No. 21 Gonzaga women clamp down on defense, roll to 83-58 win over South Dakota State
Gonzaga had a handful of defensive goals going into the Sunday matinee against a mirror image of itself - South Dakota State.
Winless in three previous games against the Jackrabbits, No. 21-ranked Gonzaga got what coach Lisa Fortier expects will be considered a quality win come postseason time.
The Zags clamped down on the Jackrabbits’ two leading scorers, stopping South Dakota State 83-58 before a crowd of 5,120 in McCarthey Athletic Center.
It was Gonzaga’s 25th straight win at home.
South Dakota State forward Brooklyn Meyer and guard Paige Meyer, no relation, were averaging a combined 33.7 points per game through nine games. Zags starters Yvonne Ejim and Kayleigh Truong limited them to a combined 11.
Brooklyn Meyer, who averages a team-leading 17 ppg, had just two points at halftime and finished with four on 2-of-7 shooting. Paige Meyer’s seven points came on 3-of-11 shooting.
“We had several defensive goals for today. One was disruptions. We wanted to be disruptive. One of it was those two players, making sure that it was difficult for those guys to get anything easy. They’re good offensive players. It was a tough job for us, but we were focused on it. Kayleigh started the whole thing out with really active hands (on Paige Meyer). She had three or four tips in the first four possessions. (Yvonne) started on the other Meyer and did a nice job of being in front of her, not fouling her early and making her work for everything she got. Who we subbed in after that was a huge part of it.”
Gonzaga’s definition of disruptions is getting hands on any ball, any passes, tying up defenders while going to the floor for loose balls, any steal and any charges taken.
“We had 48 disruptions,” Fortier said. “That’s a pretty big number. We chart them all the time to put a number to effort that you don’t always see show up on the regular stat sheet. Some games it’s not as critical but the way that they run offense, with their motion, they’re always screen and cutting. (Doing) those kinds of things are really disruptive against a team like this.”
It didn’t hurt that Gonzaga (11-2) started the game by opening an 11-0 lead.
The Jackrabbits’ first basket cut the lead under double digits, but it wouldn’t be any closer thereafter.
A 3-pointer from Kaylynne Truong put Gonzaga ahead 46-24 with 1:23 left before halftime.
Nine of 10 Zags who played in the first half scored.
Twice Gonzaga extended the lead to 30 points in the third quarter.
For a second straight game after a 1-of-11 shooting effort against Cal, graduate forward Eliza Hollingsworth was too much for the Jackrabbits (6-4). She had a double double with 17 points and 12 rebounds to go with two blocked shots, two assists and two steals.
“She’s very steady and consistent,” Ejim said of Hollingsworth. “Whether she’s rattled one game or up one game, that doesn’t really faze her … she just continues to be consistent wherever she needs to be whether that’s points, rebounds defense. … There’s never a time where we’re like ‘oh my gosh, what’s happening to Eliza.’ ”
Ejim had 16 points and three blocks, Brynna Maxwell was next with 15 points and Kayleigh Truong had 11. She combined with her sister for 10 assists.
Gonzaga finishes the week with its final two nonconference games before breaking for the holidays. The Zags travel to Phoenix on Wednesday to face Arizona before concluding with a game at home on Friday against New Mexico.
Two players who’ve been out since preseason - senior forward Destiny Burton and redshirt sophomore Bree Salenbien - were suited up and went through warmups. Fortier expects them back soon, perhaps before the end of the week.