Gonzaga women’s notebook: Once-deep Zags down to eight players due to injury

Eight has to be enough now for the Gonzaga women.

Four months ago, the Zags started the 2023-24 basketball season with arguably their most talented starting lineup and deepest roster in school history.

Gonzaga suited up eight players Saturday, and each player played at least 11 minutes and 38 seconds. Six played 25 or more.

Last year, the Zags suffered key injuries for stretches of the season, playing as few as seven. This year, Gonzaga has lost a player here and a player there.

It started in mid-February when redshirt sophomore guard Bree Salenbien suffered a third ACL injury. Then redshirt sophomore Calli Stokes, who provided instant energy and valuable minutes off the bench, suffered a concussion. And senior forward Destiny Burton, who provided depth inside, suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Zags coach Lisa Fortier has used no more than eight players in Gonzaga’s most competitive games. So a shorter rotation isn’t something new.

It means the Zags may need more minutes out of reserves Maud Huijbens, a junior forward; Esther Little, a junior guard; and Claire O’Connor, a true freshman guard.

The 16th-ranked Zags (31-3) needed every minute from each player.

Early foul trouble

Graduate guard Kayleigh Truong picked up two fouls in the first 3 minutes . Her final two fouls were spread out over the final 37 minutes.

Truong ended up with 16 points, second highest on the team, with five assists.

She said she didn’t let the fouls bother her.

“Just leaning on my teammates. They were fighting, they were telling me we’re going to be OK,” Truong said. “My second (foul) was a boneheaded play. I had a lot of my teammates in my ear telling me, ‘We’re going to need you at some point.’ I was keeping myself levelheaded and just tried to stay focused.”

Zone leads the way

The Zags were asked if they saved the 1-2-2 zone that they played most of the final three quarters for such a time.

Not really. But they were glad it was among their defensive options.

“We’ve always had it,” Kayleigh Truong said. “We’ve implemented it here and there. We’re man-to-man heavy, (but) we work on our zone a lot, too.”

Gonzaga coach Lisa Fortier admitted the 1-2-2 zone wasn’t at the top of her defensive options.

“I wouldn’t say it was a huge part of the game plan, but it was more about how we were going to give what we had and throw whatever we needed to throw at them,” she said. “We needed stops.”

Cold and then hot

Gonzaga entered the game ranked second in the nation in 3-point shooting.

The Zags had to overcome a 2-for-14 start in the first half. They made 5 of 9 in the final two quarters.

Gonzaga shot 31 of 63 from the field (49.2%), 18 of 29 in the second half (62%).