Pilots Strafe Bulldogs After Starting Slowly

The Gonzaga University women’s basketball team kept up with the West Coast Conference’s top team through most of the first half, but in the end, Portland ran away to a 77-63 victory Wednesday night at the Martin Centre.

The Bulldogs (4-17, 2-7) and the Pilots (20-1, 9-0) were tied at 21 as late as 5:53 left in the first half. Portland then outscored Gonzaga 15-6 to take a 38-27 halftime lead.

The Pilots led by as many as 20 points (65-45) with 6:17 to play in the game when Jennifer Swinton, a freshman from Spokane’s Ferris High School, scored her only two points. Portland’s 6-foot-3 center, Wendy Toonen, scored a career-high 32 points, 18 in the first half.

Portland’s Kristin Hepton, a 1994 Central Valley grad who leads the nation in foul shooting, did not go to the line.

Portland 77, Gonzaga 63

Portland (20-1, 9-0) - Petersen 1-6 0-0 2, Lansing 7-16 2-2 19, Toonen 14-22 4-6 32, Green 3-7 0-0 6, Hepton 2-11 0-0 4, Stein 1-2 0-1 2, Pompili 3-3 2-2 9, Idsinga 0-0 1-2 1, Draper 0-1 0-0 0, Swinton 1-2 0-0 2, Green 0-0 0-1 0. Totals - 32-70 9-14 77.

Gonzaga (4-17, 2-7) - McCullough 4-10 0-0 8, Ledgerwood 2-10 2-2 6, Osberg 3-9 0-1 8, Herman 0-3 0-0 0, Jeffries 0-2 0-0 0, Andrews 5-7 2-3 13, Clark 3-7 3-6 9, Gere 2-4 0-0 5, Deal 0-0 0-0 0, Steward 4-8 0-0 8, Perno 2-3 2-2 6. Totals - 25-63 9-14 63.

Halftime - Portland 38, Gonzaga 27. 3-point goals - Portland 4-10 (Lansing 3-6, Green 0-1, Hepton 0-2, Pompili 1-1), Gonzaga 4-11 (Ledgerwood 0-3, Andrews 1-1, Herman 0-2, Gere 1-1, Jeffries 0-1, Osberg 2-3). Total fouls - Portland 17, Gonzaga 15. Fouled out - none. Technical fouls - none. Rebounds - Portland 39 (Hepton 7), Gonzaga 43 (Andrews 10). Assists - Portland 14 (Petersen 8), Gonzaga 17 (Andrews 6). A - 563.

Columbia Basin 63, CCS 59 (OT)

At Pasco, the Sasquatch women couldn’t hold onto a nine-point halftime lead and were outscored in overtime 9-5 for their fourth NWAACC loss.

CCS (17-8, 5-4) - Shelton 0-8 0-2 0, Lentz 0-0 0-0 0, Titchenal 0-4 0-0 0, Carlander 7-13, 0-1 18, Stark 0-1 2-2 2, Massingale 2-8 1-3 5, Cuh 4-8 1-2 9, Brandt 3-6 0-0 6, Lawler 0-4 11-14 11, Pilkington 3-7 2-4 8. Team totals - 19-61 17-28 59.

Columbia Basin (10-10, 6-2) - Edwards 2-4 0-0 4, Waters 3-9 0-1 6, Piander 0-1 2-2 2, Keatts 1-4 0-2 2, Woods 5-10 1-2 11, Ulmen 2-10 2-4 6, Cox 3-8 0-0 6, Birge 10-14 6-8 26. Team totals - 26-60 11-19 63.

Halftime - CCS 28, CBC 19. 3-point goals - CCS 4-12 (Carlander 4-6, Shelton 0-3, Titchenal 0-3. CBC 0-4 (Waters 0-1, Keatts 0-2, Cox 0-1. Total fouls - CCS 21. CBC 22. Fouled out - Brandt, Carlander, Cox, Birge. Technical fouls - none. Rebounds - CCS 34 (Pilington 7), CBC 32 (Birge). Assists - CCS 6 (Pilkington 2), CBC 16 (Waters 8). A - 205.

CCS 61, Columbia Basin 64

At Pasco, Bob Strahl scored 21 points and the Sasquatch men won their first NWAACC game by beating the conference’s No. 2 team on the road.

CCS (7-17, 1-8) - Brown 0-3 0-0 0, Strahl 6-9 9-10 21, Day 3-8 1-4 7, DeBeaumont 2-4 0-0 4, Long 5-9 1-2 11, Mammenga 1-2 0-1 2, Kuntz 0-3 0-0 0, Mostek 4-7 0-4 8, Ahrens 3-12 2-4 8. Team totals - 24-54 13-25 61.

Columbia Basin (12-6, 5-3) - Mcloud 4-12 0-0 11, Morgan 0-6 5-6 5, Collins 4-15, 0-0 11, Broberg 0-2 0-0 0, McKelvey 8-18, 4-5 20, Tippett 2-5 0-0 5, Smithwick 0-1 0-0 0, Gailey 0-1 0-0 0, McLaughlin 1-5 0-0 2. Team totals - 19-63 9-11 54.

Halftime - CB 24, CCS 22. 3-point goals - CCS 0-12 (Browns 0-1, Ahrens 0-1). CB 7-27 (Mcloud 3-9, Broberg 0-2, Morgan 0-1, Collins 3-13, Tippett 1-2). Total fouls - CCS 17. CB 20. Fouled out - Collins. Technical fouls - Collins. Rebounds - CCS 33 (Long 7), CB 34 (McLaughlin 15). Assists - CCS 12 (Brown 3, Strahl 3), CBC 12 (Mcloud 4). A - 658.

College volleyball

Washington State University announced that 6-foot-6 middle blocker Colleen Smith has signed a volleyball letter of intent.

Smith, from Sandia High School in Albuquerque, gave an oral commitment to the Cougars several weeks ago. She made it official Wednesday, the first day of signings.

Jennifer Gabel, a 6-2 middle blocker from Lebanon, Ore., signed with Eastern Washington. Gabel, who comes with all-state credentials, was the Valley Conference Most Valuable Player. She plays basketball and club volleyball.

Prep basketball

Northwest Christian won a coin flip from St. George’s and the Crusaders collected the third seed from the South Division into the Panorama League’s double-elimination boys basketball tournament.

NWC (12-8) will open against North No. 2 Curlew (15-5). St. George’s, as the South’s No. 4, draws North champ Republic (18-2) for its opener.

All league-tournament openers will be played at 7 Tuesday night on the floor of the highest seed.

, DataTimes