SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Paisley Harding scored 22 points and No. 16 BYU erased a 15-point halftime deficit by holding Gonzaga to just 15 second-half points in a 62-50 victory Saturday afternoon that handed the Bulldogs their first West Coast Conference loss.
BYU bounced back from an upset loss at Portland, Gonzaga had its seven-game win streak snapped.
Kayleigh Truong scored seven of Gonzaga's 20 first-quarter points as the Bulldogs leapt to a 20-10 advantage after one and a 35-20 advantage at intermission. BYU came alive in the third quarter, with Harding pumping in 12 points as the Cougars outscored Gonzaga 19-3 to take the lead, 39-38, heading into the fourth quarter and cruised to the finish.
Harding was 8 of 12 from the field and was 4 for 4 from the line for BYU (19-2, 9-1). Lauren Gustin posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds and Shaylee Gonzales had 11 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
Melody Kempton was the lone scorer to reach double figures for Gonzaga (17-5, 8-1), posting 10 points and seven rebounds.
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