Gonzaga women face two teams chasing it in WCC standings
The Gonzaga women’s basketball team faces a pair of games this weekend that will go a long way toward deciding the conference championship.
The first-place Zags (14-4, 7-0) complete the first half of conference play when they travel to take on Saint Mary’s (13-5, 6-1) on Thursday and Pacific (14-5, 5-2) on Saturday. The Gaels’ only West Coast Conference loss came to Pacific, which lost road games to BYU and San Diego.
“It’s a big weekend for us,” coach Lisa Fortier said. “It’s against two teams we haven’t played who are chasing us at our heels.”
Fortier said she’s pleased with how her team has shared the ball and rebounded well during an eight-game winning streak.
“I like how we are playing,” Fortier said. “I think it will be a good test for us on the road against a team that really knows how to close.”
Fortier said Pacific’s lineup is athletic, but the Bulldogs’ post players will get a test in Moraga, California.
“Our inside play has been great all year,” Fortier said. The Saint Mary’s game “will be a post-play battle. Their kids are bangers.”
Gonzaga was able to defeat a pesky Loyola Marymount team last Saturday even though the Zags’ top outside shooters, Elle Tinkle and Keani Albanez, went 0 for 12 from the 3-point arc.
“If one of our shooters has a bad night, we will likely have two or three others who will step up,” Fortier said. “It’s comforting to know.”
Gonzaga will soon have one more option as Fortier announced that senior wing Lindsay Sherbert has returned to practice after suffering a serious knee injury in a Nov. 29 loss to Iowa.
In her absence, junior guard Elle Tinkle has transformed into an offensive weapon. She has averaged 17.7 points and 6.7 rebounds in seven conference games.
“I don’t know for sure what we will do with” Sherbert, who was starting when she got hurt, Fortier said. “Whether it’s starting or coming off the bench, we will definitely use her to stretch the defense.”
Fortier explained that she loves to use the 6-foot Sherbert in the “stretch four” position.
“That’s someone who can play outside like a guard and go inside,” Fortier said.
The idea is that Sherbert can use her shooting ability to draw out an opponent’s post player. She can then use her quickness to go around or pass to a teammate slashing through an open lane.
“I don’t know that we’ll have her for Saturday or the next Saturday at Portland. Hopefully, by then,” Fortier said.