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Updated: Saturday, November 23, 2002 1:46 AM EST
NCAA BASKETBALL RECAP
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(22) Gonzaga 69, Hofstra 61
HOFSTRA PRIDE
Hofstra Pride
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GONZAGA BULLDOGS
Gonzaga Bulldogs
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SPOKANE, Washington (Ticker) -- Replacing Dan Dickau will not be easy at Gonzaga.

Cory Violette and Ronny Turiaf each scored 17 points as the 22nd-ranked Bulldogs extended their home winning streak to 27 games with a season-opening 69-61 victory over shorthanded Hofstra.

Gonzaga (1-0) lost Dickau, who led the Bulldogs to a pair of West Coast Conference title, to the NBA. The Bulldogs returned three starters in their bruising frontcourt - including Violette and Turiaf - and were set to make short work of the Pride, who have a pair of key players suspended.

Hofstra (0-1) led for most of the first half and took a 22-19 lead on a basket by Gibran Washington with 8:41 left before halftime. Gonzaga closed the half with a 13-4 run, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Blake Stepp, Dickau's replacement.

Kyle Bankhead's 3-pointer triggered nine straight points that gave Gonzaga the lead for good at 56-47 with 8:46 remaining. Turiaf capped the run with a jumper.

The Pride never quit and cut the deficit to 66-61 on a dunk by Kenny Adeleke with 68 seconds left. Bankhead made 1-of-2 at the line for a six-point lead and Hofstra guard Mike Radziejewski missed a 3-pointer.

Winston Brooks made two foul shots with 12 seconds to go for the final margin.

Zach Gourde, the third member of the Bulldogs' frontcourt, added 11 points as Gonzaga placed four players in double figures. Stepp struggled to knock down just 3-of-12 shots for 10 points, including a 2-of-8 showing from beyond the arc. Stepp did hand out seven assists.

Hofstra played without Rick Apodaca, last year's leading scorer, and Wendell Gibson. But Adeleke and Woody Souffrant - both sophomores - combined for 33 points and eight assists as the Pride stayed close throughout.

Radziejewski nailed back-to-back 3-pointers for a 47-47 tie with 11:18 remaining. That preceded Gonzaga's big run, and the Bulldogs extended to a 65-53 lead on Turiaf's dunk with 3:50 to go.

At that point was where the Bulldogs missed Dickau's leadership the most. They did not have a basket the rest of the way and committed three turnovers.

Adeleke, who originally committed to DePaul, had 18 points and nine rebounds while Souffrant had 15 and seven assists. The Pride also played without injured forward Danny Walker.


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