SPOKANE, Wash. - The Nicholls State University men's basketball team hung with No. 13 Gonzaga for most of the first half but a 17-2 run to close out the period propelled the Bulldogs to a 102-72 victory Wednesday night inside the McCarthey Athletic Center.

Nicholls (7-5) led 25-21 after a Sincere Malone three-pointer with seven minutes until the intermission, but Gonzaga (8-3) limited the Colonels to just four points the rest of the way for a 43-29 halftime lead. The Bulldogs then shot 73 percent in the second half to pick up the 30-point victory.

Five Colonels scored in double figures, led by Byron Ireland with 16 points and Michael Gray Jr. with 14. Mekhi Collins finished with 12 points on the night, Robert Brown III added 11 and Jamal West Jr. totaled 10. Ireland also chipped in with six assists and four steals.

The Colonel defense fueled the early stellar play as Gonzaga had eight turnovers through the first 12 minutes. In a half that saw three ties and five lead changes, Nicholls had its biggest advantage when Gray sank a three to put the Colonels up 11-5. 

GU tied the game with the next six points before Brown struck from deep. The Bulldogs briefly regained the edge and Nicholls answered with a Collins' dunk from Emarion Ellis to go up 27-26. But the Zags pieced together their late surge and never looked back.

Ireland brought Nicholls within 11 with a three-pointer to start the second half, however, Gonzaga's lead gradually grew to 20 with eight minutes remaining. The 30-point final margin was the largest deficit of the night.

Nicholls shot 36 percent in the loss and made 10 of 33 from behind the arc. Gonzaga made 65 percent from the field, 24 of 27 at the free throw line, and was plus-16 in rebounding.

Braden Huff led all scorers with 25 points, Graham Ike had 20, and Ryan Nembhard totaled 18 points and 10 assists.

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Nicholls will have another week off before heading back out to the Pacific Northwest to face Seattle on Dec. 30.