Przemek Karnowski scored 18 points and No. 8 Gonzaga defeated 16th-ranked Arizona 69-62 on Saturday in the inaugural Hoophall LA doubleheader at Staples Center.
Josh Perkins added 16 points for the Zags (8-0), who beat the Wildcats (6-2) for the first time since 2011 after losing six of the previous seven matchups.
Arizona freshman Rawle Alkins scored 16 points and 7-foot freshman Lauri Markkanen had 14 points and eight rebounds. Dusan Ristic, a fellow 7-footer, added 12 points and seven rebounds. Freshman Kobi Simmons, who was averaging 13.0 points, shot 1 of 9 and finished with two points.
Karnowski and Perkins combined to score Gonzaga's first 17 points of the second half, extending its lead to 53-40.
The game wasn't close until the final 6:45 and that was because the Zags couldn't make free throws. They missed eight of their last 14.
The Wildcats got to 63-58 on a basket by Chance Comanche before Nigel Williams-Goss hit a floater for the Zags, their last basket of the game with 1:10 to play.
