SEATTLE (Interstat) — The Gonzaga women’s basketball team wasted no time establishing its dominance Friday night, erupting for 28 first-quarter points and never looking back in an 85-59 victory over Seattle at Redhawk Center.

The Bulldogs, who improved to 11-5, set the tone from the opening tip. Taylor Smith of Pocatello, Idaho, won the jump ball and converted an assist from Teryn Gardner for a quick jumper just 18 seconds in. That ignited a 19-2 opening run that effectively decided the contest before many of the 541 in attendance had settled into their seats. Seattle, which fell to 4-9, managed just nine points in the first period and spent the remainder of the game attempting to climb out of a deep early hole.

Gonzaga’s offensive execution was crisp and balanced. Allie Turner, a 5-foot-8 guard from St. Louis, Missouri, orchestrated the attack with a game-high eight assists to go with 16 points in 31 minutes. The Bulldogs’ frontcourt provided a potent inside-outside threat. Lauren Whittaker, a 6-3 forward from Christchurch, New Zealand, scored 16 points, many on early layups that underscored Gonzaga’s interior control. Smith added 11 points, five assists and two blocks in a well-rounded 23-minute performance.

The most important part of the game was unquestionably the opening salvo. Gonzaga’s initial 19-2 burst, which featured scores from four different players, showcased a level of intensity and precision that Seattle could not match. The Bulldogs shot efficiently during the stretch, forced several early Redhawk turnovers, and converted them into easy transition opportunities. By the time Seattle’s Sydnie Rodriguez hit a three-pointer at the 8:29 mark for the Redhawks’ first field goal, the Bulldogs already led 8-3 and had full command of the game’s tempo and momentum. This explosive start rendered the remaining three quarters a formality, as the Redhawks never got closer than 16 points after the first quarter.

Seattle showed brief signs of life in the second quarter, outscoring Gonzaga 20-11 behind eight points from Ella Brubaker of University Place, Washington. Brubaker finished with a team-high 15 points. Jana Vesic of Belgrade, Serbia, contributed 13 points for the Redhawks, and 6-6 center Lucija Milkovic of Sibenik, Croatia, added eight points and three assists.

Any hope of a sustained Seattle rally was extinguished after halftime. Gonzaga came out of the locker room and delivered a knockout blow with a 27-point third quarter, re-establishing a lead that ballooned to as many as 31 points. The Bulldogs’ depth was on full display, with 10 players scoring. Teryn Gardner of Spokane, Washington, and Jaiden Haile of Fargo, North Dakota, each scored 11 points, while reserve guard Paige Lofing of Billings, Montana, hit three three-pointers for her nine points in just 11 minutes.

Gonzaga’s defense was equally instrumental, holding Seattle to 10 points in the pivotal third quarter and consistently disrupting the Redhawks’ offensive sets. The Bulldogs’ ability to protect the paint and challenge shots forced Seattle into a difficult shooting night overall.

Interstat’s ELO system had given Gonzaga a 99.5 percent probability to win, and the Bulldogs played to that expectation from the opening possession. The victory extends Gonzaga’s recent strong form as they head into a West Coast Conference road test at Santa Clara on Sunday. Seattle, mired in a four-game losing streak, will look to regroup when it hosts Washington State, also on Sunday.

The game was a demonstration of Gonzaga’s superior firepower and preparedness. By imposing their will in the game’s first six minutes, the Bulldogs turned the final buzzer into a mere confirmation of a result that was decided almost as soon as it began.