5 Gonzaga senior starters in double figures, No. 16 Bulldog women top Portland, win streak at 23

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Brynna Maxwell scored 19 points to lead all five senior starters in double figures as No. 16 Gonzaga completed a perfect West Coast Conference schedule with a 90-40 win over Portland on Wednesday night, giving the Bulldogs a 23-game winning streak.

The Bulldogs scored the first 15 points of the game, virtually assuring they would run their home winning streak to 34, but they took out the doubt with a 12-0 run to close the second quarter for a 43-20 lead at the half. They also scored 22 straight to close the third quarter.

The Truong twins Kayleigh and Kaylynne, had 18 and 11 points, respectively, for Gonzaga (29-2, 16-0). Yvonne Ejim added 17 points and Eliza Hollingsworth had 10 with 10 rebounds. Four starters are graduate students, and Ejim announced last week she was returning for her COVID season next year.

Gonzaga’s last unbeaten WCC season was 2010-11.

Emme Shearer had 13 points to lead the Pilots (17-12, 9-6), who have one league game remaining.

Gonzaga has won 30-straight regular-season games over Portland, but the Pilots beat the Bulldogs in the WCC Tournament last season.

Maxwell opened the game with a 3-pointer, giving her a 3-pointer in every game this season. In her career at Utah and Gonzaga, she has played 149 games and only failed to hit a 3 in 12.

The Pilots were within 26-14 at the end of the first quarter and 31-20 at the 6:40 mark of the second but trailed by 23 points at the break. The Pilots missed their last 10 shots of the half.

Portland also missed its last 10 shots of the third quarter and trailed 72-27. Portland finished at 26% (15 of 57), going 3 of 29 on 3-pointers.

Gonzaga will not play until the semifinals of the WCC tournament in Las Vegas on Monday, March 11.

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