Gonzaga reaches final for 11th year in a row

SAN DIEGO -- Josh Heytvelt scored 15 points and No. 22 Gonzaga advanced to its 11th straight West Coast Conference tournament title game with a sluggish 52-48 win over Santa Clara on Sunday night.

Gonzaga (25-6) has won four consecutive WCC tournament titles, eight of nine and nine of the last 13. The Bulldogs made only five baskets in the second half but survived by shooting 13 for 16 from the foul line.

The game was close throughout the second half, with the biggest lead being held by Gonzaga at 49-44 after Matt Bouldin’s steal and layup with 5:30 left.

Fourth-seeded Santa Clara (15-16) closed to 49-48 on Brody Angley’s basket at the 5:51 mark. Neither team scored until Jeremy Pargo made two free throws with 35 seconds left. Angley then missed a three-pointer on the Broncos’ next possession.

Abdullahi Kuso was fouled after he rebounded the miss and made one of two foul shots with 12.6 seconds for the final margin. The Broncos missed on two two-point attempts as the game ended.

The top-seeded Bulldogs, who gained a bye into the semifinals, shot only five for 16 in the second half but made up for it with clutch free-throw shooting.

Bouldin, freshman Austin Daye and Micah Downs each scored eight points for Gonzaga, which shot only 42.1% from the field.

Gonzaga led at halftime, 28-25.

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San Diego 75, St. Mary’s 69 (2OT) -- The Toreros rallied from a 13-point deficit at halftime to win in double overtime and earn a spot in the tournament title game against Gonzaga. Brandon Johnson led the way with 28 points.