Jan. 19, 2006

Box Score

SPOKANE, Wash. - Freshman guard Sasha Polishchuck came off the bench to score 21 points on Thursday evening as the Gonzaga University Bulldogs improved to 6-1 at home this season with a 81-66 win over the University of San Diego (6-11, 1-3 WCC). Polishchuck was 5-of-6 from the field and 9-of-10 from the free throw line as Gonzaga moved into a tie for second place in the West Coast Conference standings with a 3-2 record, 8-12 overall.

Gonzaga dominated play from the opening tip scoring the game's first seven points including a 3-pointer by Jami Bjorklund. San Diego would climb back into the game knotting the score three times over the first six minutes of the contest. Tiara Harris hit a jumper with 13:52 left in the first to give the Toreros their final tie of the game at 11-11. Ashley Anderson hit a pair of free throws and Polishchuck followed with the first of two 3-pointers as Gonzaga slowly pulled away for a five point lead.

Brandi Collato drained a 3-pointer with 12:50 left to pull USD within two points, but freshman Maria Hassett responded with two baskets in the paint and Gonzaga ran into halftime with a 43-28 lead. Anderson was a force down low for the Bulldogs with 16 points in the first half. She would finish with a team-high 22 while collecting 10 rebounds for her fourth double-double in the first five WCC games. Harris was the top Torero in the first 20 minutes with 9 of her game-high 23 in the half.

The Bulldogs continued to keep USD at an arms length in the second half as the Toreros made several charges cutting the Bulldogs lead to single digits five times. The closest San Diego would get would be within seven points at the 8:55 mark when Amanda Rego hit a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 60-53. Gonzaga was up the challenge with each San Diego charge countering with a run of its own. Hassett and Polishchuck keyed the last GU run with Hassett scoring four more points and Polishchuck hitting two jumpers.

"Sasha played a great game for us tonight," GU head coach Kelly Graves said. "She hit some big shots and really controlled the pace of our offense. She made a few freshman mistakes near the end, but overall it was one of her best efforts this year."

Stephanie Hawk rounded out the Bulldogs top scorers with 15 while Hassett added 8. Rego finished with 13 points and center Sabine Loewe posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Gonzaga hosts the University of San Francisco on Saturday night at 7 p.m. The Dons picked up a three point win at the University of Portland on Thursday.