The Associated Press
Pepperdine's Boomer Brazzle (34) blocks the shot of Gonzaga's Cory Violette during the first half of Gonzaga's 96-90 WCC championship win on Monday.

Back to the big dance

Gonzaga locks up automatic berth with WCC title over Pepperdine

BERNIE WILSON THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SAN DIEGO -- The Gonzaga Bulldogs are going back to the NCAA tournament on an all-time high, thanks to a breathtaking shooting display by Dan Dickau.

Dickau scored 19 of his 29 points during a 32-10 run and the No. 6 Bulldogs rallied to beat top-seeded Pepperdine 96-90 Monday night for their fourth straight West Coast Conference tournament title and automatic NCAA bid.

Dickau, the conference player of the year and tournament MVP, and fellow guard Blake Stepp took control during a span of 7 minutes, 30 seconds. The Zags (29-3) went from a 63-56 deficit to an 88-73 lead with 4:18 left.

Dickau started the run when he grabbed a rebound and put it in with 11:45 left. He punctuated it with four 3-pointers, including a four-point play.

Until the run, the star point guard shot poorly and scored only six points, including two in the first half.

Stepp scored 10 in the run, including two 3s, and finished with 24.

The game between WCC regular-season co-champions got testy in the final minute when Jimmy Miggins knocked down Dickau on an inbounds play. When an irate Dickau went up to Miggins, he shoved Dickau down again and was called for an intentional foul with 43.8 seconds left. Dickau made one free throw for a 93-87 lead.

Pepperdine (22-8) closed to 94-90 on a 3 by Craig Lewis with 6.8 seconds left.

It was a big day for the Zags. Earlier Monday, they moved up one spot in the AP poll to No. 6, their highest ranking ever. Then they won their school-record 29th game and ran their winning streak to 14, tying the school record.

The old record of 28 wins was set by the 1998-99 team that reached the NCAA West Regional finals before losing to eventual national champion Connecticut.

Gonzaga, the little school from Spokane, has reached the NCAA regionals three straight seasons.

Coach Mark Few said Friday he felt the Zags could get in the neighborhood of a No. 3 seed in the NCAAs by winning the conference tourney. In their previous three NCAA appearances, the Zags were seeded 10, 10 and 12.

Pepperdine and Gonzaga shared the regular-season title at 13-1 after splitting their series, with each team winning on its homecourt. Pepperdine was top-seeded in the tournament by virtue of winning a coin flip with the Zags.

On a neutral court, they played a wild game.

Pepperdine led 45-44 at halftime, and looked like it might get its fourth win this season over a Top 25 team after making three straight 3s, including two by Mike Westphal, son of coach Paul Westphal, to take a 58-51 lead with 13:41 left.

The lead was still seven after Miggins grabbed a rebound and emphatically slammed it in with 12:00 left, but that's when Dickau finally found his touch.

Gonzaga's big men, Cory Violette and Zach Gourde, scored 16 apiece, and Violette had 12 rebounds.

Pepperdine's Devin Montgomery scored 27 and Miggins 12.

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Bulldogs 96, Waves 90

- Next: NCAA selections following Championship Week.

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