SPOKANE, Wash. – Hitting the road for the weekend, the San Diego women's basketball team (4-16, 0-11 WCC) came up short against the Gonzaga Bulldogs (14-8, 9-2 WCC) by a 64-48 final score on Thursday evening at the McCarthey Athletic Center.

Ava Ranson led the way for USD in Thursday's game as she scored 10 points, grabbed three rebounds and went a perfect 4-for-4 at the free throw line against the Bulldogs. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After the Bulldogs scored the first points of the game, the Toreros were able to respond immediately as Kylie Horstmeyer made a great entry pass to Truitt Reilly who put it home for a layup to knot the game up at two apiece. 
• Midway through the quarter trailing by four, USD stepped up their defensive intensity as Jayden Rhodes came away with a steal and then her twin sister Hallie Rhodes took it all the way for a layup to make it a 10-8 Bulldogs lead. 
• Gonzaga would go on a late quarter run to build a double digit advantage before San Diego scored the final points off the quarter on a Dresha Moore layup as the Toreros trailed 21-12 through the first 10 minutes of play.
• The Bulldogs would score the first points of the second quarter to regain their 11 point lead, then Malia Tharpe had an aggressive take to the basket that earned her a pair of free throws that she knocked down to get the deficit back down to single digits. 
• San Diego would then go on to build some momentum as they rattled off a 6-0 run following a Tharpe jump shot, Ranson pull up jumper and a Moore put back to make it a five point game and forced Gonzaga into a timeout. 
• GU was able to regain their footing in the later portions of the quarter as they went into the locker room leading 40-28.
• Coming out of the break, Horstmeyer grabbed an offensive rebound and immediately put it back for a layup to make it a 10 point deficit early in the quarter.
• At the halfway point of the third quarter, San Diego continued to attempt to claw back as H. Rhodes scored another layup to make it 46-34 Bulldogs with 5:56 left in the quarter. 
• USD's final points of the quarter would come on a Horstmeyer turnaround paint jumper following a Gonzaga turnover as the Toreros trailed 52-38 heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
• Staying in the fight until the end, Reilly would convert an and-one on San Diego's first possession of the quarter to bring their deficit down to 11 points. 
• Later in the fourth, McCall converted an impressive step-back three point hit to get the lead within 16 at 60-44.
• Gonzaga would go on to control the rest of the game as they earned the 64-48 win on their home floor Thursday evening. 

TORERO TIDBITS

• Ranson was USD's leading scorer against the Bulldogs as she scored 10 points, grabbed three boards, dished out an assist and didn't miss a free throw in four attempts at the charity stripe. 
• Doing some great work off the Toreros' bench, H. Rhodes scored six points, dished out three assists, collected a pair of rebounds and came away with a steal in her 25 minutes of action on Thursday. 
• McCall had a nice performance as well scoring seven points, grabbing three rebounds and forcing a steal against Gonzaga in Spokane. 

NEXT UP
San Diego continues their road trip as they will now head south to take on the Washington State Cougars (14-10, 9-4 WCC) on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 12:00 p.m. from Beasley Coliseum. Live video, live statistics and ticket links can be found on the team's website.