The No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs showed why they’re the best team in the country Saturday afternoon, dismantling San Francisco 100-61 at War Memorial Gym for their 20th straight win to start the season.
Bulldogs sophomore Drew Timme poured in 28 points on 11-of-12 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds in just 22 minutes. Joel Ayayi, Corey Kispert and Aaron Cook added 12 points each for Gonzaga, while star freshman Jalen Suggs tallied 11 points, five rebounds, and five assists.
USF’s Jamaree Bouyea and Khalil Shabazz led the Dons with 14 points apiece. Julian Rishwain also reached double figures with 10 points and Anthony Roy chipped in eight.
Gonzaga (20-0, 11-0) started the game on a 17-2 run and never looked back, leading 48-26 at halftime and winning by double digits for the 19th time in 20 games. The Bulldogs shot 61 percent from the field, making 10 of their 21 three-point attempts.
USF (10-10, 4-6) shot just 35 percent from the field. The Dons missed their first 12 three-pointers of the game, finishing 7 for 33 from beyond the arc.
Gonzaga won the rebounding battle 35-27 and outscored USF 48-26 in the paint. The Bulldogs also recorded 19 assists compared to just 11 turnovers, while the Dons finished with five assists and 15 turnovers.
Gonzaga has come close to winning a national championship before under longtime coach Mark Few, reaching the title game in 2017, but this could be their best squad yet. The Bulldogs have notched wins over four ranked opponents – Iowa, Kansas, Virginia, and West Virginia – and are one of just two teams still without a loss, along with No. 2 Baylor.
Gonzaga will return home to face Saint Mary’s on Thursday, before hosting San Diego on Saturday to finish the regular season.
USF, meanwhile, has lost three straight games and four of the last five. The Dons have three games remaining in their regular season, beginning with Loyola Marymount on Thursday at 6:00 p.m.
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