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Gonzaga Women's Basketball

No. 16 Gonzaga women roll past Saint Mary’s 82-57 to remain unbeaten in WCC play

Gonzaga guard Calli Stokes looks to pass against Saint Mary’s during Saturday’s West Coast Conference game in Moraga, California. (Courtesy Gonzaga Athletics)
By Jim Allen For The Spokesman-Review

With far less drama than two days earlier, the Gonzaga women coasted to an 82-57 West Coast Conference win Saturday afternoon over Saint Mary’s in Moraga, California.

Yvonne Ejim led the way with a game-high 24 points, but all five starters scored in double figures as the Zags reached the halfway point in the WCC season at 9-0, one game ahead of second-place Portland and three games ahead of everyone else.

Apart from a minor Saint Mary’s rally in the second quarter, the game was nothing like Thursday’s close call at Pacific, when the Zags could have lost on the Tigers’ final possession.

Sparked by Ejim’s dominance inside, GU, which boosted its winning streak to 12, took its first double-digit lead at 15-4 just 3½ minutes into the game.

Gonzaga was up by 13 points late in the first quarter, but the Gaels trimmed the lead to six before GU recovered to lead 41-27 at halftime.

The 16th-ranked Zags (19-2 overall) pulled away in the second half with a familiar winning formula: dominance on the boards, stellar foul shooting and solid defense in the paint.

Gonzaga also had a solid shooting game outside, making 8-of-23 long-range shots despite a tough day for guard Brynna Maxwell.

The leading 3-point percentage leader in Division 1, Maxwell went 2 for 7 but finished with 12 points and four rebounds. Both made shots came in quick succession , giving GU its biggest lead to that point, 50-33, with 6½ minutes left in the third quarter.

Gonzaga thrived inside thanks to Ejim, who had 10 points by early in the second quarter . Ejim made 9-of-12 shots from the floor and all six of her foul shots. She also had four rebounds.

GU’s Kaylynne Truong had 14 points and five assists.

McKayla Williams added 11 points for the Bulldogs, and Eliza Hollingsworth had 10.

The Gaels (10-10, 4-5) were without leading scorer Ali Bamberger, who suffered a knee injury on Thursday against Portland and was expected to miss several games.

Taycee Wedin scored 23 points for Saint Mary’s, but no other Gaels player was in double figures.

Gonzaga is back home Thursday against Loyola Marymount. Tipoff is at 6 p.m.