Kyle Wiltjer was in the zone. And as it turned out, Gonzaga needed every basket he made to stave off a feisty Pacific team bent on a home upset over the West Coast Conference leading Bulldogs. In the end, Wiltjer pumped in 45 points in a dominant effort as his Zags held on to win 86-74 over the Tigers to remain unbeaten in WCC play.
It has long been known that Wiltjer had supreme offensive ability, but he let it all hang out on Thursday night. With the game closer than desired for Gonzaga, Wiltjer was able to get free early and often on his high-scoring night. At one point in the second half, the transfer from Kentucky scored 18 of his team’s 22 points during a run that ultimately decided the game.
"He started early and finished late," Zags coach Mark Few said. "There are some days he starts late. This was one where he was on it all night. His teammates did a great job of finding him and looking for him and understanding that."
Indeed, on a night that saw only one other Bulldogs player reach double figures (Gary Bell, Jr. chipped in 12 points), the team-oriented Zags were none too concerned about placing the spotlight directly upon their leading scorer and best overall player.
"It's fun to watch," Bulldogs guard Kevin Pangos said. "He makes it look so easy. You just want to keep on getting him the ball any chance you can."
With each made basket, Wiltjer’s smile got bigger and bigger, and he appeared to be enjoying a moment that makes college basketball such a unique thrill.
"I was just in the zone," Wiltjer said. "My teammates just got me the ball. I wasn't thinking of it, and it just happened."
Despite Wiltjer’s stellar performance, the Bulldogs had to fend off a Pacific team that produced some high scoring itself, especially from behind the arc where the Tigers made 11 of their 19 attempts. T.J. Wallace and David Taylor combined for seven three pointers and 37 points in the loss.
The win over Pacific (10-17, 2-13) gives Gonzaga (27-1, 15-0) at least a share of the WCC regular season title. However, no one is assuming they will settle for anything less than a perfect conference mark with the postseason tournament approaching.
Two major challenges remain for Gonzaga. First they must travel to WCC #2 St. Mary’s on Saturday for what will be a raucous atmosphere. If the Zags survive the Gaels, they finish the regular season in The Kennel against BYU with hopes of running the conference table.