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Gonzaga Women's Basketball

Gonzaga women in right frame of mind for WCC tournament

Gonzaga forward Sunny Greinacher says the team has got its confidence back after the win over BYU. (Tyler Tjomsland)
LAS VEGAS – Gonzaga got back into the win column last Saturday, prompting the return of a few other important items. “For the last game before Las Vegas, it was very important to get our confidence back,” said forward Sunny Greinacher, referring to the 73-66 road victory over BYU. “We had to have a little switch in attitude, not only in games but it starts in practice and we did that.” The top-seeded Zags (23-6) will open against No. 8 Loyola Marymount (7-23), a 68-67 winner over No. 9 Pepperdine, in the WCC women’s tournament quarterfinals Friday at noon at Orleans Arena. Gonzaga won both meetings, including an 82-59 rout three weeks ago. Junior guard Sophie Taylor, who scored 22 points in Thursday’s win, had 41 points in two losses to Gonzaga. “They start four guards generally and we start two true post players, a disadvantage at one end but I think an advantage at the other end,” GU coach Lisa Fortier said. “They’re athletic and like to drive hard to the basket. Sometimes we’re good at defending dribble penetration and other times we struggle.” Gonzaga has a 12-1 record – the lone loss to BYU in the 2012 title game – since the tournament moved to the Orleans in 2009. The Zags have played in six straight NCAA tournaments. “It’s arguably the best time of the year,” junior forward Elle Tinkle said. “You’re going to get everybody’s best and everybody is fighting for their season.” The Zags opened conference with 15 straight wins to seal their 11th consecutive title but then lost to third-seeded Pacific at the McCarthey Athletic Center and on the road to No. 2 San Diego. “If I didn’t know faces and numbers and who they were I wouldn’t guess that was the same team with the effort we gave on Saturday (against BYU) versus the effort we gave on Thursday (vs. San Diego),” Fortier said. “The chips got down in the San Diego game and we kind of went in the abyss. Against BYU we were in a tough spot and we rallied, stuck together and came up with our best possessions.” The Zags went 7-4 in the non conference. They have an RPI of 38, one of five WCC teams between 38 and 74. “Sometimes you go in and have a little lax mentality knowing you have the non-conference resume to get you into (the NCAA) tournament,” Fortier said. “That’s not the case this year. We need to win three games.”