‘We’re among the best’: Despite loss, Gonzaga women show they can play with anyone

Four games into the season, the Gonzaga women are still looking for some validation, something to back up Coach Lisa Fortier’s claim Sunday that “we’re among the best teams in the country.”

By most standards, that would mean a spot in the Associated Press Top 25, or at least a few votes.

A win over No. 7 Stanford undoubtedly would have accomplished that; however, the Zags lost a close one at the Kennel, 66-62.

Then again, two years ago, GU was able to convert an overtime loss at Stanford into a spot in the rankings, and the Zags held on to it for the rest of the season and all the way through the next.

Outside expectations are lower this year because of the graduation of several key players; so far, GU hasn’t received a single vote from the 30 voters in the AP women’s basketball poll.

“I think we are one of the top teams in the country, and I think we deserve it,” said GU senior Melody Kempton, who scored a game-high 16 points against the Cardinal.

That’s up to the AP voters (note: this writer is one of them), and some will note that the Cardinal came into a packed Kennel without their best player in guard Haley Jones, missed 10 of 18 foul shots and still managed to come away with a win.

In the meantime, Fortier acknowledged some shortcomings, though she didn’t go into details. “I think there will be some things that will change,” she said.

Through four games, the Zags have the same 3-1 record nearly everyone expected. Next up is the Rainbow Wahine Showcase beginning Friday in Hawaii, against Utah (5-0), Eastern Illinois (4-0) and Hawaii (1-3).

With three games in as many days, the tournament will compel Fortier and her staff to give more quality minutes to the backups.

A glance at Sunday’s box score showed the Zags getting outrebounded by only 36 to 31 by the taller Cardinal, but giving up 38 points in the paint while scoring only 22.

Perhaps more concerning was the stone-cold shooting by the starters. Kempton was 6-for-11, but Anamaria Virjoghe, Abby O’Connor, Kayleigh Truong and Cierra Walker were a combined 10-for-34.

O’Connor played 29 minutes – the most of any Zag – but the senior wing missed all six shots and finished with one point and three rebounds.

For the season, O’Connor also leads the Zags in minutes played but is shooting just 21% from the field and is 0-for-10 from 3-point range. She’s averaging 3 points per game, which ranks eighth on the squad.

However, the Zags are getting quality minutes off the bench from guard Kaylynne Truong and Yvonne Ejim, who also happen to be the team’s top scorers. Ejim had another big game on Sunday, getting starter’s minutes (26:13), 11 points and a team-high six boards.

Both are reminiscent of former GU star Jill Townsend, who didn’t start as a sophomore, yet led the Zags in scoring and minutes played.

While O’Connor hasn’t produced points, she averages 4 1/2 rebounds and has drawn some tough defensive assignments. On Sunday, she held former Central Valley star Lexie Hull of Stanford to 4-of-11 from the floor.

Much is expected of freshman guard/wing Bree Salenbien – the first five-star recruit in program history – but she’s seen limited minutes (2 ½ per game) so far.

The Zags are back home on Dec. 3 against Wyoming.