Zags defeat LMU, 85-69
The big three of Elias Harris (22 points), Matt Bouldin (19) and Steven Gray (18) helped Gonzaga break away from a halftime tie and register an 85-69 WCC victory over Loyola Marymount on Saturday at the McCarthey Athletic Center.
Gonzaga led by seven early and by nine late in the first half but the scrappy Lions battled back, using Vernon Teel's 16 points to forge a 42-42 tie at the break.
Gonzaga scored the first eight points of the second half and eventually opened up a 74-57 lead on Matt Bouldin's dunk with 8:15 remaining. LMU quickly scored the next nine points, but the Bulldogs responded with five free throws and Gray converted a one-handed dunk off a pass from Robert Sacre to restore GU's lead to 81-67.
The 15th-ranked Bulldogs, winners of eight straight, improved to 16-3 overall, 5-0 in the WCC. LMU, led by Teel's career-high 26 points and Drew Viney's 20, dropped to 10-11, 1-4.
Game story in about 2 1/2 hours.