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Timme, Holmgren lead No. 1 Gonzaga over San Francisco 78-62

Jan 20, 2022, 10:26 PM

Gonzaga guard Andrew Nembhard (3) shoots during the first half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against San Francisco, Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)

San Francisco forward Patrick Tapé, right, dunks over Gonzaga forward Drew Timme during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)

San Francisco guard Jamaree Bouyea (1) shoots over Gonzaga guard Andrew Nembhard (3) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)

Gonzaga forward Anton Watson shoots during the first half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against San Francisco, Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)

Gonzaga center Chet Holmgren (34) shoots over San Francisco guard Gabe Stefanini (15) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)

San Francisco guard Julian Rishwain (2) shoots over Gonzaga guard Hunter Sallis (10) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
AP staff

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Drew Timme scored 23 points, Chet Holmgren added 22 and top-ranked Gonzaga beat San Francisco 78-62 on Thursday night in a makeup game after their Jan. 6 contest was postponed by COVID-19 issues.

Gonzaga 78, San Francisco 62: Box score

Anton Watson scored 11 points and Andrew Nembhard 10 for Gonzaga (15-2, 4-0 West Coast), which regained the No. 1 ranking Monday after Baylor lost a pair of games.

This was Gonzaga’s eighth consecutive victory and the 62nd in a row at home, the longest streak in the nation. It was also the Bulldogs’ 22nd straight win over the Dons, dating to 2012.

HOLMGREN. TWO HAND SLAM. @ZagMBB | #WCChoops pic.twitter.com/97Rsik2POR

— WCC Basketball (@WCChoops) January 21, 2022

Jamaree Bouyea scored 25 points and Khalil Shabazz 15 for San Francisco (15-4, 2-2), which is off to its best start in decades. Yauhen Massalski had nine points and 10 rebounds.

Neither team shot well in what turned into a defensive battle. Gonzaga made just two of its first 11 shots as the Dons jumped to a 15-4 lead.

The Bulldogs replied with a 17-2 run to build a 21-17 lead.

Holmgren’s 3-pointer capped a late 7-0 run that lifted Gonzaga to a 36-33 lead at halftime.

Gonzaga opened the second half with a 20-7 run, led by nine points by Holmgren, for a 56-40 lead. The Zags pulled away after that.

BIG PICTURE

San Francisco: The Dons opened the season with a 13-1 record … Bouyea is third in scoring in the WCC at 17.9 points per game … The Dons lead the WCC in 3-point baskets at 9.7 per game, but made just six Thursday night.

Gonzaga: The Bulldogs have won 25 straight conference games, the longest streak in the country, dating to a loss at BYU in 2020. … Gonzaga leads the nation in scoring at 90.9 points per game and in field goal shooting at 53.9%. … The Zags’ string of three straight games scoring over 100 points ended in this defensive battle.

UP NEXT

San Francisco: Plays at Pepperdine on Saturday.

Gonzaga: Hosts Loyola Marymount on Thursday.

Gareth Bale converted a penalty kick in the 82nd minute to offset Tim Weah's first-half goal and give Wales a 1-1 draw with the US in a World opener.