Junior guard Josh Perkins contributed 15 points and seven assists as the Bulldogs (25-4, 15-1 WCC) won their ninth consecutive game. Sophomore forward Killian Tillie also scored 15 points and freshman guard Zach Norvell Jr. added 13 as Gonzaga defeated Pepperdine for the 35th consecutive time.
Freshman guard Colbey Ross had 21 points and six assists for the Waves (4-24, 1-15), who have lost seven straight games and 18 of their past 19. Pepperdine is 0-13 on the road this season and has dropped 27 of its last 28 away games dating back to late in the 2015-16 campaign.
The victory assured that Gonzaga would remain in first place in the WCC ahead of Saint Mary's, which beat Portland late Saturday evening.
The Bulldogs were 13-of-23 from 3-point range and shot 51.7 percent overall. Pepperdine shot 41.4 percent.
Gonzaga led 54-40 after Williams' layup with 15:46 left before Pepperdine controlled the next six-plus minutes.
Ross drained a 3-pointer and senior center Matthew Atewe hammered home a dunk to cap a 16-6 burst as the Waves moved within 60-56 with 9:31 remaining.
Pepperdine remained in pursuit and pulled within 66-64 after a layup by freshman guard Trae Berhow with 8:49 left. But the Waves then went 7:45 without a point and missed seven field-goal attempts during the stretch while Gonzaga rattled off 11 straight points.
Tillie drained two 3-pointers and Williams slammed home two dunks during the surge that gave the Bulldogs a 77-64 edge. Ross ended the Pepperdine drought with a 3-pointer with 1:04 to play.
Perkins scored 11 first-half points as the Bulldogs led 39-32 at the break.
Perkins buried a 3-pointer to give Gonzaga a 26-12 lead just before the midway point of the first half before Pepperdine answered with a 9-3 run. The Waves pulled within five in the final minute on junior forward Darnell Dunn's layup.
--Field Level Media
Pepperdine | Gonzaga | |
Colbey Ross 21 | Scoring | Johnathan Williams 18 |
Colbey Ross 6 | Assists | Josh Perkins 7 |
Matthew Atewe 9 | Rebounds | Johnathan Williams 12 |
Darnell Dunn 3 | Free Throws Made | Johnathan Williams 3 |
Trae Berhow 1 | Steals | Rui Hachimura 1 |
Colbey Ross 1 | Blocks | Johnathan Williams 3 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Pepperdine | 67 | 41.4 | 8-19 | 11-17 | 12 | 27 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
Gonzaga | 81 | 51.7 | 13-23 | 8-15 | 17 | 32 | 5 | 3 | 8 |