SPOKANE (AP) - Jeanette Pohlen's timely shooting lifted Stanford past spirited Gonzaga.

Pohlen hit consecutive 3-pointers to break a late tie and help the No. 3 Cardinal to a 84-78 win over the Bulldogs on Sunday.

"Nice shots. Big shots," said coach Tara VanDerveer after Stanford (3-0) escaped an upset before 6,000 in the sold-out McCarthey Athletic Center.

Pohlen, who finished with 19 points, typically makes up to 80 percent of her 3-pointers in practice, VanDerveer said. She made only 3 of 7 on Sunday, but the big ones came during the 9-0 Stanford run that decided the game.

Stanford's defense held Gonzaga scoreless for three minutes after the Bulldogs (1-2) had tied the score, killing hopes for what would have been that program's biggest victory.

"We had pretty good looks and they didn't go," said Gonzaga coach Kelly Graves, whose team tied the game at 68 with 5:23 left.

Courtney Vandersloot, who led all players with 24 points, said the Bulldogs also failed to rebound at the end.

"They had a couple of misses and they came up with the board and got easy baskets," Vandersloot said.

The Bulldogs were not intimidated by playing a national power like Stanford.

"We think we can compete with teams like that," Vandersloot said. "I don't consider this a moral victory."

Nnemkadi Ogwumike scored 21 points and had 14 rebounds for Stanford, the highest ranked women's team to visit Gonzaga.