Feb. 9, 2008

Box Score

MALIBU, Calif. - The Gonzaga University women's basketball team bounced back from its first West Coast Conference loss to defeat host Pepperdine University, 92-85, Saturday afternoon at the Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, Calif. The Bulldogs improved to 17-7 overall with the win and are now 8-1 in conference action, while the Waves dropped to 6-17 on the season and 1-9 in the WCC.

Gonzaga went into the locker room with the slight 44-42 edge on the strength of freshman Courtney Vandersloot and senior Michelle Elliott. Vandersloot, the Zags starting point guard, finished the half hitting 4-of-6 from the field, including sinking 1-of-2 three-pointers, for nine total points. Vandersloot also had a hand in six other baskets for the Bulldogs, made two steals and grabbed two rebounds.

Elliott, who did not put up a three-pointer in GU's loss to Loyola Marymount, Feb. 7, closed out the first stanza hitting 3-of-6 from behind the three-point arc and adding 1-of-2 from the charity stripe for a team-eading 10 points.

Pepperdine was able to stay with Gonzaga in the first half due largely in part by Miranda Ayim and Teiosha George who combined for 27 of the Waves 42 first half points. Aym scored 17 points for the Waves, hitting an incredible 8-of-9 from the floor and a perfect 1-of-1 at the free throw line, while Teiosha George added 10 points.

The game stayed close in early minutes of the second half until the Bulldogs broke open a 55-55 tie with a 10-0 run to take their then-largest lead of the contest with 9:24 left. The Waves never got closer than four points of the lead after Zag push.

Gonzaga secured the seven-point victory by hitting 8-of-10 free throws over the final 1:01 of the contest.

All five starters closed out the game in double-figures for Gonzaga. Vandersloot led the way scoring a career-high and team-leading 20 points. Vandersloot also dished out seven assists, had five steals and three rebounds in the victory. Sophomore Heather Bowman and Elliott registered 14 points apiece, while junior Jami Bjorklund and sophomore Vivian Frieson chipped in 10 each.

The Bulldogs finished the game shooting 51.4% (35-68) from the floor, including 29.4% (5-17) on three-pointers, and was 70.8% (17-24) at the charity stripe.

Daphanie Kennedy Ayim and George all paced Pepperdine. Kennedy scored a game-high 28 points, hitting 8-of-15 from the floor, including 1-of-7 on three-pointers, and was a perfect 11-of-11 from the charity stripe. Ayim also scored 20-plus points for the Waves, finishing with 23, while George posted 18.

Pepperdine shot 55.9% (33-59) from the field and was a perfect 16-of-16 at the free throw line.

Gonzaga will close out its home-portion of West Coast Conference action next week when it welcomes both the University of San Francisco and the University of San Diego to the McCarthey Athletic Center. The Bulldogs will start the week off by hosting the Dons of USF on Thursday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. and then welcomes the Toreros of USD on Saturday, Feb.16 at 2 p.m.