Graves posts record-tying win with GU
When Kelly Graves arrived at Gonzaga University five years ago, his women’s basketball team won five games.
When Raeanna Jewell arrived the next year, Graves joked that she couldn’t guard a line on the floor.
On Saturday at the McCarthey Athletic Center, Graves won his 65th game with the Bulldogs – tying Mike Peterson (1986-89) for the most in school history – a 74-50 drubbing of Saint Mary’s, Graves’ previous employer.
“I really haven’t thought about (the milestone),” said Graves, 65-67 at GU. “I don’t think I get a bonus for it. You know what? I’m just lucky to coach a pretty good team. I learned a long time ago if I have better players, I usually win. If they have better players, they usually win. I’ve had good players lately.”
Jewell, now a senior, played a big part in the win with 12 points, three assists, three steals and good defense.
With two West Coast Conference wins capping a 7-0 homestand, Graves also passed Julie Holt, who had 62 wins (1989-94) and is the only other coach to take the Zags (13-2, 2-0) to the postseason.
“He’s just a good coach,” Jewell said. “He knows how the game works. He knows what he has and he knows how to use it. We’ve learned in four years how to play his game.”
“She’s tough and can get through screens,” Graves said of Jewell. “Good scorers are going to be coming off screens. We always say tough kids don’t get screened. She’s become a good defensive player because we told her if she didn’t play defense she wouldn’t play. … She has always (filled the stat sheet).”
The Bulldogs managed a 36-30 halftime lead by scoring the final six points. The flurry came on two free throws by Ashley Burke, who had a game-high 18 points; a short turnaround jumper by Anne Bailey, who came off the bench for 14 points; and a fast-break Shannon Mathews-to-Jewell layup.
It was a fortunate lead considering the Bulldogs got pounded on the boards. The Gaels (9-6, 1-1) had almost as many offensive rebounds (10) as GU had total (12). With 6-foot-2 Triola Jackson grabbing 10 boards, St. Mary’s had a 21-12 advantage.
But Jackson took just three shots and had two rebounds in the second half.
“They didn’t go to (Jackson) a lot in the second half,” Graves said. “They tried to post up some of our smaller players. I think that got them out of their offensive rhythm a little bit. But, yeah, she was obviously the focus of the halftime speech. More than the way she was killing us on the blocks, it was her boards, giving them second opportunities.”
The Bulldogs scored the first six points of the second half to get the lead into double figures. They carried that on for a 24-9 run, going up 60-39 on a Stephanie Hawke free throw with 8:57 to go.
Jewell had a 3-pointer and Mathews hit two during the big run. Mathews is one assist short of 500.
GU plays at Loyola Marymount on Thursday and at Pepperdine on Saturday.
Gonzaga 74, Saint Mary’s 50
Saint Mary’s (9-6, 1-1)–Lahde 0-5 1-2 1, Urmonaite 0-1 0-0 0, Jackson 5-13 0-0 10, Noakes 2-3 0-1 5, Winn 5-9 2-2 12, Obaiza 1-2 1-2 3, Shaughnessy 0-3 3-4 3, Cowles 0-3 0-0 0, Van Burger 3-7 2-2 9, Williams 2-3 0-0 4, Ludwick 0-0 0-0 0, Arredondo 1-5 1-2 3. Totals 19-54 10-15 50.
Gonzaga (13-2, 2-0)–Burke 5-7 8-9 18, Jewell 4-11 2-2 12, Hawk 2-4 3-4 7, Mathews 3-9 0-0 8, Laney 0-0 0-0 0, Harris 1-2 2-2 4, Kane 0-2 0-0 0, Ridenour 2-2 0-0 5, Renius 0-1 2-2 2, Prichard 0-1 0-0 0, Bailey 7-12 0-0 14, Lecoultre 1-4 2-2 4. Totals 25-55 19-21 74.
Halftime–Gonzaga 36, Saint Mary’s 30. 3-point goals–Saint Mary’s 2-7 (Noakes 1-1, Van Burger 1-2, Lahde 0-1, Jackson 0-1, Cowles 0-1, Williams 0-1), Gonzaga 5-16 (Jewell 2-6, Mathews 2-7, Ridenour 1-1, Harris 0-1, Kane 0-1). Fouled out–Obaiza, Arredondo. Rebounds–Saint Mary’s 41 (Jackson 12), Gonzaga 28 (Mathews, Bailey 5). Assists–Saint Mary’s 8 (Winn, Van Burger 2), Gonzaga 18 (Mathews, Kane 5). Total fouls–Saint Mary’s 21, Gonzaga 13. A–768.