Gonzaga freshman Zach Collins made all nine shots he took from the field and scored a season-high 21 points to lead the seventh-ranked Bulldogs to a 102-65 win against South Dakota Wednesday at McCarthey Athletic Center.
Gonzaga stayed undefeated and equaled its best start in program history at 12-0. South Dakota, competing against its highest-ranked opponent at the Division I level, finished non-conference play with a 9-6 record. The Coyotes open Summit League play at home against Omaha on Dec. 29.
Gonzaga entered with the sixth-best field goal percentage defense in the nation at 36 percent. The Coyotes equaled that mark by making 25 of 69 shots including 4 of 20 3-point tries. South Dakota was coming off its best shooting performance of the season, 55 percent, in Sunday’s win at Montana State.
South Dakota got 13 points each from Tyler Flack and Matt Mooney who combined to hit 12 of 29 shots. Point guards Trey Dickerson and Triston Simpson finished with 10 and nine points, respectively. Tyler Hagedorn made a 3, a 2, and a free throw for six points.
