Feb. 18, 2006

Box Score

SPOKANE, Wash. - The Gonzaga University Bulldogs (14-13, 9-3 WCC) climbed above .500 for the first time this season and remained one game out of first place in the West Coast Conference standings following a 55-38 win over Pepperdine University (10-15, 7-5 WCC) on Saturday night. Gonzaga honored its four seniors prior to the game and the Bulldogs will play their final two regular-season WCC games on the road before hosting the league tournament on March 2-5.

Gonzaga raced out to an 8-0 lead over the first four minutes of the game as Ashley Anderson hit a pair of jumpers and Juliann Laney made a driving lay-up. After Pepperdine tied the game at 9-9 on a Jasmane Clarendon free throw both teams went cold from the floor for the next several minutes. Gonzaga was able to heat up in the final 3:46 of the half to shoot 39 percent for the half and lead 24-13 at the break. Anderson and Stephanie Hawk each had 8 at the half for GU. Jessica Ross had four to lead Pepperdine.

The Bulldogs extended their lead to 14 points two minutes into the second half on a jumper by Hawk. The junior would lead all players with 18 points while pulling in 12 rebounds for her second straight double-double. Pepperdine climbed back to within five points at the 14:02 mark as Teiosha George converted a lay-up. That would be the closest the Waves would get in the second half as they shot only 22 percent for the game and 15 percent from 3-point range. George and Clarendon led Pepperdine with 8 points. Clarendon also pulled down 10 rebounds with 8 coming in the first half.

Hawk helped push the GU lead back to 11 points with just over 10 minutes remaining and the Bulldogs continued to work the ball in down low all evening. Anderson collected her sixth double-double of the WCC season with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Fellow seniors Juliann Laney and Anne Bailey had 5 and 4 points respectively. Katie Prichard, Gonzaga's fourth senior, played 13 minutes finishing with two assists.

Gonzaga will travel to the University of San Diego on Thursday night and the University of San Francisco on Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs are tied with Loyola Marymount for second place in the WCC standings, one game behind Santa Clara University. SCU finishes the season with road games at LMU and Pepperdine. The brackets for the WCC Tournament will be released on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 26. All session passes are on sale for the women's WCC Tournament through the GU Ticket Office at (509) 323-6000. Single session tickets for the women's WCC Tournament will go on sale on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at the GU Ticket Office and all TicketsWest outlets.