WCC women’s championship: Gonzaga-Portland set to clash in rematch of last year’s title game

March 11, 2024 Updated Mon., March 11, 2024 at 10:54 p.m.

Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Kaylynne Truong (14) places GU on the WCC bracket after they defeated the Pacific Tigers during the second half of a WCC women’s semifinal basketball game on Monday, March 11, 2024, at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review)

By Greg Lee gregl@spokesman.com (509) 844-8168

LAS VEGAS – The results show the Gonzaga women’s basketball team trampled West Coast Conference opponents by 30.7 points per game this season.

The Zags will take a one-point victory Tuesday afternoon.

A WCC tournament championship will no doubt ensure that Gonzaga (30-2) plays the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament in McCarthey Athletic Center.

It wasn’t mentioned by coach Lisa Fortier or players after the Zags downed Pacific 72-61 in a semifinal at Orleans Arena.

Postgame thoughts centered around Gonzaga wanting to play like the team that is riding a program-best 24-game winning streak and will be out to match the most wins in school history Tuesday.

Top-seeded Gonzaga meets third-seeded Portland (20-11) in the WCC title showdown at 1 p.m. It’s a rematch of last year’s final. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU.

“Going into any game we don’t underestimate anybody,” said graduate forward Eliza Hollingsworth, who had a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds Monday. “It’s beginning to be March Madness and things happen. Making sure that no matter who we play, we come out with our best.”

Hollingsworth made no apology for the Zags’ spurts of uneven play Monday that included a season-high 25 turnovers.

“It was extremely ugly,” Hollingsworth said. “Hopefully it’s not the same situation (Tuesday). … I think we can use it as fuel.”

All five Gonzaga starters average in double-figure scoring. On Monday, four reached double digits but graduate guard Kayleigh Truong found herself in early foul trouble and never got untracked. She was scoreless, going 0 for 5 from the field. She had three assists in 19 minutes , 31 seconds.

Fortier hopes her players understand that none of them has to carry the team.

“Not every team has the luxury of letting other people take the load and still have the level of success,” Fortier said.

“With the depth that we have, we do have that luxury. Kayleigh didn’t score a ton of points today, but other people picked up the slack. Tomorrow she may be the best player in the game. As a coach I can take a deep breath that these guys have my back too. That’s what I love about the veterans and the quality of player that we have in that starting lineup and on the roster in general – they’re all out to have each other’s back.”

Fortier said that she and the players would talk Monday evening about their opponent and leave Monday’s result to dissect next week.

“They’re excited to be there,” Fortier said of playing for the tournament title. “We just want to play our best (Tuesday). There might be some pressure to win. I’m not feeling it yet. We know we can play better than we did (Monday). We’re hopeful we’re going to do that. We just want to play our best.”

Hollingsworth knows the Zags must play better Tuesday than they did Monday.

“Obviously proud of the girls,” Hollingsworth said. “It’s hard having that target on your back. Every team in the West Coast Conference wants to beat us. They throw everything they have in their bag at us. … It’s going to get harder from here on out.”