By Jeff Faraudo
#WCChoops columnist | ARCHIVES
 
Until Jenn and LeeAnne Wirth were 15 years old, they always played on the same basketball teams while growing up in Mesa, Arizona. That year, someone decided it was a good idea to split them up. Something about helping them develop as individual players.
 
“We weren’t big fans,” Jenn said.
 
Added LeeAnne, “After that year we were like, `We’re never doing that again.’ “
 
And they haven’t. Now senior starting forwards for 21st-ranked Gonzaga, Jenn and LeeAnne have remained virtually inseparable, on and off the basketball court. It’s a twin thing.
 
“It’s just so much fun playing with Jenn on the court,” said LeeAnne, 18 minutes younger than her identical sister. 
 
The fact that they have a four-year record of 104-17 and are on the doorstep of their fourth straight West Coast Conference regular-season championship is only a piece of what has made the experience special for the Wirth sisters.
 
They decided while in high school they wanted to attend the same college, and they have remained roommates — along with senior teammate and reigning WCC Player of the Year Jill Townsend — since arriving in Spokane.
 
This may be the last year Jill and LeeAnne are teammates, a discussion they’ve had. Even if they try to play professionally somewhere — and neither is sure what she wants to do after college — they almost certainly won’t be on the same roster again.
 
But until this season ends, they remain teammates, Nos. 3 and 4 in the game program, and productive players on Zags team that is 20-3 entering Saturday’s regular-season finale at home against Loyola Marymount.
 
Jenn and LeeAnne will soak in every shared moment the rest of the way, following a lifelong pattern. “Growing up, every second of every day we were together,” LeeAnne said, “whether we liked it or not.”
 
But they do like it. They relish the secret jokes no one else in the room understands. They embrace the notion of twin telepathy. And these responses suggest there may be something to that:
 
“I just love the fact that I kind of have a built-in best friend,” Jenn said. “She just gets it. She understands when I need a friend. She understands when I need space.”
 
“She’s my best friend,” LeeAnne echoed. “The best part of that is she gets it. She gets me. She just knows me well enough to give me the advice I need or be a shoulder to cry on.”
 
Jenn laughed when I asked if they’d rehearsed their answers. 
 
Gonzaga coach Lisa Fortier had never before coached twins but is glad to have Jenn and LeeAnne on her team. Rather quickly she was able to tell them apart physically from across the gym. Figuring out their personality differences took a little longer. 
 
“Jenn is a little bit more outgoing and I would say assertive,” Fortier said. "LeeAnne is a little more open, soft and gentle.”
 
LeeAnne actually earned a starting job as a sophomore; Jenn broke her finger before that season, delaying her progress. Jenn became an All-WCC player last season and recently scored her 1,000th career point. LeeAnne isn’t far behind, and will finish her career with more than 800 points and 500 rebounds.
 
They won’t match the prolific statistical achievements of the WCC’s first elite-level twin sisters. Jermisha and Jerkisha Dosty played at Saint Mary’s nearly two decades ago, combining for career totals close to 3,000 points and 2,000 rebounds before each was selected in the 2002 WNBA draft.
 
They won’t be the last twins to wear Gonzaga uniforms. Kayleigh and Kaylynne Truong, sophomore point guards from Houston, are 1-2 on the team in assists. LeeAnne and Jenn regard them as younger sisters. “We talk about the twin conversations and the funny, stupid questions we get asked,” Jenn said.
 
And at Pepperdine, guards Jayla and Jayda Ruffus-Milner are emerging as redshirt sophomores.
 
Jenn and LeeAnne come from an athletic family, starting with their father, Alan, a former major league pitcher who was traded in 1978 along with five other San Francisco Giants to the Oakland A’s in exchange for Vida Blue.
 
The twins’ three older sisters all played college basketball — Christina at Vanderbilt (and later professionally), Theresa at Denver and Alana at Division II Barry University in Florida. 
 
“They were the reason we wanted to play basketball in the first place,” Jenn said. “We grew up going to their games and seeing how much fun they had and kind of followed in their footsteps.”
 
Fortier’s only concern while recruiting the two was that they played basically the same position in high school, although Jenn was the better offensive player and LeeAnne stronger on defense. Fitting them into a college lineup was the challenge.
 
But they have started alongside each other the past two seasons. Jenn averages 12.9 points and 8.5 rebounds and LeeAnne contributes 9.0 points and 5.8 rebounds after her season-high 16 points Thursday night vs. Pepperdine. 
 
They provide far more than numbers, Fortier said, citing their leadership and calming influence on the floor. It’s much the same every day — at practice or on game nights. 
 
“Even on the days that are hard, the way that they show up every day and treat it like it’s a new thing is inspiring to me,” Fortier said.  “They’re someone little girls and little boys can look up to and older fans can enjoy. They bring a lot of light and joy to people.”
 
UNTIMELY PAUSES: The San Diego women and Portland men said Thursday they have paused basketball activity due to COVID-19 issues. The Toreros announced a 14-day break, meaning they will bow out of the University Credit Union WCC Tournament, which begins next Thursday. The Pilots were conducting contract tracing within the program and said only that their participation at Las Vegas “is uncertain at this time.”
 
NOTEWORTHY NUMBERS: Here are some numbers worth considering from Thursday’s WCC action.
 
— 50: Consecutive home victories by Gonzaga’s men after an 89-75 win over Santa Clara. That tied the program record. The Zags (23-0, 14-0 WCC) can go one better Saturday night vs. Loyola Marymount when they try to close out a perfect regular season.
 
— 20: Consecutive double-digit victories by the Zags, matching the longest streak by a team ranked No. 1 in the AP Top-25. UCLA did it in 1971-72. Mark Few, meet John Wooden.
 
— 18: The third-quarter deficit faced by the BYU women before they rallied for a 66-63 win at Santa Clara. 
 
— 13: WCC-best (men or women) double-doubles total by BYU sophomore Lauren Gustin, who had 14 points and 13 rebounds at Santa Clara.
 
— 7: Three-point baskets made by Alex Barcello on seven attempts to set a BYU record for most 3’s without a miss. He wound up scoring a career-high 29 points in the Cougars’ 79-73 win over USF.
 
— 5: Consecutive losses by USF, the Dons’ longest drought in six seasons. Four of the five have come by eight points or fewer.
 
— 5: Double-digit scorers for Loyola Marymount in its 81-74 win at Pepperdine. Keli Leaupepe led the way with 17 points. First-year coach Stan Johnson’s Lions (12-7, 7-4) have won five of six and have exceeded last year’s win total (11) despite playing 13 fewer games.
 
— 4: Players in Division I history with career totals of at least 2,000 points, 800 assists and 400 rebounds after Pepperdine senior Colbey Ross posted 25 points, eight assists and two rebounds to join Oregon State’s Gary Payton, Ohio’s D.J. Cooper and Notre Dame’s Chris Thomas. Ross now has 2,131 points, 804 assists and 424 rebounds.
 
— 2: Assists that freshman Jalen Suggs needed against Santa Clara to post Gonzaga’s second triple-double of the season, and the Zags’ second ever. He finished with 13 points, 11 assists and eight assists, falling just short of joining teammate Joel Ayayi in that exclusive club.