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Gonzaga Will Play SCU-USF Winner In Semifinals
March 7, 2008
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Gonzaga University will play either No. 4 seed Santa Clara University or No. 5 seed University of San Francisco in Sunday's 6:30 p.m. semifinal of the West Coast Conference Tournament. The Dons advanced to Saturday's quarterfinal against SCU with a 79-60 win over No. 8 seed Loyola Marymount University Friday night at the Jenny Craig Pavilion on the University of San Diego campus. USF (10-20) will face the Broncos (14-15) at 6 p.m. As the No. 4 seed SCU was seeded into the quarterfinals. SCU swept the season series against the Dons, winning 66-48 at USF and 87-55 at home. With Dior Lowhorn punishing the Lions inside for 26 points on 10-of-15 from the field, and Manny Quezada adding 24 mostly from the perimeter on an 8-for-14 night from the field that included 3-of-6 from 3-point range, the Dons opened as much as a 21-point lead in the second half after leading 34-31 at halftime. Quezada's trey at 10:57 gave the Dons a 54-46 lead, but LMU battled back to close the gap to 54-52 on Deric Marko's 3-pointer with 9:51 remaining. USF led 56-53 when Lowhorn hit back-to-back jumpers and Hyman Taylor slammed home a dunk to start the Dons on an 18-3 run over the next five minutes to open a 74-56 lead with 2:44 remaining. The Dons shot 53.6 percent from the field for the game, including 16-for-26 for 61.5 percent in the second half. LMU shot a chilly 32.8 percent, including 8-for-28 for 28.6 percent in the second half. USF was 16-for-19 from the free throw line, while LMU was 8-for-21 from 3-point range and just 14-for-24 from the line. Orlando Johnson paced the Lions with 19 points, 11 in the first half.
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