Dons Rout Portland For Crown

WCC women’s tournament

Valerie Gillon scored 23 points as San Francisco defeated Portland, 66-50, Sunday to win the West Coast Conference tournament and a berth in the NCAA tournament.

Brittany Lindhe added 13 points for San Francisco (25-4), which won its 16th straight and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1981.

Stacy Johanson scored 13 points and Laura Sale 11 for Portland (23-6), which scored only two points in the first 10 minutes as San Francisco bolted to a 15-2 lead. The Pilots (23-6), who now must hope for an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, shot a season-low 30.3 percent from the field.

After the first 10 minutes, Portland regrouped and pulled within 29-26 at the half. But San Francisco scored the first six of the second half and Portland never drew closer than five thereafter.

San Francisco and Portland had finished first and second, respectively, in the WCC during the regular season and had split two previous meetings.

The Gonzaga women finished in sixth place and were eliminated in the first round of the tournament by Portland.