Gonzaga Destroys Saint Mary’s Again

Four weeks ago, Gonzaga thrashed Saint Mary’s 69-37 in Spokane. If you thought the rematch in Moraga would be any different, you would be incorrect. The Bulldogs’ defense shined again as they won their 14th straight game, a 79-52 beatdown of the Gaels. Gonzaga improves to 15-2 on the year.

Saint Mary’s started the game 3-for-17 from the field as the Zags built a double digit lead by the end of the first quarter. Jill Townsend came out scorching hot after a cold spell the last few games. She scored 18 first half points from all over the floor, going 7-for-9 from the field and 3-for-3 from deep. As a team, Gonzaga hit six of eight triples in the first half en route to a 40-23 lead. They shot 61.5 percent from the field.

The Gaels would not get any closer in the second half. Despite shooting 6-for-21 from the field in the third quarter, the Zags still held a 17-15 advantage because of offensive rebounds and stout defense.

Jenn Wirth recorded her eighth double-double of the season with 14 points and 14 rebounds, one shy of a career-high. Kayleigh Truong notched a career-high nine assists. Townsend finished with 20 points and Cierra Walker added 11. Gonzaga held Saint Mary’s to just 31 percent from the field.

Lisa Fortier’s crew has now won nine straight games by double digits. Their showdown with BYU, originally scheduled for January 23rd, now comes on Tuesday night. The Cougars are 9-2 overall, with a 5-1 record in the WCC. With Gonzaga already beating Portland twice, BYU is the only real challenger left for them. They have been in and out of Covid issues for a couple weeks, but as of now, they are scheduled to tip off Tuesday at 6 pm in Spokane.