Zags Defeat Pacific 77-65 in Stockton

Thursday, January 28

Stockton, Calif.

7 P.M.

Gonzaga University

14-2,9-0WCC

University of the Pacific

5-6,3-5WCC

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Gonzaga	13	32	17	15	77
Pacific	12	9	17	27	65

1/28/2021 10:15:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score PDF

Extend win streak to 13 games

STOCKTON, Calif. – The No. 18/17 Gonzaga women's basketball team handled Pacific in Stockton Thursday, defeating the Tigers 77-65 inside the Alex G. Spanos Center. The Zags extended their win streak to 13 games, the fourth longest win streak in the nation.

Gonzaga (14-2, 9-0 WCC) finished with three players in double figures, led by Jenn Wirth with 15 points on 7-of-8 from the floor to go along with seven rebounds. LeeAnne Wirth added 14 points and a team-high nine rebounds while Kayleigh Truong finished with 10 points and a game-high eight assists.

The Bulldogs shot 56.7 percent from the floor and 40.0 percent from long range, and they controlled the paint with a 44-30 scoring advantage in addition to a 31-18 edge on the glass. Gonzaga scored 20 points off 15 forced turnovers on Pacific (5-6, 3-5 WCC) while scoring 10 second-chance points.

GU opened the game with a quick 5-0 run off a layup from LeeAnne Wirth and a three-point play from Jenn Wirth. Yet Pacific quickly closed the gap and kept the game within one nearly the entire first quarter.

Just over two minutes into the second, GU held a one-point advantage (19-18) until a trey from Abby O'Connor at the 7:26 mark sparked a 24-2 run over the next six minutes. During that span, GU was nearly perfect, missing just two field goals while forcing five turnovers on the Tigers. The Zags extended their lead to 24 points (45-21) by half off a 14-of-17 shooting performance in the second quarter.

The Bulldogs continued to shoot at a high percentage after the break, sinking 8-of-16 attempts in the third quarter. A three-point play from Jill Townsend at the 5:44 mark of the third gave Gonzaga its largest lead of the night at 31 (56-25). Pacific outscored the Zags 13-6 in the final five minutes of the third to cut GU's lead to 24 (62-38) heading into the final 10 minutes.

Pacific battled back in the fourth, outscoring GU 15-5 in the first five minutes to cut GU's lead to 14 points (67-53). Back-to-back Zag buckets—a trey from Lily Scanlon followed by a jumper from Kayleigh Truong—ended Pacific's run. The Tigers outscored GU 12-5 to close the game, giving the Zags the 77-65 victory.

"Road wins are always hard fought and always worth celebrating, but I would really love to have seen us play four full quarters of high-level basketball," Head Coach Lisa Fortier said. "Our first have transition offense was on point, and we were really guarding the ball. Second half, we got too spread out and let them get too many good looks."

Kaylin Radhawa led Pacific with 16 points while Erica Adams added 11. Valerie Higgins finished with nine points, 10 rebounds and four steals.

Gonzaga returns to play Saturday, Jan. 30 as it travels to Moraga, Calif., to play Saint Mary's. Tip off is set for 1 p.m. Check GoZags.com for up-to-date game time information.