Julian Strawther scores 26 points, Gonzaga defeats BYU in final WCC matchup in Spokane
In a rivalry that has, at times, felt one-sided, No. 16 Gonzaga’s final West Coast Conference matchup with BYU on Saturday was anything but.
The Zags trailed by three points with roughly four minutes remaining, before a pair of 3-pointers from Julian Strawther gave the team a lead they held onto until the final buzzer.
Gonzaga (21-5, 10-2 WCC) defeated BYU (16-12, 6-7) 88-81 at the McCarthey Athletic Center.
Strawther had nine points in the last five minutes to finish with a team-high 26 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field. He also added five rebounds and two assists in 33 minutes.
It's the second time the junior forward has delivered a big game against BYU this season. Strawther hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with less than 10 seconds left on Jan. 12, giving Gonzaga a 75-74 win in Provo, Utah.
Gonzaga also received consistent production from Drew Timme, who had 19 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in 36 minutes.
Timme and Strawther looked like a two-man wrecking crew in the first half, accounting for 19 of the Zags' 34 points before the intermission.
Gonzaga's other players stepped up as the game went on, including guard Rasir Bolton, who contributed nine of his 13 points after halftime.
The Cougars were led in scoring by guard Spencer Johnson, who had 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting.
Johnson made a trio of 3-pointers in the first half to keep BYU competitive, but failed to connect from beyond the arc in the second half.
The result marked the seventh consecutive victory for the Zags over the Cougars, who are joining the Big 12 Conference next season.
Gonzaga visits Loyola Marymount on Thursday.
