Nov. 26, 2004

Final Stats

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The Gonzaga University Bulldogs used a 23-0 run during the middle of the first half to blowout Providence College in the opening game of the Airport University Inn Thanksgiving Classic at The Pit in Albuquerque. The Bulldogs (2-0) held the Friars (0-3) to only 18 shot attempts in the first-half as Gonzaga rolled to the 85-38 victory.

Trailing 6-5 at the 17:35 mark, Anne Bailey put back in a missed Friars shot and the Bulldogs were off and running. The Gonzaga defense would force 10 turnovers and hold Providence to three shot clock violations as they scored 10 of their 23 points on lay-ups off of defensive steals. Dominique Harris would pick up her two steals during the nine-minute run and convert for six points.

Providence finally scored again at the 8:26 mark when Albuquerque native Shauna Synder ended the Bulldogs run with a lay-in. Synder would score 15 points to lead Providence but she did it on a 6-for-22 shooting night as Gonzaga's defense limited the Friars to 30 percent shooting for the contest.

"We played some really good defense tonight," said GU head coach Kelly Graves. "Our defensive effort really carried us in the early portion of the game and I think it was the difference in the contest."

Gonzaga scored 37 points off of 24 Providence turnovers, the Bulldogs picking up 13 steals. Gonzaga also dominated play in the paint outscoring Providence 46-18 in the low block.

The Bulldogs front court of Ashley Burke, Ashley Anderson and Anne Bailey combined to score 32 points while substitutes Delphine Lecoultre, Stephanie Hawk and Elaina Renius chipped in with 16 points and 42-minutes played.

"Our depth in the front court was a real difference tonight as we were able to run several players at Providence and just wear down their big kids," Graves added on the minutes spread around by the entire GU team. "I think it also says a lot about our team that our players have not been selfish and have played within our system to help us win games."

After holding a 41-14 halftime lead, Gonzaga opened the second half with a 13-4 run just to show that they had no intention of playing soft with the big halftime cushion. Anderson sparked the Bulldogs run scoring six of her 11 points over the first four minutes of the second period. Anderson was one of four Gonzaga players to reach double-digits. Bailey and Raeanna Jewell also added 11 points while Burke finished with 10.

The Bulldogs will face either the University of New Mexico or the University of Missouri in Saturday night's championship game at 8 p.m. (MST).