Deadeye Bulldogs Start Fast, Level Gaels Coach Believes Gonzaga Should Shoot So Well With Regularity

Although Dan Monson would like to believe otherwise, there are certain levels of intensity and efficiency that simply can’t be sustained.

Monson’s Gonzaga Bulldogs found themselves on one of those levels again Saturday night as they buried Saint Mary’s with 72 percent shooting in the first half and breezed to a 102-73 victory over the Gaels in front of a Martin Centre crowd of 3,815.

Richie Frahm, returning from a one-game layoff with back spasms, threw in all five 3-pointers he attempted and finished with a career-high 25 points as GU raised its records to 15-4, 4-0 in the West Coast Conference.

Bakari Hendrix added 19 points before leaving the game early in the second half after getting poked in the eye. Mike Leasure chipped in 13 points and a splendid defensive effort on Saint Mary’s star David Sivulich, the WCC’s leading scorer.

The 5-foot-10 Sivulich finished with 23 points, nearly three above his average, but was not a factor while the game was being decided in the first 12 minutes. It was during that span that GU erased an early 5-0 deficit with a 28-4 run that featured scoring contributions from seven different players and some of the grittiest defensive work of the season.

The Bulldogs hit five of their 15 3-pointers during the run and held the Gaels (6-10, 1-3) without a field goal for 9 minutes and 30 seconds. They also forced seven turnovers and allowed only one offensive rebound. “We did a much better job of executing tonight that we did Thursday night (in a 71-69 win over San Diego),” Monson said. “We were much more patient - passing up good shots to get great shots.

“It also helps to have Richie back. He gives us another dimension with his outside shooting.”

Sivulich admitted to being blind-sided by GU’s early shooting accuracy. But he said part of the Gaels’ problems stemmed from their own defensive apathy.

“We knew with their record and some of the teams they’ve beaten, they were going to be good,” he said of the Bulldogs. “What you have to do against them is to play as hard as you can and try to keep them from getting the shots they want. “Instead, we just kind of let them shoot wherever and whenever they wanted.”

First-year Gaels coach Dave Bollwinkel was understandably disgusted with his team’s effort at both ends of the floor, but admitted the Bulldogs made it difficult to build any kind of momentum.

“They’re the best team we’ve played,” he said.

Monson, when asked if it might be possible to keep up the kind of effort his team exhibited in the first half, smiled and asked, “Why not? That’s what they pay me for.”

But there was an obvious drop in GU’s energy level after intermission.

Saint Mary’s, which was led offensively by Josh Greer’s career-high 24 points, made one minor run at GU early in the second half and cut the Bulldogs’ 51-31 halftime lead to 64-51 shortly after Hendrix left the game for good with 16:44 remaining.

But Matt Santangelo, who scored only five points, hit one long 3-pointer from the right wing and freshman Casey Calvary added another from near the top of the key to ignite a 14-0 Bulldog run that sapped the Gaels of what little will they had left.

Eleven Gonzaga players scored and eight made at least one 3-pointer as the Bulldogs became the first team to score more than 100 against Saint Mary’s since 1991.

Calvary sprained an ankle late in the game, but Monson said he expects him to be ready for Thursday night’s return matchup against the Gaels at Moraga, Calif. Hendrix, who suffered a tear above his right eyelid, was taken to the hospital to be checked out after the game. Monson said he also expects him to play Thursday night.

Gonzaga 102, St. Mary’s, Cal. 73

Saint Mary’s (6-10) - Greet 7-14 8-12 24, Sivulich 7-10 6-8 23, Schraeder 3-6 2-2 8, Allocco 1-5 2-2 4, Knapp 1-3 0-0 2, Williams 1-4 0-0 2, Varga 1-3 4-8 6, Cole 0-0 0-0 0, King 1-4 2-2 4, Bond 0-0 0-0 0, Knight 0-1 0-0 0, Matek 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 22-51 24-34 73.

Gonzaga (15-4) - Santangelo 2-10 0-0 5, Leasure 5-6 0-0 13, Dench 3-7 1-2 8, Hendrix 8-10 3-3 19, Frahm 8-11 4-6 25, Spink 0-3 2-2 2, Hall 3-6 2-3 9, Nilson 3-5 0-2 8, Crider 0-3 0-0 0, Calvary 1-3 2-2 5, Floyd 1-4 0-0 3, Griffin 2-5 1-2 5. Totals 36-73 15-22 102.

Halftime-Gonzaga 51, St. Mary’s 31. 3-Point goals-St. Mary’s 5-15 (Sivulich 3-5, Greer 2-2, Allocco 0-3, Schraeder 0-2, Williams 0-1, King 0-1, Matek 0-1), Gonzaga 15-26 (Frahm 5-5, Leasure 3-3, Nilson 2-3, Santangelo 1-5, Hall 1-3, Calvary 1-2, Floyd 1-2, Dench 1-1, Crider 0-2). Fouled out-St. Mary’s, Schraeder, King. Rebounds-St. Mary’s 32 (Schraeder 8), Gonzaga 42 (Hall, Griffin 5). Assists-St. Mary’s 10 (Sivulich, Allocco 3), Gonzaga 18 Total fouls-St. Mary’s 20, Gonzaga 24. A-3,815.

, DataTimes