Maxwell scores 23, No. 22 Gonzaga women beat Montana 82-67

Updated Dec. 22, 2022 1:03 a.m. ET

Associated Press

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Brynna Maxwell scored 23 points and Kaylynne Truong added 18 and the pair combined to hit nine of Gonzaga's 12 3-pointers and the 22nd-ranked Bulldogs beat Montana 82-67 Wednesday night.

Maxwell made 8 of 12 from the field and 5 of 9 from 3-point range and Truong finished with five rebounds, seven assists and three steals.

Maxwell converted a three-point play to spark a 7-0 opening run and McKayla Williams made to free throws to give Gonzaga (12-2) a 15-6 lead midway through the first quarter and the Bulldogs never trailed.

The Lady Griz scored 10 of the next 12 points to make it 17-16 when Carmen Gfeller scored inside with 1:56 left but Maxwell was fouled as she hit a 3-pointer — her second of the quarter — and made the and-1 free throw 24 seconds later.

Gfeller made a layup with 1:18 to go but Montana (4-7) missed its next five shots and committed five turnovers over the next four-plus minutes as Maxwell hit two more 3s before Williams added another to give Gonzaga a 33-18 lead with seven minutes remaining in the first half.

Yvonne Ejim had 15 points and nine rebounds, Eliza Hollingsworth scored 13 points and Williams finished with 11 points, five assists and two steals for Gonzaga.

Gfeller had 22 points and eight rebounds for Montana and Sammy Fatkin added 21 points and five steals. Libby Stump scored 14.

Montana opens its Big Sky Conference slate at Eastern Washington on Dec. 29. Gonzaga returns to West Coast Conference play on Dec. 29 at Pepperdine

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AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25