Yellowjackets Go Toe-To-Toe in First Half with No. 10 Gonzaga

Box Score

SPOKANE, Wash. – A second half explosion by No. 10 Gonzaga propelled the Bulldogs to an 83-52 victory Saturday afternoon at the McCarthy Arena in both teams’ season openers.  The Yellowjackets were led by 24 points from Michael Hall, while Austin Daye paced the Bulldogs with 15 points and 12 rebounds.  The Bulldogs held a 33-28 lead at halftime as MSUB closed the half with a 14-0 run through the final 3:32.

The Bulldogs raced out to an 8-0 lead before Hall scored the first field goal of the season for the Yellowjackets – a three pointer.  The game stayed 8-3 through the first media timeout, then Gonzaga scored six-straight for a 14-3 lead.  Mario Burns hit a long-range jumper to bring the Yellowjackets to 14-5 with just over 13 minutes left in the first half.

Through eight minutes the ‘Zags were 8 of 15 from the field with one three pointer, while the Jackets made just two of their first 12 shots and were 1 of 4 from beyond the arc.

Gonzaga built a 33-17 lead with 3:10 left in the half, however, the pesky Yellowjackets continued to fight hard and Hall knocked down his second trey of the game to lead the team with eight points. 

Another long range shot by Hall cut the GU lead to 33-20 with 1:40 left in the first half and followed with another trey off a turnover by Austin Daye as he threw the ball right to Derrick Wright who through the long outlet pass to Hall for the score and a 33-23 lead. 

Hall then was fouled on a three-pointer and knocked down all three shots to cut the deficit to five with under 30 seconds left in the half.  MSUB ended the half on 14-0 run to close the game to five points.  Gonzaga didn’t score in the final 3:32.

Hall led the Yellowjackets with 19 points in the first half, including 14 points in the final 3:32. He was 6 of 10 from the field and 4 of 7 from beyond the arc.  Burns had four points early on for the Jackets and had four assists.  Travis Bunker led the team with six rebounds.

As a team, MSUB was 10 of 30 from the field for 33 percent.  The Jackets were 4 of 11 from beyond the arc and 4 of 7 from the line.

Gonzaga was 14 of 35 from the field as a team and it was 4 of 16 from beyond the arc and just 1 of 3 from the line.  Seven different Bulldogs scored in the first half, however no one was in double figures.  Daye led the team with seven points and 10 rebounds.

The Bulldogs opened the second half on a 22-7 run through the first 10 minutes of the second half to build a 55-35 lead, capped with Daye dunk at the 10:45 mark.

Hall hit a fade away jumper with just under 10 minutes left for his 24th point of the game.  Junior college transfer, Brad Hodge, scored off a nice no-look pass from Hall for a hoop and harm dunk to cut the deficit to 57-40 with 9:30 left.

Hodge scored on another hoop and harm, this time from a good pass from Troy Ruff at the 4:05 mark for a 73-46 score. 

Gonzaga went on for an 83-52 victory scoring 50 points in the second half to 24 by the Yellowjackets.  For the game, Hall led the Jackets with 24 points on 8 of 17 from the field, 5 of 12 from beyond the arc and 3 of 3 from the line.  Hodge had eight points, all in the second half and Burns had six.  Bunker had eight rebounds as well. 

As a team, the Yellowjackets were 18 of 55 from the floor, 5 of 19 from beyond the arc and 11 of 17 from the line. 

Gonzaga finished 31 of 65 from the field, 8 of 27 from beyond the arc and 13 of 16 from the line.  GU shot a blistering 56.7 percent on 17 of 30 in the second half to take control of the game.  Daye led the Bulldogs with 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Josh Heytvelt had 15 points and eight boards with 11 points and four rebounds coming in the second half.  Matt Bouldin chipped in 12 points as well.

The Yellowjackets return home for the home opener a week from today as they battle Montana-Western at 7 p.m. at Alterowitz Gym.