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          Stockton, Wirth lead No. 16 Gonzaga women past LMU 68-58

          Mar 3, 2019
          • Associated Press

          SPOKANE, Wash. -- Laura Stockton scored 16 points, LeeAnne Wirth added 13 and 13 rebounds, both career highs, and No. 16 Gonzaga pulled away from Loyola Marymount for a 68-58 victory on Saturday to give the Bulldogs the outright West Coast Conference championship.

          Zykera Rice added 10 points for the Bulldogs (27-3, 16-2 WCC), who have won 14 of their 15 league titles since 2005.

          Despite a sellout crowd of 6,000, Gonzaga trailed 32-25 at the half as the Lions (17-13, 10-8) shot 46 percent and outrebounded Gonzaga, which shot 33 percent, 20-10.

          Stockton made the first two baskets of the second half to ignite Gonzaga, which made 10 of 14 shots, including all three 3-point attempts, and outscored LMU 26-10. Stockton had eight points in the fourth quarter when GU went cold, going 4 of 11, but was 9 of 12 from the foul line. The Lions couldn't mount a challenge because of 2-of-15 shooting.

          Gonzaga, which won the first meeting 78-53, has now won 24 straight in the series.

          Chelsey Gipson scored 14 points for LMU and Jasmine Jones and Cierra Belvin added 10 apiece.