Zag Women Rim Out Against Pilots

Sarah Christensen had done everything asked of her. And done it brilliantly.

She had pumped in 21 points on an impressive variety of shots and moves. And she had yanked down eight rebounds to help Gonzaga achieve a surprising domination over Portland in that regard.

The one challenge left to her, with 26 seconds left in the game, was to convert a one-and-one free-throw situation to tie the heavily favored Pilots.

Her first attempt, though, touched almost all of the iron and none of the net.

Revived, Portland made four free throws in the time remaining to secure a 79-73 win over the Bulldogs in a dramatic West Coast Conference Tournament first-round game at Toso Pavilion.

The Bulldogs, playing with the skill and competitive intensity many expected all season, wrapped up the season with a disappointing 9-17 record.

“I thought it was in; I thought it was in the whole time, but it just rolled back out,” Christensen said of the miss. Christensen certainly could not be considered culpable for the loss, since it was largely her play that kept the Bulldogs in contention.

Senior guard Ivy Safranski (19 points and four 3-pointers in the second half) and forward Joy Pauley (12 points and 13 rebounds - eight coming on the offensive end) also contributed heavily.

“I felt my team came out ready to play tonight, and that’s something we’ve struggled with all year,” first-year GU coach Kellee Knowles said.

The difference in this game between two lopsided losses to Portland (22-5) this season?

“The amount of intensity and effort they put out on the court today,” Knowles said.

The effort, Knowles said, was an outgrowth of a team meeting called by the seniors Wednesday.

“We just talked about our goals, especially defensively, knowing that defense creates offense for us,” said Safranski, whose four 3-pointers moved her into a tie for the WCC all-time lead in that category, matching the 181 netted by Anja Bordt of Saint Mary’s.

“Ivy Safranski shot it much better than in the past, and Sarah Christensen was on fire tonight,” Portland coach Jim Sollars said of GU. “Sarah is difficult for us because she can step out and shoot the 3, but she’s also so strong inside.

“They were also much more aggressive on the boards than they have been,” Sollars said of the Bulldogs’ 45-34 edge in rebounds.

GU had lost by 22 and 12 to the Pilots this year, but trailed by just one at half, and led by as many as six in the second half.

Turnovers, though, cost the Bulldogs several key possessions late in the game as Safranski seemed to miscommunicate with teammates on cuts.

“That was just my (mis)judgment of the situation,” Safranski said. “I take full responsibility for that. We didn’t have eye contact, I guess.”

But it was Safranski’s 3-point shooting that brought GU back into the game almost every time Portland seemed to be slipping away.

Her 3 with 1:50 to go edged GU within 73-71, and a pair of free throws by Kelli Howell at 1:17 countered a Portland basket to keep the Bulldogs within two before Christensen’s critical free throw.

Once again, Portland’s Amy Claboe - the WCC

Player of the Year - created endless problems for the Bulldogs. Claboe led all scorers with 26 points, and also claimed 10 rebounds.

In other first-round games, San Francisco

topped Loyola Marymount 58-36; St. Mary’s defeated San Diego 76-65; and Santa Clara beat Pepperdine 76-63.

Portland 79, Gonzaga 73

GONZAGA (9-17)

Herman 1-4 1-2 3, Christensen 9-18 1-3 21, Andrews 2-4 0-0 4, Pauley 6-12 0-0 12, Silva 1-1 3-4 4, Howell 3-10 3-4 9, Safranski 6-16 3-5 19, McCliment 0-0 0-0 0. Totals - 28-65 11-18 73.

PORTLAND (22-5)

Sale 7-15 5-6 21, Geis 0-2 0-0 0, Claboe 9-18 8-12 26, Petersen 2-3 4-4 8, Lansing 3-9 0-0 7, Idsinga 0-1 0-2 0, Johanson 2-2 0-0 4, Stein 0-1 0-0 0, Toonen 6-15 0-0 13. Totals - 29-66 17-24 79.

Halftime - Portland 34, GU 33. 3-point goals - GU 6-12 (Christensen 2-2, Pauley 0-3, Safranski 4-7). Portland 4-11 (Sale 2-4, Claboe 0-1, Lansing 1-4, Toonen 1-2). Rebounds - GU 45 (Pauley 13), Portland 34 (Claboe 10). Assists - GU 8 (Herman, Pauley 3), Portland 17 (Sale, Lansing 5). Total fouls - GU 19, Portland 16. Fouled out - none. Technicals - none. Attendance - 380.