Gonzaga Women Cruise to WCC Title Game, Seek Redemption

LAS VEGAS - The top-seeded Gonzaga women’s basketball team continued their dominance in the West Coast Conference (WCC), breezing into the WCC Tournament title game with a convincing 72-61 victory over Pacific on Monday.

The Zags, now ranked No. 14 in the Associated Press poll, extended their program-record winning streak to 24 games and advanced to their fourth consecutive WCC Championship final. They’ll face No. 3 seed Portland in Tuesday’s title clash, seeking redemption after falling to the Pilots in last year’s championship game.

“Going into any game, we don’t want to underestimate anybody. It’s beginning to be March Madness, and anything can happen,” said senior forward Eliza Hollingsworth, who tallied 20 points and 12 rebounds. “Making sure that no matter who we play, we come out with our best. Not doubting anyone and just having confidence in ourselves.”

Gonzaga’s balanced offensive attack was on full display, with WCC Player of the Year Yvonne Ejim recording her 12th double-double of the season with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Sharpshooter Brynna Maxwell chipped in 17 points, while point guard Kaylynne Truong added 13 points and seven assists.

The Zags took control early, using a 15-0 run spanning the third and fourth quarters to build a commanding 70-43 lead. Pacific’s Anaya James tried to keep her team afloat, pouring in a game-high 23 points, but the Tigers’ comeback attempt fell short.

“Obviously, they’re one of the top teams in the country, but we’re not going to take a step back at any point,” said Pacific senior guard Liz Smith. “There’s not a lot you can do sometimes with them, but we did as much as we could.”

While Gonzaga coach Lisa Fortier was pleased with the win, she acknowledged her team’s sloppy play, which resulted in a season-high 25 turnovers. “It was ugly for most of it, except for when it was pretty,” Fortier said. “Too many turnovers, obviously, on both sides. I thought our team battled through that.”

As the Zags set their sights on the WCC title and a potential NCAA Tournament berth, they’ll need to clean up their play against a familiar foe in Portland. The Pilots handed Gonzaga one of their two losses this season, making Tuesday’s matchup a chance for redemption.

“We got up 20, and then I think we relaxed a little bit,” Fortier said. “This is the hardest game. Once you get to tomorrow, you just kind of play and have fun. This one, I think everyone wants to get to tomorrow, so there’s a lot riding on it.”

With the WCC’s automatic NCAA bid on the line, expect an intense battle as Gonzaga looks to cap off their dominant season with a conference tournament title and a chance to make noise in the Big Dance.