Zags snap skid on strength of Dower
SPOKANE - Redshirt freshman Sam Dower came off the bench to score a career-high 27 points, helping Gonzaga snap a three-game losing streak by beating San Diego 86-53 on Saturday night.
Steven Gray had 12 points for the Bulldogs (14-8, 4-3 West Coast Conference), and Marquise Carter added 10. Gonzaga shot 59.3 percent (32 of 54). All 12 Bulldogs saw time on the floor, and 10 scored.
"I just loved how our guys responded," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. "They showed their character and responded the way you wanted them to respond."
The Toreros (4-18, 0-7) were led by Devin Ginty with 20 points. San Diego shot just 35.4 percent, was outrebounded 37-27 and trailed by as many as 34 points.
Dower went 11 of 12 from the field and grabbed seven rebounds. It has been a breakout homestand for Dower, who scored 15 points in a loss to Saint Mary's on Thursday night.
"He's been great. I just told him (in the locker room) he just hung with it, hung with it and hung with it," Few said. "He's grown during this time, during practice, to where I think everybody's got a lot of confidence with him. The whole team is energized with how he's playing because he's such a great guy and he has really done a good job of sticking with it. Now he is getting rewarded."
The Bulldogs are in unfamiliar territory - looking up in the conference standings. Gonzaga got some good news earlier in the night as Portland handed league-leading Saint Mary's its first conference loss.
The teams traded baskets early in the second half before the Bulldogs went on a 13-2 run, pushing their lead to 59-33 with 12:30 remaining. Gray had two of his four 3-pointers during the run. Ginty's 3-pointer ended the spurt as well as the Toreros' 5-minute scoreless streak.
The Bulldogs got a huge boost off their bench, which scored 57 points, four more than the entire San Diego team. It was just the second time all season that Carter, a backup point guard, had scored in double figures. David Stockton scored nine points and had four assists in 27 minutes.
Gonzaga and San Diego were tied 8-8 before Gonzaga went on a 12-0 run, fueled by eight points from Dower. The Bulldogs held the Toreros scoreless for a little over 6 minutes and had an 18-point lead late in the half.
Gonzaga plays at Portland on Thursday.
SAN DIEGO (4-18)
Rancifer 2-6 1-4 5, Gabriel 1-7 0-0 2, Norris 2-8 2-2 8, Ginty 5-6 7-8 20, Dorr 3-10 2-4 9, Miles 1-3 0-0 3, Mackie 1-2 0-0 2, Fuller 1-2 0-1 2, Manresa 1-3 0-0 2, Kramer 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 17-48 12-19 53.
GONZAGA (14-8)
Harris 4-8 0-0 9, Monninghoff 1-3 2-3 4, Sacre 2-5 0-0 4, Goodson 0-2 0-0 0, Gray 4-7 0-0 12, Carter 5-6 0-0 10, Arop 1-3 1-2 3, Stockton 2-4 4-4 9, Olynyk 2-3 1-5 5, Keita 0-0 3-4 3, Hart 0-1 0-0 0, Dower 11-12 5-7 27. Totals 32-54 16-25 86.
Halftime_Gonzaga 40-24. 3-Point Goals_San Diego 7-18 (Ginty 3-4, Norris 2-5, Miles 1-1, Dorr 1-5, Mackie 0-1, Rancifer 0-2), Gonzaga 6-17 (Gray 4-6, Stockton 1-2, Harris 1-3, Hart 0-1, Dower 0-1, Arop 0-1, Olynyk 0-1, Monninghoff 0-2). Fouled Out_Gabriel, Olynyk. Rebounds_San Diego 27 (Dorr 5), Gonzaga 37 (Harris 9). Assists_San Diego 8 (Dorr 3), Gonzaga 18 (Carter, Gray, Stockton 4). Total Fouls_San Diego 22, Gonzaga 19. A_6,000.