No. 17 Gonzaga women rally to win WCC opener 62-57
SPOKANE, Wash. -- Jill Townsend scored 18 points and No. 17 Gonzaga rallied from a 20-point second-quarter deficit on Sunday to win its West Coast Conference opener 62-57 over Portland.
The Bulldogs, who trailed 34-14 in the opening minutes of the second quarter, outscored the Pilots 15-4 in the fourth quarter, taking the lead on a Katie Campbell 3-pointer with 3:19 to play.
Gonzaga trailed 37-24 at the half and 53-47 after three quarters. The teams traded baskets in the opening minute of the fourth quarter before the Bulldogs reeled off 10 straight points. Campbell started the run with a pair of free throws and Townsend had a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 55-54 at the 3:57 mark. After Campbell's 3, Jenn Wirth hit a jumper for a 59-55 lead.
Portland missed five shots and had seven turnovers before Haylee Andrews ended the drought that lasted seven minutes.
Wirth had 14 points and Campbell 12 for Gonzaga (13-1), which won its 10th straight to keep pace with the best start in school history. The Bulldogs have won 22 straight in the series it leads 54-26.
Kate Andersen had four 3-pointers and 20 points for the Pilots (7-5), who were picked to finish last in the league. Andrews had 18 points.
Portland made 10 of 15 shots in the first quarter to 4 of 16 for Gonzaga and led 26-12. Andersen opened the second quarter with a pair of 3-pointers for a 32-12 lead.
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Game Information
- Referees:
- Darren Krzesnik
- Marc Merritt
- Shante Anderson
2023-24 West Coast Conference Standings
Team | CONF | GB | OVR |
---|---|---|---|
Gonzaga | 16-0 | - | 32-4 |
Santa Clara | 12-4 | 4 | 25-9 |
Portland | 10-6 | 6 | 21-13 |
San Francisco | 10-6 | 6 | 14-16 |
Pacific | 8-8 | 8 | 19-15 |
Saint Mary's | 6-10 | 10 | 13-18 |
Loyola Marymount | 5-11 | 11 | 11-19 |
San Diego | 4-12 | 12 | 9-22 |
Pepperdine | 1-15 | 15 | 5-25 |