SPOKANE, Wash  - No. 10 Gonzaga (1-0) proved to be a tough competitor on the road for Northern Arizona men's hoops, as the Bulldogs topped the Lumberjacks 91-52 at McCarthey Athletic Center.

"Gonzaga is an outstanding ball club," said head coach Jack Murphy. "It's been a long trip. We're ready to get back home and get better. We need to prepare for Friday night next. We have a few home games coming up, so it will be nice to not be on the road."

Tonight was the third game in six days for NAU, having opened the season at Washington State on Friday, and then having played at Boise State on Monday.

NAU (0-3) hung in with the Bulldogs to start the game, keeping it as close as five points with 5:19 remaining in the first half. That was mostly in part due to Kris Yanku and Ako Kaluna getting points in the paint.

The Lumberjacks struggled to box out when they were shooting the ball as the Bulldogs came away with 21 defensive rebounds to NAU's two offensive boards.

That did not deter the Lumberjacks, as they knew they would have to push the ball and get to the line in the second half in order to get back in the game.

Trailing 42-27 at the half, NAU had to find a way to tame the Bulldogs and get back in it.

The Lumberjacks scored first to start the second half, but a 31-3 run by the Bulldogs saw the home team go up 73-32 with 11 minutes to go in the game. Gonzaga's surge was aided by the play of Domantas Sabonis, who finished with a game-high 26 points on 12 of 13 shooting.

The Lumberjacks found ways to get to the free throw line in the second half, making five more attempts than in the first. What didn't work for NAU was its long-range game. The Lumberjacks tossed up 17 treys only making three, hurting its field goal average that fell to 30.2 percent by the end of the game.

NAU may have been shooting from beyond the arc, but so was Gonzaga. The Bulldogs hit six of 23 triples in the game for 26.2 percent, but its ability to hit its jump shots and attack the paint is what saved the day for the 10^th-ranked team in the nation.

The final three minutes of the second half, NAU had all freshmen in to finish out the game. The Lumberjacks' bench was out-produced 49-9, with Sabonis accounting for 53 percent of those points for the Bulldogs.

Boxing out and points in the paint was how Gonzaga came away with the victory on its home floor tonight.

Yanku led the Lumberjacks with 18 points, while Kaluna added 11 points and seven rebounds.

NAU will return home to Flagstaff to host Embry-Riddle on Friday night. The game will be played about two hours away on the Navajo Nation of Window Rock and televised by FOX Sports AZ. Tickets to the game are $5 and can be purchased online.

Notes: Double figure scoring games – Kris Yanku (18) and Ako Kaluna (11)…Yanku has now scored in double figures for six straight games dating back to last season…Tonight was the first time since 1979 that the two teams have played…NAU remains winless in Spokane falling to 0-11 all-time.