Truong scores 24, No. 19 Gonzaga women top Pepperdine 77-63

Updated Dec. 29, 2022 9:15 p.m. ET

Associated Press

MALIBU, Calif. (AP) — Kaylynne Truong hit six 3-pointers and scored 26 points, both career highs, to lead No. 19 Gonzaga to a 77-63 win over Pepperdine on Thursday, the Bulldogs' sixth-straight win and 13th-straight over the Waves.

Yvonne Ejim added 17 points and Eliza Hollingsworth had 16 and both grabbed nine rebounds for the Bulldogs (13-2, 3-0 West Coast Conference). Brynna Maxwell scored 10, eight in the second quarter when the Zags took control.

Ally Stedman led Pepperdine (6-7, 1-2) with 16 points but was 6-of-24 shooting. Theresa Grace Mbanefo added 15 points and nine rebounds and Jane Nwaba had 14 points.

Truong hit all three of her 3-point attempts and scored 11 points in the first quarter, five in the last 69 seconds, as Gonzaga closed with a 7-0 run for a 24-16 lead. The Bulldogs scored the first six points of the second quarter to push the lead to 14.

While the Zags made 5 of 9 3-pointers and shot 52% overall as well as making all seven of their free throws in the first half, Pepperdine was a dismal 2 of 13 in the second quarter. The reason the Waves were within 16 at 44-28, is they made 8 of 10 free throws.

The biggest lead was 21 midway through the third quarter and the Waves, who were 3 of 15 from 3-point range and 20 of 25 from the foul line, got no closer than eight, when Mbanefo converted a three-point play with 7 1/2 minutes to play.

Truong answered that 7-0 run with a 3-pointer and moments later started a Gonzaga 7-0 run with another 3.

Gonzaga plays at Loyola Marymount on Saturday.

___

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