SAN FRANCISCO — Kyle Wiltjer scored 29 points and made a pair of 3-pointers in a key second-half run that helped No. 2 Gonzaga win its 17th straight, 81-70 over San Francisco on Saturday night.
Kevin Pangos added 17 points and Byron Wesley had 12 for the Bulldogs (24-1, 11-0 West Coast Conference), who were locked in a close game for about 30 minutes before pulling away for another win.
Mark Tollefsen scored 18 and Corey Hilliard added 13 for the Dons (9-16, 3-10), who have lost five straight for the first time since losing the first five conference games in 2012-13.
USF took its first lead when Matt Glover stole the ball from Gary Bell Jr. on the opening possession of the second half and fed Tim Derksen for a layup that made it 40-38.
Pangos answered with a 3-pointer and the game went back and forth from there with neither team leading by more than three points until Wiltjer hit a 3-pointer that made it 61-56 midway through the second half.
Przemek Karnowski added a basket on Gonzaga’s next trip and then Wiltjer hit another 3 to make it 66-56 with an 11-1 run.
Wiltjer’s big shots came after he briefly left the game with an injury. Wiltjer limped to the bench after scoring on a goaltending call earlier in the half and was tended to by the trainer before returning to the game.
The Dons responded with a 9-2 run before the Bulldogs sealed the game at the foul line.
Gonzaga led by six early before the Dons found their shooting touch and the game was tied at 38 at halftime when Tollefsen scored at the buzzer.
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