20 years, 20 McCarthey memories: As Gonzaga women’s basketball wins mounted, crowds grew and legends were made

McCarthey Athletic Center has been home to 262 victories for the Gonzaga women’s basketball team since its opening in 2004-05.

The Spokesman-Review takes a look at the top 20 memories/moments since the first dribbles and baskets in the 6,000-seat arena.

First win

Gonzaga christened its new arena with an 87-41 win over Utah Valley before 1,644 on Nov. 20, 2004. Five players scored in double figures led by Reanna Jewell, who had 20 to go with eight rebounds. Stephanie Hawk had 11 points and six rebounds, Shannon Mathews had 10 points and nine assists and Ashley Burke added 10 points.

Fast start

Gonzaga went undefeated at home, 14-0, to open McCarthey. The Zags’ first loss in the new arena came in the third home game in 2005-06, a 72-60 setback to Montana before a crowd of 1,724 – quite low considering the crowds the Zags attract 20 years later.

First postseason game

San Francisco defeated Gonzaga 75-67 in a West Coast Conference Tournament game March 2, 2006. Ashley Anderson led the Zags with 20 points and four steals, Stephanie Hawk had 14 points and seven rebounds and Anne Bailey added 13 points and five rebounds.

Former area players return

Gonzaga lost 81-66 at home against Arizona State on Dec. 6, 2006, before a crowd of 3,418. The game was a homecoming of sorts for four Wildcats – Emily Westerberg of Central Valley, Briann January of Lewis and Clark, Reagan Pariseau of CV and Aubree Johnson of Post Falls. Westerberg led ASU with 20 points.

Washington’s first visit

Gonzaga knocked off Washington 91-72 in front of 2,352 on Nov. 12, 2007. Former Lewis and Clark standout Katelan Redmon had six points for the Huskies. Heather Bowman led the Zags with 21 points and six rebounds, Janelle Bekkering had 20 points, Jami Bjorklund had 17 points and 10 rebounds and Michelle Elliott added 10 points. Redmon transferred to Gonzaga and she poured in 18 points in an 81-52 win over the Huskies on Nov. 22, 2009, in front of a crowd of 4,259. Courtney Vandersloot added 18 points and 11 assists.

Pat Summitt visits

The late legendary coach, Pat Summitt, brought her Tennessee Volunteers to McCarthey on Dec. 30, 2008. It was the first sellout. The Vols won 77-58. It was Summitt’s 993rd career win. Tennessee was led by former University High standout and four-year starter Angie Bjorklund, who had 14 points. Heather Bowman led the Zags with 19 points and seven rebounds. The game was supposed to be a showcase for Bjorklund and her sister, Zag Jami (Bjorklund) Schaefer, who injured a knee a week before the matchup and couldn’t play.

Big Ten victory

Gonzaga got its first win over a Big Ten opponent at home on Nov. 16, 2012, when the Zags topped Wisconsin 62-53. Gonzaga trailed 31-28 at halftime. Haiden Palmer led Gonzaga with 15 points, five rebounds and five steals.

First NCAA games

The Zags hosted first- and second-round NCAA Tournament games for the first time in the 2010-11 season. And they did so in impressive fashion, beating Iowa 92-86 before a crowd of 5,632 and topping UCLA 89-75 in front of 5,804. Vandersloot shined in both games. Against Iowa, she had 34 points, seven assists, seven rebounds and four steals. Against UCLA, she had 29 points, 17 assists, six rebounds and five steals. The Zags advanced to the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight at the Spokane Arena, beating Louisville 76-69 before losing to Stanford 83-60.

Second NCAA tourney at home

For the second year in a row, the Zags played host to first- and second-round NCAA Tournament games in the 2011-12 season. In their opener March 17, 2012, the Zags defeated Rutgers 86-73 before 5,680. Kayla Standish led Gonzaga with 23 points and Haiden Palmer had 21. Two days later Gonzaga earned a Sweet 16 berth, downing Miami 65-54. Standish led with 19 points and eight rebounds.

Elite coaches

Kelly Graves and Lisa Fortier have been the head coaches in the 20-year history at McCarthey. Their careers have been split evenly over that span. Graves’ record at McCarthey was 129-15 and included three undefeated seasons on the home court. Fortier’s career record at home is 133-16 and includes four undefeated seasons. The combined record for Graves and Fortier is a .894 winning percentage. Gonzaga has never had a losing season in McCarthey.

Graves’ final win

At the time, Gonzaga’s 81-77 victory over Pacific on March 1, 2014, carried little significance. But it turned out to be the final win at McCarthey for coach Kelly Graves, who resigned shortly after the season to take the head coaching job at Oregon. He continues to coach there. His career record at Gonzaga was 316-136.

Fortier’s first win

The first win in the Lisa Fortier coaching era at McCarthey Athletic Center actually came in her first game ever – Nov. 16, 2014. The Zags rallied from a 33-22 halftime deficit to beat Dayton 75-65 before a crowd of 5,442.

Knock off the Mountaineers

West Virginia visited McCarthey Nov. 11, 2015, and Gonzaga beat the Mountaineers 62-57 before a crowd of 5,509. Jill Barta and Laura Stockton led the Zags with 14 points each.

Win not academic

Gonzaga played host to one of the revered academic institutions in the nation, Northwestern, Dec. 16, 2016. The Zags prevailed 67-56. Kiara Kudron led Gonzaga with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Won NIT games

In coach Lisa Fortier’s second season (2015-16), the Zags advanced to the NIT. In seven of the other nine seasons under Fortier the Zags have played in the NCAA Tournament. It would have been eight in 2019-20 but COVID got in the way. Gonzaga hosted an NIT opener on March 17, 2016, handling UC Riverside 88-54 before 1,309. Four days later, Utah beat the Zags at McCarthey 92-77 in front of 3,000.

First win over Stanford at home

The Zags finally cracked through against the revered Cardinal, stopping them 79-73 in front of a sellout crowd on Dec. 2, 2018. Stanford was ranked eighth at the time. Chandler Smith led the Zags with 20 points and Jill Townsend and Katie Campbell each had 15.

Retiring Vandersloot’s number

The best player in Gonzaga history was given the highest honor possible when the Zags retired the jersey of Courtney Vandersloot before a sellout crowd of 6,000 on Feb. 11, 2023. Her jersey, No. 21, became the first women’s uniform retired and will forever hang in the arena rafters with the jerseys of five former men’s standouts. Vandersloot, 35, just completed her 14th season in the WNBA.

Stanford falls

The Zags pulled off an early stunner, knocking off then-No. 3-ranked Stanford 96-78 before an overjoyed sellout crowd on Dec. 3, 2023. How historic the victory was wouldn’t be fully known until after the season when legendary Stanford coach Tara Vanderveer retired. It was Gonzaga’s second win over Stanford at home.

Crack the century mark

Gonzaga’s biggest margin of victory – and most commanding win at McCarthey in history – came in a 104-39 thumping of Pacific in front of 5,633 on Feb. 23, 2024. Six players finished in double-figure scoring led by Yvonne Ejim, who had 21 points and 11 rebounds.

36 and counting

Gonzaga ended the 2023-24 season with the second-longest home winning streak in the nation – behind national power South Carolina. The Zags’ 77-66 win over Utah on March 24 in a second-round NCAA Tournament game, Gonzaga’s 36th consecutive home victory, propelling it into the Sweet 16 in Portland.