Wiltjer's career-high 45 points guides Gonzaga past Pacific

Published May 02, 2016

Stockton, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - It may have looked like a blowout on paper, but No. 3 Gonzaga needed all of Kyle Wiltjer's career-high 45 points to knock off Pacific.

Wiltjer shot 14-for-21 from the floor, sank seven 3s and carried the Bulldogs to an 86-74 win over the Tigers on Thursday.

Gary Bell Jr. netted 12 points while Kevin Pangos contributed eight assists on a night where he didn't make a field goal for just the third time in his four- year career with the Bulldogs (27-1, 15-0 WCC).

Domantas Sabonis and Byron Wesley added eight points apiece in Gonzaga's 20th straight win.

Gonzaga can clinch its third straight WCC regular-season title with a win over Saint Mary's on Saturday.

T.J. Wallace and David Taylor went for 19 and 18 points, respectively, to help the slumping Tigers (10-17, 2-13) keep pace with the conference leaders. Ray Bowles also scored 13 points in Pacific's eighth straight setback.

Wiltjer scored the final seven points of a 10-0 Gonzaga run before the first media timeout,. The Bulldogs scored on seven straight possessions to take a 17-9 lead and looked on their way to a comfortable win after the lead grew to 11 near the midpoint of the first half, but the Tigers never went away.

Pacific was within four following Wallace's jumper at 6:20. Gonzaga regrouped and went into halftime leading by eight, then saw its lead hover between seven and 15 for the duration of the game.

Wiltjer put the finishing touches on his career night with a 3-pointer with 10 seconds to play.

Game Notes

Gonzaga won the first meeting this season, 91-60, on Jan. 24 ... Gonzaga shot 60 percent (30-for-50) from the floor and 16-for-17 from the foul line.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/wiltjers-career-high-45-points-guides-gonzaga-past-pacific