Kempton starts, and Zags roll

SPOKANE — Jill Townsend scored 18 points and was one of three players with a double-double and No. 13 Gonzaga had its best defensive game of the season, routing Pepperdine 70-36 in West Coast Conference action at the McCarthey Athletic Center on Thursday night to run its winning streak to 17.

Melody Kempton, a sophomore from Post Falls High, had 12 points and six rebounds in her first career start for Gonzaga (19-1, 8-0 WCC), which extended its best-ever start. Jessie Loera had eight assists and moved up to sixth on the career list with 398.

Gonzaga hosts Loyola Marymount on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Pepperdine is 9-9, 3-5.