Dec. 4, 2009

Box Score

BOZEMAN, Mont. - For the second straight game the Gonzaga University women's basketball team used a huge second half to break open a tight contest and ultimately take a 87-72 victory over Montana State University Friday evening at Worthington Arena in Bozeman, Mont. The Bulldogs had four players finish in double-digits points, including senior Heather Bowman who scored a season-high 24 points, to improve their record to 6-2 on the season. The Zags gave the Bobcats only their second loss of the season as Montana State is now 5-2 overall.

Gonzaga ran out to a quick 6-0 lead less than a minute into the contest as Bowman scored back-to-back buckets followed by a nice shot by classmate Vivian Frieson. Like its last contest, it seemed Gonzaga was going to run away with the game but Montana State seemed to frazzle the Bulldogs and took its first lead of the contest at 16-14 on a jumper by Erica Perry at the 12:39.

The Bobcats would push their lead to four at 20-16 but the Bulldogs finally calmed down and battled back to tie the game at 22-22 after back-to-back scores by Frieson. The Seattle native was fouled on her jumper that tied the game at 22-22 and after a media timeout she sank her free throw to convert an old fashion 3-point play and give the Zags back the lead at 7:26.

The Bulldogs continued to increase their lead, pushing it into double digits at 37-27 with 2:24 remaining in the half. Bowman converted her own old fashion 3-point play to put the score at 34-27 and, after Vandersloot stole the ball from the Bobcats, Shives followed with another 3-point play after being fouled on a the fast break layup.

Montana State outscored Gonzaga 7-2 down the stretch to cut Gonzaga's halftime lead to five at 39-34.

Bowman was dominant in the opening 20 minutes for GU, scoring 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the floor and 3-of-3 accuracy at the free throw line. Sophomore Katelan Redmon added eight and Frieson chipped in seven as the Bulldogs finished the half shooting 50.0 percent (16-of-32) from the field and a perfect 7-of-7 from the charity stripe.

It didn't take long for Gonzaga to break open the game in the second half as it built a 16 point lead just seven minutes into the final 20 at 54-38. The Bobcats only scored four points in the first seven minutes and had just nine points with 10 minutes remaining as the Bulldogs increased their lead to 23 at 63-40 after a jumper by Redmon.

Montana State was able to get within 14 points of Gonzaga's lead with 4:45 left in the contest after a quick 5-0 spurt but it couldn't get any closer than that as the Bulldogs again pushed their lead to 21 with a 12-5 run capped off by Frieson sinking one-of-two free throws at the 1:28 mark.

Sophomore Kayla Standish was on fire in the second half, scoring all of her 18 points as she went 6-for-11 from the floor, including 1-of-1 on 3-pointers and 5-of-5 on free throws. Frieson was also dominant scoring 11 of her 18 points in the final 20.

As a team Gonzaga shot a sizzling 53.3 percent (32-of-60) from the field and an impressive 91.7 percent (22-of-24) at the free throw line. The lone sub-par shooting outing was from beyond the 3-point arc as the Zags were just 1-of-6 (16.7 percent). The Bulldogs once again held the huge rebounding advantage at 40-27 and had the 14-8 edge in steals.

Besides Bowman, who hit 7-of-10 from the field and 10-of-11 of her free throws, Gonzaga was led by Frieson and Standish's 18 points and the first double-double of Redmon's Zag career as she poured in 16 points and grabbed 10 boards.

Junior Courtney Vandersloot had eight assists, six steals, six rebounds and four points for another well rounded contest.

The Bobcats were led by Katie Bussey who hit five three points and closed out the game with 21 points.

Gonzaga returns to the McCarthey Athletic Center to host Cal State Northridge on Sunday, Dec. 6. Game time is set for 2 p.m.