Northridge is no match for Gonzaga

Micah Downs scored 19 points and No. 17 Gonzaga recovered from its worst offensive performance in a decade to defeat Cal State Northridge, 85-59, on Saturday at Spokane, Wash.

Matt Bouldin had 18 points and Abdullahi Kuso had 11 rebounds for Gonzaga (8-2), which improved to 43-2 at the McCarthey Athletic Center since it opened in 2004.

Deon Tresvant scored 15 points to lead Cal State Northridge (6-2), and Calvin Chitwood and Rob Haynes had 11 each. The Matadors finished 24 points below their season average of 83.1.

Gonzaga was coming off a 51-47 home loss to No. 8 Washington State on Wednesday, its lowest point total since 1996. The Bulldogs scored 45 in the first half of Saturday’s game.

The Bulldogs, who shot 25.9% against Washington State, made 44% of their shots this time, while holding Northridge to 36%. They also dominated the Matadors, 50-29, on the boards, and were 24 for 32 from the free-throw line.

Northridge managed to stay close in the first 10 minutes, trailing just 20-13. But a dunk by Larry Gurganious and consecutive three-pointers by Bouldin just 20 seconds apart lifted the Bulldogs to a 28-13 lead.

Loyola Marymount 76, Boise State 74 -- Corey Counts made a desperation three-pointer with one second left on the shot clock and 15 seconds left in the game to cap a torrid second-half comeback and lift the Lions (3-7) over the Broncos (6-3) at Boise, Idaho.

Counts’ bank shot from the top of the key put the Lions up, 75-72. Two free throws by Boise State’s Anthony Thomas closed it to 75-74 with 9.5 seconds left.

Shawn Deadwiler then made the front end of a one and one with seven seconds left for Loyola Marymount.

Thomas drove to the basket at the buzzer, but his layup was blocked by Deadwiler.

Loyola, which trailed, 41-28, at halftime, was led by Orlando Johnson with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Central Michigan 79, Cal State Fullerton 76 -- Nate Minnoy had 19 points and five rebounds off the bench to lead the Chippewas (3-5) over the Titans (4-2) at Mount Pleasant, Mich.

Josh Akognon missed a three-pointer at the buzzer that would have sent the game to overtime.

The game featured seven lead changes and 10 ties before Central Michigan pulled away.

The Chippewas missed six free throws in the final 24 seconds that would have extended their lead. But the Titans missed on two three-point attempts and had a turnover on their final three possessions.

Scott Cutley had 21 points and 11 rebounds for Fullerton, and Frank Robinson had 15 points and 10 rebounds.

UC Irvine 87, Alaska Fairbanks 53 -- Patrick Sanders scored 11 of his 19 points in the first half to lead the Anteaters (3-5) over the visiting Nanooks (3-4).

Darren Fells had 17 points and five rebounds and Brett Lauer scored 12 points, all on three-pointers, as Irvine ended a four-game losing streak.

Irvine used a 17-0 run to open a 19-point lead with 9:07 left in the first half when Sanders made a pair of free throws to give Irvine a 31-12 lead.

Pepperdine 83, Pacific 65 -- Freshman Malcolm Thomas had a game-high 21 points and nine rebounds to lead the Waves (5-6) over the Tigers (6-3) at Stockton and avenge an earlier loss.

Pepperdine lost to Pacific, 84-78, on Nov. 12 at the World Vision Invitational in Oregon.

Tyrone Shelley had 20 points, Mychel Thompson scored 11 and Rico Tucker had 10 points and seven assists for Pepperdine.

WOMEN

Nebraska 87, USC 69 -- Cory Montgomery scored a career-high 21 points off the bench and Danielle Page also had 21 as the Cornhuskers (7-2) improved to 6-0 at home with a victory over the Trojans (4-3) at Lincoln.

Nadia Parker led the Trojans with 14 points and Kennedy Jaskowiak had 12 points and eight rebounds.

San Diego 63, UCLA 57 -- Amber Sprague scored 30 points as the Toreros (5-4) held off the visiting Bruins (4-4).

After trailing by 17, UCLA got to within 52-51 with 4:35 left. But San Diego scored the next four points and UCLA never got closer than four after that. Nina Earl was the only Bruin in double figures with 12 points.