Olynyk, Harris lead Gonzaga past Lafayette
<p>Lafayette's Levi Giese (24) pulls a rebound away from Gonzaga's Kelly Olynyk in the second half Wednesday night at the McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane. Gonzaga won 83-55.</p>
SPOKANE (AP) - Kelly Olynyk scored 15 points and Elias Harris 14 as Gonzaga pounded Lafayette 83-55 on Wednesday to win its fourth straight game after an early December slump knocked them from the Top 25.
Harris added nine rebounds as Gonzaga (8-5) dominated inside, outscoring Lafayette 40-12 in the paint and winning the rebound battle 48-31. The game was played as a major snowstorm roared outside, producing the rare sight of empty seats at McCarthey Athletic Center.
Jim Mower scored 21 points to lead Lafayette (4-9).
The Leopards led 13-11 before Olynyk hit three unanswered baskets to spark an 18-6 run that put the Bulldogs ahead 29-19 with 5:33 left. Harris had seven points during a 9-0 run that put the Zags up 38-22.
Gonzaga shot 60 percent in the first half for a 42-27 lead.
Mower had 17 of Lafayette's 29 points in the first half, and the Leopards shot just 35 percent.
Their shooting woes continued in the second half, and Mathis Monninghoff's 3-pointer gave Gonzaga a 67-45 lead with 8 minutes left.
The Zags' leading scorer, Steven Gray, who has been slowed by a back injury, played but did not shoot the ball.
LAFAYETTE (4-9)
Willen 1-6 1-4 4, Benbow 0-4 0-1 0, Mintz 6-13 0-0 12, Johnson 1-3 0-0 2, Mower 7-11 1-1 21, Detmer 0-1 0-0 0, Wheeler 0-2 0-0 0, Moore 0-2 0-0 0, Smith 1-2 0-0 3, Giese 1-4 1-2 4, Delaney 0-4 0-0 0, Petkovich 3-7 0-0 9, Pelham 0-0 0-0 0, Kreuser 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-60 3-8 55.
GONZAGA (8-5)
Monninghoff 3-10 3-3 12, Sacre 4-7 1-3 9, Goodson 4-8 5-6 13, Harris 6-10 2-3 14, Gray 0-0 0-0 0, Carter 4-6 0-0 9, Arop 2-5 0-1 6, Stockton 0-1 0-0 0, Olynyk 5-7 5-6 15, Keita 0-1 0-0 0, Hart 0-0 3-6 3, Dower 1-5 0-0 2. Totals 29-60 19-28 83.
Halftime_Gonzaga 42-27. 3-Point Goals_Lafayette 12-31 (Mower 6-9, Petkovich 3-6, Giese 1-2, Smith 1-2, Willen 1-3, Mintz 0-1, Johnson 0-1, Detmer 0-1, Moore 0-2, Delaney 0-2, Wheeler 0-2), Gonzaga 6-18 (Monninghoff 3-9, Arop 2-4, Carter 1-3, Olynyk 0-1, Stockton 0-1). Fouled Out_Benbow. Rebounds_Lafayette 31 (Mintz 6), Gonzaga 48 (Harris 9). Assists_Lafayette 13 (Johnson 4), Gonzaga 19 (Goodson 6). Total Fouls_Lafayette 24, Gonzaga 13. A_6,000.