Jan. 13, 2011

Box Score

MALIBU, Calif. - Junior Kayla Standish scored a career-high 27 points and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds to lead the Gonzaga University women's basketball team to a 80-61 victory over Pepperdine University at Firestone Fieldhouse Thursday evening in Malibu, Calif. The Bulldogs improved their record to 14-4 overall and are now 2-0 in West Coast Conference play with the 19-point victory. The Waves fell to 10-6 overall with the setback and are 1-2 in league play.

Standish drained 11-of-16 from the field and sank all four free throws to finish with her new career-high, besting her previous by two. Standish's previous high was 25 points, attained against the University of North Dakota last season.

The Bulldogs hit their first seven field goals of the contest, including the first four buckets of the game, to capture the early 15-4 advantage. All five starters scored in the opening run, with senior Courtney Vandersloot also assisting on four of the field goals.

The Bulldogs continued to roll, finishing the half shooting an outstanding 70.0 percent from the floor, hitting 21-of-30, for their 45-21 intermission edge. The Zags, who used a 14-2 run midway through the half to push their lead to 29-11, scored 10 of the final 11 points in the half to hold their 24-point advantage.

Standish led the charge with 16 points, hitting seven of her 10 field goal attempts. Standish was also two rebounds shy of a double-double with eight. Classmate Katelan Redmon added 12 points, sinking 6-of-7 from the floor, and added six rebounds.

Gonzaga's only fault in the opening 20 minutes was its nine turnovers, which accounted for eight of the Waves 21 points.

Pepperdine was 23.5 percent from the floor, sinking 8-of-34. Jazmine Jackson led the Waves with eight points.

The Waves had a strong push early in the second half, dipping the Zags lead below 20 points for a few possessions, the final, before the final Waves basket was scored with seven seconds left, came after a jumper by Katie Menton put GU's lead at 53-34.

Gonzaga would regroup though and strung together a 20-5 outburst to gain the 34-point advantage with 7:55 left in the contest. Vandersloot was the catalyst for the Zags, scoring 10 of their 20 points.

Gonzaga's largest lead of the contest was 35 points at 76-41 after sophomore Meghan Winters drained a 3-pointer at the 6:52 mark.

Standish registered her sixth double-double of the season and her fifth in six games with her season-tying high 12 rebounds. Vandersloot added 18 points, 12 of which came in the second half, and dished off seven assists. Redmon was the final Zag in double-digits, finishing with 16.

The Bulldogs closed out the game shooting 60.3 percent (35-of-68) from the field. They held the 44-31 rebounding advantage and scored 18 points of the fast break.

Pepperdine was led by Jackson with 18 points. Syke Barnett added a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Waves finished the game hitting 35.3 percent (24-of-68) from the field and forced Gonzaga to turn the ball over 21 times.

The Zags close out their opening three-game WCC roadswing at Loyola Marymount University Saturday. Game time is set for 2 p.m.