Dec. 3, 2005

Box Score

RENO, Nev. - Three Gonzaga University players scored in double figures on Saturday evening as the Bulldogs (3-5) won the Nugget Classic with a 69-48 win over the University of Northern Colorado (4-3). The win marked the first in-season tournament win for the GU program since they moved to the NCAA Division I level in 1986.

Gonzaga set the tone for the game in the first two minutes as Anne Bailey helped the Bulldogs jump out to a 9-1 lead. Bailey connected for a pair of jumpers and a 3-pointer to score7 of Gonzaga's first 9 points. The senior forward would go on to score 14 points as she earned All-Tournament honors.

The Bulldogs continued to apply the pressure increasing the lead to 15 at the 9:37 mark when Elaina Renius completed a 3-point play. A lay-up by Katie Prichard with 4:14 left in the first gave the Bulldogs their biggest lead of the game with a 32-9 advantage.

Jabrenta Hubbard helped the Bears cut into the lead knocking down a 3-pointer and converting a steal into a lay-up with 1:27 left in the half. Hubbard finished with 10 for UNC. Gonzaga would close out the half with a 36-20 lead after shooting 56 percent from the field including 4-for-4 from 3-point range.

Prichard converted on another driving lay-up a minute and half into the second half to once again increase the Bulldogs lead to 23. Northern Colorado continued to fight to get back into the contest cutting the GU lead to 11 at the 11:02 mark as Heather Barbour hit a pair of free throws. Barbour would finish hitting 7-of-8 from the line to lead UNC with 15 points.

Katy Ridenour answered Barbour's free throws with a 3-pointer on the other end and Jami Bjorklund capped the game with her third 3-pointer of the night to close a 10-2 Gonzaga run. Gonzaga finished the game hitting 7-of-8 from long range while the Bears were limited to only 8-for-26 from 3-point land. Bjorklund and Ridenour joined Bailey as GU double figure scorers with Bjorklund scoring 12 and Ridenour 11.

Stephanie Hawk was named the tournament MVP with an 8 point, 6 rebound effort. Hawk scored a career-high 28 during Friday night's opening round win over Northwestern State University.

The Bulldogs continue on their road trip with a Monday night game at Sacramento State University before returning to Spokane. Gonzaga will then play at No. 25 University of Utah next Saturday before hosting the University of Montana on Sunday, Dec. 18 at the McCarthey Athletic Center.