lead on a 3-pointer from Shabazz.
Timme just 1 of 6 from the field.
5:17 – USF 38, GU 26: Few calls a timeout as the Zags have gone cold from the field without a basket in the last 3:33 minutes.
San Francisco builds its largest lead of the game at 12 points.
3:34 – USF 38, GU 30: Strawther makes a layup to pull the lead back to eight at the U4 media timeout.
0:35 – USF 44, GU 36: Timme gets a layup to go in the post and USF calls a timeout.
Timme up to 10 points on 3 of 9 shooting and four free throws. Dons being led by Shabazz, who has a game-high 15 with four 3-pointers.
Halftime
Hawthorne follows a miss and makes a layup in the closing seconds to give San Francisco a 46-36 halftime lead over visiting Gonzaga.
The Dons shot 50% from the field and make 8 of 14 3-pointers, led by Shabazz’s 15 points, to build a double digit lead at halftime. USF is yet to win a West Coast Conference game and came out firing against the Bulldogs, who haven’t found the same offensive rhythm they had against Pepperdine last Saturday.
The Bulldogs shot 40% from the field and made 4 of 13 3-pointers. GU was dominated on the glass, being outrebounded 26-11.
Second half
15:59 – USF 51, GU 49: Gonzaga goes on an 11-1 run early in the second half to cut the Dons lead to two.
Strawther up to a team-high 12 points as he and Watson have five apiece in the half.
11:32 – USF 57, GU 55: Watson makes a layup to bring the Zags back within two points at the U12 media timeout.
Gonzaga is in control this half, but yet to retake the lead.
9:26 – USF 59, GU 55: Markovetskyy gets a floater to drop over Timme and the Dons call for a timeout.
4:17 – USF 71, GU 65: Kunen makes a 3-pointer for the Dons and Gonzaga calls for a timeout.
USF 10 of 21 on 3-pointers in the game, looking to close out the Zags down the stretch.
2:24 – USF 75, GU 73: Gonzaga briefly tied the score, but Roberts gives the Dons the lead back.
1:10 – USF 75, GU 73: Zags call a timeout with possession.
0:00 – GU 77: USF 75: Bolton makes a put-back layup in the final seconds to give the Zags the win.
Starting 5
Pregame
Gonzaga is hoping to continue its seven-game win streak into the new year.
The ninth-ranked Bulldogs (12-3, 1-0 West Coast) take on San Francisco tonight at War Memorial Gym. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. on ESPN2.
It will be Gonzaga’s first of three consecutive road conference games, after beating Pepperdine 111-88 in its WCC opener last Saturday.
The Dons (11-6, 0-2) have had a shaky start to conference play, losing at Santa Clara 79-67 and at home to San Diego 80-68 last week. A third straight loss tonight would mark a disappointing start for USF, which were ranked third in the preseason poll and qualified for the NCAA Tournament last season.
USF beat then-No. 25 Arizona State 97-60 in nonconference on Dec. 21. Gonzaga hasn’t lost since a one-point defeat to Baylor on Dec. 2.
The Dons will honor basketball icon Bill Russell tonight, who starred at USF from 1953-56, winning the national title twice. Russell died at age 88 in July.
Series history
Gonzaga holds 24 consecutive victories over San Francisco, last losing on Feb. 18, 2012. The Zags hold a 68-22 advantage in the series.
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