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Gonzaga looks to continue winning ways at home

Nov 17, 2007 - 2:12 PM UC Riverside (0-3) at No. 14 Gonzaga (2-0) 8:00 pm EST

SPOKANE, Washington (Ticker) - UC Riverside will have its collective hands full Saturday as No. 14 Gonzaga looks to end its season-opening homestand unbeaten.

Saturday's game will mark the end of a 10-day road trip for the Highlanders, who are coming off a 59-51 loss to Eastern Washington.

UC Riverside is looking for its first victory under Jim Wooldridge, a 19-year veteran of the collegiate basketball coaching ranks whose stops also include a stint as an assistant coach to Tim Floyd with the Chicago Bulls.

The Highlanders' roster includes five returnees, five redshirts and three newcomers. UC Riverside returns five players who saw significant time in 2006-07, led by fifth-year senior guard Larry Cunningham.

Through three games this season, Cunningham is the only player averaging double figures for the Highlanders at 18.3 points per game.

Gonzaga is coming off Tuesday's 80-43 victory over Idaho. The Bulldogs held just a 36-30 halftime lead before outscoring the Vandals, 44-13, in the second half.

Freshman Austin Daye has led the Bulldogs in scoring in each of the first two games, averaging 19 points. The 6-10 forward also has eight blocked shots.

Junior guard Jeremy Pargo, a first-team All-WCC selection last season, is averaging 15.5 points and sophomore guard Matt Bouldin 12.5 for Gonzaga.

This is the first-ever meeting between the two teams. It will be the Bulldogs' second game since losing forward Josh Heytvelt for four to six weeks following foot surgery.

Gonzaga is 41-1 at the McCarthey Athletic Center since it opened in 2004.