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College Basketball - San Diego

Gonzaga Takes Aim At Perfect WCC Ledger

POSTED: 8:12 am PST February 28, 2009

(Sports Network) - The 17th-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs will try to complete another perfect West Coast Conference campaign tonight, as they battle the San Diego Toreros at Jenny Craig Pavilion.

Last week, Gonzaga wrapped up the regular-season title and top seed in the upcoming league tournament, but they are now in search of their unprecedented third 14-0 WCC season. Under the current alignment of the WCC, Pepperdine (1982 and 1992) and Gonzaga (2004 and 2006) are the only teams to have gone undefeated twice, but with a win tonight, the Bulldogs can make history. Most recently, the Bulldogs handled Santa Clara, 81-73, for their fifth consecutive victory. The triumph pushed the program to a healthy 22-5 overall and an impressive 8-1 in true road games.

As for San Diego, it hasn't lived up to expectations this season and is currently tied with Santa Clara for fourth place in the standings at 6-7. The team though, has won two straight, including a 66-60 besting of the University of Portland on Thursday. The win pushed the Toreros over .500 at 15-14 overall and that includes a 9-4 ledger at home.

Gonzaga leads the head-to-head series with San Diego, 53-21, and that takes into account a 64-47 victory in a meeting just last month.

The Bulldogs hit on 52.9 percent of their shots from the floor and 22-of-31 opportunities at the charity stripe, as they defeated Santa Clara on Thursday. Gonzaga also generated 17 points off 10 Santa Clara turnovers and it even held a 33-30 edge on the boards. Josh Heytvelt turned in a noteworthy performance for the Bulldogs, finishing with a career-high 29 points and nine boards. Matt Bouldin made 13-of-15 free throws on his way to 23 points, while Austin Daye and Jeremy Pargo chipped in with 12 and 10 points, respectively. On the season, Heytvelt leads all Gonzaga scorers with 15.5 ppg and he is also ripping down 6.9 rpg. Bouldin checks in with 13.6 ppg and 3.0 apg, while Daye adds 13.0 ppg and a team-high 7.0 rpg. Overall, the Bulldogs are turning in a solid 78.6 ppg and limiting challengers to a mere 37.0 percent shooting from the field.

The Toreros buried 44.0 percent of their attempts from the field and 18-of-23 at the foul line, as they slipped past Portland on Thursday. San Diego also did a good job in forcing 17 turnovers and committing just 10 itself. Matt Dorr headed the charge with 17 points and five boards, while Gyno Pomare posted 14 points and five blocks. On the season, Pomare paces the Toreros in scoring (14.0 ppg) as well as rebounding (6.3 rpg) and he is also shooting 53.7 percent from the floor. Rob Jones contributes 9.3 ppg and 5.3 rpg for San Diego, which is holding opponents to just 60.7 ppg.

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Scoreboard

Thu, Dec. 31FINAL
Miss State (11-2) 77
San Diego (6-8) 68

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