Gonzaga women hold off San Francisco for berth in WCC championship game
LAS VEGAS – With four minutes left Monday’s game, Kaylynne Truong felt the joy.
The Gonzaga women were up by 11 in their West Coast Conference Tournament semifinal game against San Francisco – still too close for comfort against a team that had taken them to the limit twice this year.
Her twin sister Kayleigh had an open shot on the right wing, but passed to Kaylynne at the top of the arc.
For Kaylynne, it was a sister moment, like old times back home in Houston.
“On the court at the same time in a big game, I miss those days,” Kaylynne said.
Kaylynne let fly, sending the ball through the net and giving the Gonzaga women a 14-point lead. It was the “we-got-this” moment in a game the Zags had to have.
And they got it, beating the Dons 69-55 to get another shot at BYU, this time for the tournament title. GU also picked up its 25th win and took another step in the right direction away from the NCAA Tournament bubble.
Above all, this was a win for the program, a confirmation of coach Lisa Fortier’s approach to what amounted to a rebuilding year.
Everyone did what they do best, and then some, in a game that wasn’t decided until Kaylynne’s dagger that deflated the Dons and popped the NCAA bubble.
Defensive specialists Abby O’Connor and Anamaria Virjoghe combined for 19 points and 14 rebounds; senior captain Melody Kempton scrapped for seven points before fouling out on a call that led to a technical on Fortier; and Yvonne Ejim put up an impressive double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds.
“Just staying consistent what we do,” said Ejim, who helped GU dominate on the glass, 49 to 35.
“I told myself I want at least 12 rebounds, that every single rebound I want to be mine,” Ejim said.
And even on during an off shooting night, Kayleigh Truong played to her strength by notching a game-high seven assists. She also was the biggest reason the Zags had a season-low six turnovers.
“Emphasizing team, play with the scout and trust the coaches,” Kaylynne Truong said.
The Zags hadn’t played in nine days, but dominated the first quarter against a USF team that had played Saturday night.
Gonzaga led 17-10 after the first quarter, after getting two rare outside jumpers from Virjoghe and outrebounding the Dons 15-7.
USF (17-15) scored the first 11 points of the second quarter to go ahead 21-17, but GU recovered quickly.
With the game tied at 26, Kempton drove the lane for a plus-one, and Kayleigh Truong made two foul shots after a fast break to put GU up 31-26 at halftime.
Gonzaga had just one turnover in the first half.
The lead reached 12 by the middle of the third quarter, but the Dons got within three on a long-range shot by USF star Ioanna Krimili, who had a game-high 20 points.
Two minutes into the fourth, O’Connor drained a 3-pointer to put the Zags up by 12. USF never got closer than nine the rest of the way.
For the game, Gonzaga shot only 37% (26-for-64) and held the Dons to 29%.
The win was Gonzaga’s 13th straight over USF.
