Box Score

Jan. 10, 2004

SPOKANE, Wash. - Junior Shannon Mathews led the Gonzaga University women's basketball team with 15 points as the Bulldogs went 2-0 in West Coast Conference play with a 16-point victory over Loyola Marymount University, 70-54, on Saturday evening in The Kennel.

Gonzaga (9-6, 2-0 WCC) was led by Mathews' 15 points, with junior Raeanna Jewell following closely behind with 13 and sophomore Ashley Anderson with 12. Mathews and junior Ashley Burke each had seven boards for the defensive front.

The Lions (9-5, 0-1 WCC) played their first conference game with two players in double figures. Mary Turner led the team with 13 points, while Kate Murray followed with 12.

The first half was shared between the teams, exchanging the lead a handful of times. Jewell's three-pointer with 16:17 gave Gonzaga momentum to grab the lead and extend it to five points. However, the lead would switch to Loyola Marymount's with a three-pointer by Self with 7:59 and the Lions would take the lead into the second half with a three-point advantage, 29-26.

The Bulldogs were able to outrebound LMU, 18-14, but had trouble keeping the ball as they turned the ball over 12 times, compared to the Lions' eight. Gonzaga shot 36 percent (9-for-25), while LMU shot 44.4 percent (12-for-27).

The second half started out slow with the teams again playing tug-of-war with the scoreboard. Each team had held the lead twice by 14:06, until Anderson's layup put the Bulldogs ahead by two, 37-35. Gonzaga would keep the lead for the remainder of the game.

The Bulldogs went on a 23-7 run to establish a 16-point lead at 58-42 with 5:57 left on the clock. Gonzaga increased its lead to as much as 18, but a layup at the buzzer by LMU's Jasmin Matthews reduced the lead to the final score of 70-54.

The Bulldogs drastically improved their shooting percentage in the second half to 57.1 percent, for a 47.2 percentage overall. The Lions ended with 38.5 percent (20-for-52). Gonzaga owned the boards with 39 compared to LMU's 26.

Burke joined the top ten scorers in the Bulldogs' program history as she moved into the 10th spot with 941 career points.

Gonzaga goes on the road to face WCC foe University of San Francisco on Jan. 15 at 7 p.m.