Skip to content

Karnowski leads No. 4 Gonzaga past Santa Clara

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Przemek Karnowski scored 19 points on just seven shots from the field and No. 4 Gonzaga remained the only undefeated team in Division I with an 88-57 victory over Santa Clara on Thursday night.

Karnowski made six shots against the undersized Broncos and added seven more points from the line to help the Bulldogs (18-0, 6-0 West Coast Conference) extend the best start in school history with another lopsided win.

Zach Collins had 16 points and Nigel Williams-Goss added 11 points and 10 rebounds in Gonzaga's 11th straight double-digit win.

Jared Brownridge scored 23 points to lead the Broncos (10-10, 4-3) but got little help from his teammates as Santa Clara dropped its 13th straight to Gonzaga and 37th in the past 39 meetings.

Gonzaga scored 13 straight points midway through the first half to open a 20-point lead and never looked back as Santa Clara struggled to get open shots and couldn't keep the Bulldogs out of the paint.

Brownridge keyed a 15-5 run early in the second half that cut a 21-point lead to 11 but the Bulldogs quickly built the lead back to 20 and coasted to the win.

BIG PICTURE

Gonzaga: After easily passing their first true test in conference play with a 23-point win over then-No. 21 Saint Mary's on Saturday, the Bulldogs avoided a letdown by building the big early lead. There don't figure to be many tough tests the rest of the regular season outside of a return trip to Saint Mary's next month so the main task for Gonzaga will be to maintain their intensity before for the tournaments in March.

Santa Clara: The Broncos came into the game having won four of five but it was a different level of competition this game. They missed 14 of their first 18 shots - with six air balls - and never had a chance at the upset. They struggled to get any consistent offense outside of Brownridge and were overmatched inside in coach Herb Sendek's first game against the class of the WCC.

UP NEXT

Gonzaga: Hosts Portland on Saturday.

Santa Clara: Hosts Loyola Marymount on Saturday.

---

More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox