Drew Timme scored 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting to help second-ranked Gonzaga post an 84-66 victory over Saint Mary's in the West Coast Conference tournament title game on Tuesday night in Las Vegas.

Gonzaga's Joel Ayayi had 17 points and seven rebounds to win tournament Most Outstanding Player honors. Admon Gilder tallied 15 points as the Bulldogs (31-2) claimed the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Gonzaga has won 17 of the past 23 WCC tournament crowns.

Filip Petrusev recorded 10 points, 14 rebounds and five assists, and Corey Kispert scored 12 points as the top-seeded Bulldogs defeated the Gaels for the third time this season.

Jordan Ford scored 27 points to lead third-seeded Saint Mary's (26-8), which is projected as solidly in the NCAA Tournament by prognosticators. Ford raised his career point total to 1,929, which stands second in school history behind Matthew Dellavedova (1,933 from 2009-13).

Malik Fitts added 17 points and Tommy Kuhse scored 10 for the Gaels, who shot 45.7 percent from the field and 9 of 17 from 3-point range.

The Bulldogs held a 36-21 rebounding edge and shot 53.4 percent from the field, including 5 of 15 from behind the arc.

Gonzaga led by one at halftime before pulling away in the second half.

The Bulldogs began the stanza with a 14-5 run, taking a 56-46 lead on Ayayi's 3-pointer with 14:06 remaining.

Saint Mary's moved within six a short time later before Ayayi and Kispert buried back-to-back 3-pointers to make it 64-52 with 11:08 remaining.

A short time later, the Bulldogs rattled off eight straight points to increase the lead to 17 on Petrusev's basket with 7:11 remaining.

The advantage went over 20 when Gilder drained a 3-pointer to make it 78-56 with 4:40 to play.

The lead topped out at 24.

Timme scored 15 points as the Bulldogs led 42-41 at the break. Ford had 20 points and Fitts tallied 14 in the half for Saint Mary's.

Ford scored all the Gaels' points during a 13-4 run that lifted his team to a 34-29 lead with 4:18 left in the half. Timme later scored the last six points of an 11-1 run as Gonzaga took a 42-38 lead before Saint Mary's scored the final three points of the half.

--Field Level Media