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Rice scores 23, No. 17 Gonzaga women top Pepperdine 79-54

Published Dec. 31, 2018 5:01 p.m. ET

MALIBU, Calif. (AP) — Zykera Rice matched her career high of 23 points on 11-of-12 shooting and No. 17 Gonzaga rolled to its ninth-straight win, defeating Pepperdine 79-54 on Monday.

Rice had six rebounds and a career-high six assists for the Bulldogs (13-1, 2-0 West Coast Conference), who took control in the third period.

Rice, the only Bulldog in double figures, had 13 at the half when the Zags, shooting 50 percent, took a 37-28 lead.

Rice, who scored the final basket of the half, had the first two in the third quarter as the run reached 11. Pepperdine sliced an 18-point deficit down to 13 when Jen Wirth and Laura Stockton combined for nine straight points. Wirth added a jumper and Chandler Smith had a free throw to close the quarter with the Bulldogs on top 62-39.

The Waves (7-5, 1-1) were 3-of-15 shooting in the third quarter with five turnovers while Gonzaga made 9 of 14 plus 6 of 9 from the foul line.

Yasmine Robinson-Bacote and Rose Pflug had 14 points apiece for Pepperdine.

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