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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, February 20, 2009

No. 17 Gonzaga rolls on, 91-54

Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Gonzaga's Steven Gray starts a fastbreak past Loyola Marymount's LaRon Armstead during the first half of of last night's WCC game.

RAJAH BOSE | Associated Press

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SPOKANE, Wash. — Twelve consecutive 20-win seasons. Nine consecutive West Coast Conference titles. No. 17 Gonzaga reached both milestones with a 91-54 pounding of Loyola Marymount last night.

"It never gets old," coach Mark Few said. "A streak like that speaks volumes on the program and how it hasn't let up."

Steven Gray scored a career-high 23 points and Josh Heytvelt added 18 as Gonzaga (20-5, 11-0 WCC) earned the top seed in the league tournament and took another step toward a third undefeated WCC season in the past six.

"It doesn't get any easier," Few said, noting that teams like Saint Mary's and San Diego were expected to challenge the streak this year.

Gonzaga is not ready to rest on its laurels. Few said his team will "keep trying to improve our NCAA resume" in the remaining regular-season games.

Gonzaga's ninth consecutive league title extended the longest active streak in the nation. The Bulldogs tied with the Kentucky teams of 1944-52 for the fourth-longest streak in NCAA history. UCLA holds the record with 13 straight league titles from 1967-79.

Gray came off the bench to make five of seven 3-pointers, all in his 21-point second half. Micah Downs added 16 points and Austin Daye 13 for Gonzaga, which outrebounded Loyola 44-31 and made 11 of 21 3-pointers.

Loyola Marymount (2-25, 1-10) came in as the worst shooting team in the nation at 34.8 percent, and made just 31 percent against the nation's top team in field-goal defense (37.1 percent). The Lions were led by Kevin Young and Vernon Teel, with 13 points each.

"Total mismatch tonight," coach Max Good said. "They just don't have many holes. They have their bases covered."

This one was over early.

Gonzaga built a 17-2 lead in the first seven minutes as Loyola Marymount missed nine of its first 10 shots and committed five turnovers.

The Bulldogs led 41-22 at halftime, after holding the Lions to 26 percent shooting. Gray scored 10 consecutive Gonzaga points early in the second half to help build a 56-29 lead.

Nine Gonzaga players scored as the team shot 50.8 percent, and made 18 of 21 free throws.

"We really wanted to share the ball," Few said.

NO. 9 DUKE 76, ST. JOHN'S 69

Gerald Henderson scored 19 points, Jon Scheyer added 18, and two other starters also scored in double figures as the visiting Blue Devils' (21-5) held on to a non-conference victory over the Red Storm (12-14) to snap a two-game losing streak.

NO. 12 VILLANOVA 82, RUTGERS 72

Scottie Reynolds scored 21 points and Corey Fisher scored seven of his 14 points in a 2-minute stretch that turned a two-point deficit into a 63-56 lead as the host Wildcats (21-5, 9-4 Big East) beat the Scarlet Knights (10-16, 1-12).

CHARLOTTE 65, NO. 16 XAVIER 60

Ian Andersen scored 16 points, Lamont Mack scored all 12 of his points in the final 8 minutes, and An'Juan Wilderness made 3 of 4 free throws in the final 11 seconds to help the host 49ers (10-15, 4-7 Atlantic 10) upset the Musketeers (21-5, 9-3)

NO. 20 UCLA 85, NO. 22 WASHINGTON 76

Josh Shipp scored 20 points, Darren Collison added 17, and the host Bruins (20-6, 9-4 Pac-10) finished the game with a 12-7 run to move into a second-place tie with California, a half-game behind the first-place Huskies (19-7, 10-4).

WAC

LOUISIANA TECH 84, HOUSTON BAPTIST 47

Kyle Gibson scored 21 points and the host Bulldogs (11-16) used an 11-2 run for a 23-13 lead midway through the first half and never looked back in a non-conference victory over the Huskies (3-23).

RANKED WOMEN

NO. 18 VANDERBILT 73, NO. 3 AUBURN 70

After Auburn's Trevesha Jackson hit a jumper to close the visiting Tigers (25-2, 10-2) to 71-70 with 11.6 seconds left, Merideth Marsh made two free throws with 11 seconds left to help the Commodores (21-6, 10-2) gain a tie atop the Southeastern Conference with two games left in the regular season.

NO. 4 STANFORD 72, OREGON STATE 43

Jayne Appel and Nnemkadi Ogwumike scored 15 points apiece, and the host Cardinal (21-4, 12-1 Pac-10) built a 35-23 halftime lead en route to beating the Beavers (15-9, 6-8) for the 18th straight time.

NO. 6 CALIFORNIA 84, OREGON 42

Ashley Walker, the conference's leading scorer, had 24 points and 11 rebounds, Laura Greif added 11 points, and the host Golden Bears (21-3, 12-1 Pac-10) bounced back from their only conference loss of the season to Stanford on Saturday with a rout of the Ducks (9-16, 5-9).

NO. 7 DUKE 62, VIRGINIA TECH 46

Abby Waner scored 15 points, Carrem Gay added 12 and the host Blue Devils (22-3, 9-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) blew open the game with a 16-0 run midway through the first half in rolling past the Hokies (11-16, 1-11) to improve to 13-0 at home.

NO. 9 MARYLAND 87, GEORGIA TECH 79

Marissa Coleman scored 23 points, Lynetta Kizer contributed 22 points and 10 rebounds, and the visiting Terrapins (22-4, 9-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) never trailed after taking a 45-37 halftime lead in beating the Yellow Jackets (18-8, 5-6).

NO. 10 NORTH CAROLINA 92, BOSTON COLLEGE 68

Rashanda McCants had 19 points and eight rebounds, Cetera DeGraffenreid scored 18 points and the Tar Heels (23-4, 8-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) rallied from an early 12-point deficit to rout the Eagles (18-8, 6-5) and snap a three-game conference road losing streak.