Chet Holmgren leads No. 2 Gonzaga past Loyola Marymount

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Chet Holmgren scored his team's opening basket on an alley-oop and never let up as No. 2 Gonzaga pounded Loyola Marymount 89-55 on Thursday night.

The freshman sensation had 21 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots to help the Bulldogs win their ninth straight game.

Holmgren made seven of eight field goal attempts and all three of his 3-point tries despite getting hit in the left eyebrow in the first half, an injury that required stitches.

"I'm feeling real confident in my shot right now," he said.

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Gonzaga center Chet Holmgren, left, goes up for a dunk in front of Loyola Marymount guard Cam Shelton during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)

He's also confident in his teammates, who shot 61.8% against the Lions and lead the nation in scoring.

"We've got five people on the floor who can score at all times," Holmgren said. "Everybody is a threat."

Nolan Hickman had 11 points and Julian Strawther and Rasir Bolton scored 10 apiece for Gonzaga (16-2, 5-0 West Coast Conference), which dropped behind top-ranked Auburn in the AP poll this week despite winning both its games last week. Gonzaga has won 63 consecutive home games, the longest streak in the nation.

Bulldogs coach Mark Few pointed to his defense, which held the Lions to 32.8% shooting.

"Our defense kept us in it," Few said of the first half, when the Zags had trouble getting untracked.

"We rebounded a lot better in the second half, and that got us out running."

Loyola Marymount's leading scorer, Eli Scott, was held to seven points, nine below his