Jan. 6, 2005

Box Score

SPOKANE, Wash. - Playing against a team that averaged nearly 10 3-pointers per game entering the night, it was the Gonzaga University Bulldogs who used the 3-point basket to their advantage during a 85-50 win over Santa Clara University to open West Coast Conference play at the McCarthey Athletic Center. The Bulldogs (12-2, 1-0 WCC) buried 13-of-21 from behind the arc to finish one 3-pointer shy of matching the school record as they connected for 62 percent for the game. Santa Clara finished just 6-of-22 from long distance to fall to 6-8, 0-1 in the WCC.

Raeanna Jewell led the Bulldogs shooting parade as the senior guard hit 5-of-6 from behind the 3-point arc to score a career high 19 points. Jewell was 2-for-2 in the first half as Gonzaga built a 41-27 halftime lead. In second twenty minutes she sparked the offense a 13-point outburst during the midway point of the half that turned a 13 point Gonzaga lead into a 66-36 Gonzaga advantage with 10:06 remaining.

Jewell was not the only Gonzaga player to benefit from the long ball as five other players joined in the action, Shannon Mathews knocked down 3-for-5 to finish second on the team while Rachel Kane was 2-for-3.

"We put together a full game on both ends of the court," said head coach Kelly Graves as he moved to within one win of tying for the most wins by a Gonzaga coach. "It was a great way to start the conference play. We did a good job on defense as were able to shut down a Santa Clara team that was on a little bit of roll entering league play."

The defense did indeed show up again as the Bulldogs limited the WCC's top scoring offense to 26 percent shooting for the night. Kasey Monteith and Quinn Thomas each scored 11 points to lead Santa Clara with Thomas also pulling down a game-high 11 rebounds. Gonzaga owned the battle of the boards with a 46-39 margin despite allowing 15 Bronco offensive rebounds.

Mathews finished with the Bulldogs first double-double of the season passing out a career-high 12 assists to go along with 11 points. Gonzaga was once again efficient on offense scoring 34 baskets off of 31 assists. Ashley Burke's 14 and Anne Bailey's 10 rounded out the Gonzaga high scorers.

The Bulldogs return to action on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. when they host Saint Mary's College at the McCarthey Athletic Center. The Gaels are coming off an 83-55 win at Portland to open WCC play. The game can heard on the radio in the Spokane area on KGA 1510 AM.