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Gonzaga pummels Pilots in Kennel winning 103-57

Jan 11, 2018; Spokane, WA, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few (left) talks with Portland Pilots head coach Terry Porter before a game at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - Silas Melson scored a career-high 23 points, making seven 3-pointers, as No. 15 Gonzaga routed Portland 103-57 on Thursday night.

Rui Hachimura added 20 points for Gonzaga (15-3, 5-0 West Coast), which has romped through the bottom of the West Coast Conference so far.

Marcus Shaver Jr. scored 16 points for Portland (6-12, 0-5), which is in the second year of a rebuilding effort under former NBA player Terry Porter. The Pilots have dropped five games in a row.

Melson hit 7 of 12 from 3-point range and the Zags finished with 13 3s in the game. The Zags also dominated inside, easily winning the rebound battle.

Portland was undone by 30 percent shooting from the field.

Jan 11, 2018; Spokane, WA, USA; Gonzaga forward Rui Hachimura (21) drives for a shot against Portland Pilots guard Marcus Shaver Jr. (10) at the McCarthey Athletic Center. The Bulldogs won 103-57. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

Gonzaga went on an early 13-2 run for a 16-6 lead. Consecutive 3-pointers by Corey Kispert and Josh Perkins pushed the lead to 24-10.

Gonzaga led 45-29 at halftime, behind 12 points from Hachimura.

Gonzaga leading scorer Johnathan Williams suffered what appeared to be a knee injury late in the first half. He limped off the court and did not return.

Melson hit four 3-pointers in the opening 4 minutes of the second half as the Zags built a 61-37 lead. The Pilots did not threaten after that.

Gonzaga is 100-66 all-time against Portland and has won nine straight against the Pilots.

BIG PICTURE

Portland: The youthful Pilots are led in scoring by Josh McSwiggan, who averages 13 points per game and is from Loughborough, England.

Gonzaga: The Bulldogs won their first four league games by an average of 32.8 points, but have yet to play the teams with better records. Gonzaga has five players scoring in double figures and two more averaging better than eight points per game. Gonzaga ranks fifth in the nation with an average of 89.9 points per game.

UP NEXT

Portland hosts Pacific on Saturday in a game that pits Porter against Tigers' coach Damon Stoudamire. Both coaches played for Portland of the NBA.

Gonzaga plays at San Francisco on Saturday.

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