Final Stats

ST. THOMAS, U.S.V.I. - Jill Barta had her first double-double of the season with 18 points and 12 rebounds. It marked a career high in rebounds and was her fifth career double-double as Gonzaga defeated Winthrop 71-41 in the Paradise Jam on Saturday night. Barta averaged 21.6 points in the tournament.

Kiara Kudron scored 11 points, tying her season high, and added seven rebounds, and Elle Tinkle got off to a great start and scored 10 points with six rebounds, her season high in boards. Jessie Loera kept the Zags charging in the second half with a career-high 11 points, making three threes. Grace Collett was the only one of 10 Gonzaga players that did not score but she had seven rebounds and three blocked shots.

"We came out today fired up and wanted to leave here with a win and feeling good about ourselves, and that is what we did today," Tinkle said.

Barta and Tinkle opened the game with back-to-back threes for the 6-0 lead. The Zags built the lead to 8-0 before Winthrop closed the gap to 11-9. A three-point play from Barta put the Zags back in control 14-9 and Chandler Smith took a steal the distance for the seven-point lead with one minute left in the first quarter. Barta scored six in the quarter and Tinkle had five.

Makenlee Williams hit a corner three and the Zags led by 10, 25-15, three minutes into the second quarter. Tinkle made two foul shots and the lead grew to 31-17 with three minutes left in the half.

Jessie Loera hit a corner three to make the lead 17. The Zags finished the second quarter on a 17-2 run over the final eight minutes to lead 37-17 at the half. Tinkle finished the half three-of-six from the field for 10 points, and Barta scored eight and Kiara Kudron added six. The Zags forced nine turnovers for 11 points and shot 42 percent, holding the Eagles at 28 percent. The GU bench scored 12 compared to two for Winthrop.

A trio of layups from Barta and Kudron early in the third quarter extended the lead to 45-19 as GU was solidly in control. The largest lead of the game came at 6:01 in the fourth quarter, as GU led by 34.

Erica Williams had 17 points for the Eagles (1-6), who shot 31 percent (16 of 52) and were outrebounded 48-27.

For Gonzaga, it was their first all-time win at the Paradise Jam in two appearances, but they picked up momentum before a set of crucial non-conference games in and around Spokane in December. The slate begins with Presbyterian on Saturday, December 3 at 2 pm from the McCarthey Athletic Center. Live stats and live video links at GoZags.com.