By Jeff Faraudo
#WCChoops columnist | ARCHIVES
 
The top-seeded Gonzaga women’s basketball team is trying to regard its trip to the University Credit Union West Coast Conference Tournament as just another weekend of hoops.
 
But there is recent history at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas that complicates that vision and weighs on the players. 
 
The Bulldogs (22-3), now ranked No. 16 nationally, moved through to Tuesday’s championship game with a drama-free 72-62 victory over fourth-seeded Santa Clara, and awaits the winner of the BYU-USF semifinal.
 
“Of course we’re happy to get out of here with a different situation,” said Gonzaga coach Lisa Fortier, whose team projects as safely into the NCAA Tournament field.
 
The Zags’ senior class, led by Jill Townsend and twins Jill and LeeAnne Wirth, have been through a lot here. Especially in 2019.
 
First, Townsend broke her leg and Laura Stockton tore her ACL in the semifinal win over Saint Mary’s two years ago, ending their seasons. The next night, during the team’s championship loss to BYU, Fortier was pulled off the court in the fourth quarter and informed that her brother’s health had taken a bad turn. Fortier was driven to the hospital where Haydn Mispley died the next morning from complications of muscular dystrophy.
 
The Zags returned to Vegas last season on what Townsend referred to as their “Redemption Tour.” It went awry with an upset semifinal loss to Portland, which went on to win the champion.
 
“Last year it was just the loss - it felt like a lot coming in after the year before. It wasn’t anything exception. We just didn’t win a game,” Fortier said. “But two years ago it was a big deal for us.”
 
“It was one of the worst weekends of our lives,” said Townsend, the Zags’ two-time All-WCC standout who had 14 points and 10 rebound against Santa Clara.
 
Townsend said the upperclassmen are trying to not put pressure on their teammates, even as the Zags are attempting to win this event for the first time since 2017.
 
Gonzaga looked a bit out of rhythm early, with seven turnovers and six baskets in the first quarter. But the Broncos (14-11) struggled even more, shooting 3 for 14 with seven turnovers to trail 12-6 after 10 minutes.
 
Fortier knew the long layoff could create some rust. “We wanted to grind it out in the first five minutes then continue on,” she said. “It took us a little longer than five minutes. After that I thought we did a really nice job.”
 
Gonzaga shot just 35 percent, including 1 for 10 from the 3-point arc in the first half, then made 62 percent of its attempts and was 4 for 8 from deep in the final 20 minutes. The Zags beat the Broncos for the 12th straight time, derailing Santa Clara’s goal of advancing to the WCC title game for the first time since 2006.
 
WCC co-Player of the Year Jenn Wirth contributed 12 points, her twin sister LeeAnne had eight points and eight rebounds, Cierra Walker scored 13 points with three 3-pointers, and point guard Kayleigh Truong had 10 points, four assists and five steals.
 
“Anytime we get to play this year it’s a win,” Fortier said, alluding to the obstacles created by the COVID-19 pandemic. “And certainly anytime we can all walk off the court intact, that’s a good thing, too.”
 
BRONCOS GO HOME: Gonzaga had runs of 12-0 in the second quarter and 7-0 in the third quarter, and still the Broncos managed to hang around. They trailed just 63-57 after a basket by Lindsey VanAllen with 3:45 left, but Gonzaga outscored them 9-3 over the next 3 minutes.
 
“You look back and wish you could have made a few more shots and that’s what kept us a few inches away,” VanAllen said. “But we had great fight today and played really well as a team.”
 
The Broncos, who shot 62 percent in the second half, got 17 points from VanAllen and 16 apiece from Ashlyn Herlihy and Merle Wiehl. 
 
Coach Bill Carr said the game was a joy to be part of and was proud of his players’ efforts. “As fun of a year as I’ve ever had coaching,” he said, “and we went through a lot of different things.”
 
STAT OF THE GAME: Gonzaga, which averages just 14.4 turnovers per game, won despite 21 giveaways
 
QUOTE OF THE GAME: “They don’t let you make mistakes without capitalizing on them. That’s what happened today. They were able to use our mistakes against us. They made plenty and we didn’t always capitalize on that.” — Santa Clara coach Bill Carr on the challenge of playing Gonzaga