Watson leads No. 4 Gonzaga in 117-83 blowout of Pepperdine
Jan 8, 2022, 8:09 PM | Updated: 8:10 pm
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Anton Watson scored 19 points and Drew Timme and Chet Holmgren scored 18 each as No. 4 Gonzaga routed Pepperdine 117-83 on Saturday night.
Gonzaga 117, Pepperdine 83: Box Score
The win extended the nation’s longest home winning streak to 60 games.
Hunter Sallis scored 13 and Rasir Bolton and Julian Strawther had 12 points each for Gonzaga (12-2, 1-0 West Coast Conference), which was playing its first game since Dec. 28. Gonzaga’s first three conference games were postponed because of COVID-19 issues.
Dimes …….@AndrewNembhard to @twonster4080 pic.twitter.com/nWZXt48WqD
— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) January 9, 2022
Houston Mallette scored 21 points and Jan Zidek 16 for Pepperdine (6-10, 0-1), which was playing its first game since Dec. 23. Pepperdine had won four of its previous five games, but was hampered by poor shooting and too many turnovers.
Gonzaga has a 42-game winning streak in the series, which Pepperdine last beating the Zags in 2002. That’s the third longest streak in Division I history.
Steal to Dunk@ChetHolmgren pic.twitter.com/4j6zXgtNnN
— Gonzaga Basketball (@ZagMBB) January 9, 2022
This game was decided early, and the Bulldogs scored a season-high in points.
Timme scored nine points and the Bulldogs made 10 of their first 12 shots to lead 26-7 barely five minutes into the game. Holmgren’s 3-pointer gave the Zags a 36-14 lead with about 10 minutes left in the first.
The Waves started making some shots, but Watson and Bolton pushed Gonzaga to a 63-41 lead at halftime and 56% shooting in the half.
Mallette led Pepperdine with 13 first-half points, but the Waves shot just 40% in the first and committed 10 turnovers.
The Zags opened the second half with a 13-1 run to take a 76-42 lead, and Timme’s basket put Gonzaga up by 40 at 92-52 with just over 11 minutes left.
BIG PICTURE
Pepperdine: The Waves didn’t have enough firepower to hang with Gonzaga, which seemed to score at will. … After being off for 15 days because of COVID-19 issues, Pepperdine will now play seven games in 13 days.
Gonzaga: The Bulldogs have won 25 consecutive conference openers dating to 1996. … The Bulldogs came into the game leading the nation in field-goal shooting at 52.1%.
UP NEXT
Pepperdine: Hosts San Diego on Monday.
Gonzaga: Hosts rival Brigham Young on Thursday. The Cougars were the last WCC team to beat Gonzaga — on Feb. 22, 2019. The Zags have won 22 straight conference games since, which is the longest streak in the nation.
