Matt Bouldin scores 18 points, helps No. 13 Gonzaga bounce back with 72-54 win over Pepperdine

Bouldin leads No. 13 Gonzaga over Pepperdine 72-54

MALIBU, Calif. — Matt Bouldin had 18 points and five assists to help No. 13 Gonzaga bounce back from a rare conference loss with a 72-54 victory over Pepperdine on Saturday night.

Elias Harris added 13 points and Steven Gray 12 for the Bulldogs (22-5, 10-2 West Coast Conference), beaten 74-66 at Loyola Marymount on Thursday. Robert Sacre also had 12 points to go with a career-high six blocks as Gonzaga won for the 14th time in 16 games.

The Bulldogs need one more win to secure the top seed in the WCC tournament and clinch at least a tie for their 10th consecutive regular-season championship. They have won 18 in a row against Pepperdine dating to 2002.

Keion Bell scored 17 points and matched a season best with 10 rebounds for the struggling Waves (7-21, 3-9), who have lost nine straight and 11 of 14 overall. Mychel Thompson added 11 points.

Gonzaga made its first 10 shots in building a 30-11 lead with 9:59 left in the first half. Gray scored 10 points during the first 4:45 and Bouldin added eight during the run.

Bell, the West Coast Conference’s second-leading scorer, took only four shots in the first half and missed three. He finished the half with three points.

The Bulldogs led by as many as 24. They scored 28 points in the lane and 16 off turnovers, holding Pepperdine to 27.1 percent shooting for the game.