National Basketball Association
Gonzaga 95, Alabama St. 64
When: 8:00 PM ET, Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Where: McCarthey Athletic Center, Spokane, Washington
Officials:
# Coban Lopez, # Marc Beasley, # Ruben Ramos
Attendance:
6000
By Field Level Media
Corey Kispert scored a career-high 28 points as No. 8 Gonzaga knocked off Alabama State 95-64 on Tuesday night at Spokane, Wash., for the Bulldogs' 31st consecutive win in home openers.
Kispert was 10-of-13 shooting and made 5 of 6 from 3-point range. The junior is the lone returning starter off a 33-4 squad.
Filip Petrusev scored 15 points for Gonzaga, which committed just eight turnovers. Admon Gilder added 12 points, Ryan Woolridge had 11 points and six assists and Drew Timme added 11 points for the Bulldogs.
Jacoby Ross made four 3-pointers while scoring 16 points for Alabama State, which was also playing its season opener.
Brandon Battle and Tobi Ewuosho added 10 points apiece for the Hornets, who committed 21 turnovers.
Gonzaga forward Killian Tillie didn't play. He had knee surgery early last month.
The Bulldogs shot 57.6 percent from the field, including 10 of 20 from 3-point range.
The Hornets shot 49 percent and were 9 of 16 from behind the arc.
Alabama State trailed by 12 at halftime but Ross hit two 3-pointers in a 25-second span to cut Gonzaga's lead to 50-41 with 17:12 left.
The Bulldogs erupted with the next 15 points, with Kispert contributing nine of them.
Kispert scored the last seven, including a ferocious fast-break dunk to make it 60-41 with 13:35 remaining. He added a layup and 3-pointer to boost the margin to 24 with 12:10 left.
Ross drained a 3-pointer with 11:22 left to end the surge.
A short time later, Kispert slammed home another dunk to make it 69-44 with 10:12 remaining.
The Hornets crept within 20 two-plus minutes later before the Bulldogs turned it into a full blowout with 13 consecutive points.
Gilder had 10 of the points as the lead grew to 86-53.
Gonzaga led by as many as 17 points in the first half before settling for a 42-30 lead at the break.
Kispert made all three of his 3-point attempts while scoring 13 in the half.
The Bulldogs used a 13-0 push to open up a 22-8 lead on Kispert's basket with 11:09 remaining.
The advantage topped out at 32-15 on Woolridge's basket with 5:24 left.
Alabama State later closed with a 9-5 run to trim its deficit to 12.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
Alabama St. |
|
Gonzaga |
Jacoby Ross 16 |
Scoring |
Corey Kispert 28 |
Kevin Holston 7 |
Assists |
Joel Ayayi 7 |
Tobi Ewuosho 5 |
Rebounds |
Joel Ayayi 7 |
Tobi Ewuosho 3 |
Free Throws Made |
Filip Petrusev 5 |
Leon Daniels 1 |
Steals |
Joel Ayayi 3 |
Kevin Holston 1 |
Blocks |
Filip Petrusev 2 |
Team Stats Summary
Team |
Points |
FG% |
3PM-3PA |
FTM-FTA |
Assists |
Rebounds |
Blocks |
Steals |
Turnovers |
Alabama St.
|
64 |
49.0 |
9-16 |
7-12 |
14 |
19 |
1 |
3 |
21 |
Gonzaga
|
95 |
57.6 |
10-20 |
17-27 |
24 |
31 |
3 |
11 |
8 |