Gonzaga women dominate rebounding margin in win against Loyola Marymount 69-57

Maybe it was the emotion from the week and everything that led up Saturday afternoon to the Pink Game, dedicated to cancer awareness.

Maybe it was the Gonzaga women’s basketball team struggling to find an answer for a team mired near the basement of the West Coast Conference.

Whatever it was, the Bulldogs finally got untracked in the fourth quarter, building more than enough separation for their 13th consecutive victory, a 69-57 decision over the Loyola Marymount Lions before an announced crowd of 6,000 at McCarthey Athletic Center.

Gonzaga (19-8, 14-2 WCC) is one win away in its final four games of securing a double bye in the WCC Tournament and one victory away from cementing their 10th 20-win season under coach Lisa Fortier.

Those are things to be celebrated in time, but they weren’t givens going into a season having to replace four savvy starters and with so many question marks.

Basketball is a difficult game when a team doesn’t make baskets. Just ask Gonzaga, which struggled mightily in the first half.

The Zags made 5 of 19 from the field in the first quarter to trail 15-8 .

Gonzaga finally took its first lead when Claire O’Connor made a jumper 3½ minutes before halftime, pushing the Zags in front 20-19.

The Zags complicated matters with their season-long struggle with turnovers. Gonzaga committed 10 in the first half, but led 25-21.

About midway through the third quarter, though, the Zags started looking like themselves.

They built as much as an eight-point cushion before taking a 46-40 lead into the fourth.

Sparked by a 7-2 start, Gonzaga finally got the lead to double digits when reserve forward McKynnlie Dalan hit a corner 3-pointer for a 53-42 lead with 6:47 left.

Dalan’s two free throws, followed by Ines Bettencourt’s 3-pointer and Yvonne Ejim’s steal and layup, extended Gonzaga’s lead to 60-44.

The biggest lead (64-46) came moments later when Dalan made another basket and Maud Huijbens, off a great pass from Dalan, scored inside with 3:22 to go.

Just like that, LMU (10-14, 4-12) looked like a team in the bottom of the conference.

For the 69th consecutive game, Ejim reached double figures in scoring with 16 points. But it didn’t come easy as she made 8 of 18 from the field to go with six rebounds and two assists.

Freshman point guard Allie Turner also struggled from the field, making 4 of 13, but she finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Maud Huijbens, in her third game back after sitting out six with a concussion, scored 12 points off the bench.

“They (the Lions) were all over people and they have good closing speed,” Fortier said about GU’s shooting. “So we didn’t have real easy looks early.”

Fortier was pleased with Gonzaga’s transition offense – which resulted in 10 baskets.

Gonzaga outrebounded LMU 51-27, and 20 of those came on the offensive end. Senior wing Esther Little led with 11. All 10 Zags had at least one rebound.

“That’s such a big key for us all the time,” Fortier said of rebounding, especially on offense. “It’s just deflating when a team gets an offensive rebound and then you have to play defense again or (you’re) kicking it out to someone who’s making a shot.”

Little’s role has changed from game to game depending on injuries and sickness. She’s been critical for the Zags on defense and rebounding.

“Ever since I got to Gonzaga, I’ve kind of like been an answer for a lot of problems that arose,” Little said.

“So I kind of just try to be that person that is steady and brings things like that to the team.”

Gonzaga finished with 19 turnovers, one over its average, after committing 12 – including overtime – at Oregon State on Thursday.

“There’s a couple of those that make it look worse than it is,” Fortier said. “Maybe it’s a little bit of fatigue. We played an overtime game (Thursday) and I think they’re starting to get tired. It’s mid-February. We’re trying to figure out ways to rest our legs in practice.”

Saturday was the first of three final games at home. Next up is Saint Mary’s on Thursday.