Women’s basketball: Struggling Gonzaga, EWU set to meet Saturday, with each looking for a spark

A third of the women’s basketball season is over and what have area teams learned?

They have much work to do – some more than others.

Two of those teams, Gonzaga and Eastern Washington, meet at 2 p.m. Saturday at McCarthey Athletic Center.

Gonzaga is off to its worst start under 11-year coach Lisa Fortier at 4-6, including four consecutive losses. EWU is 2-7, equaling its worst start under coach Joddie Gleason. The Eagles started 2-11 in her first season.

A year ago, Gonzaga and EWU engaged in a back-and-forth game the Zags won 82-80.

Both teams have changed considerably since last season. EWU has five new starters and Gonzaga replaced four. The lone returning starter for the Zags is fifth-year forward Yvonne Ejim, the reigning West Coast Conference Player and Defensive Player of the Year. Ejim scored a game-high 23 points and had 10 rebounds in the matchup last year.

Gonzaga senior forward Maud Huijbens is coming off her best game of the season at Colorado State. She match a career-high 15 points and a career-high 19 rebounds. She’s looking forward to playing EWU, the Zags’ first game at home since Nov. 21.

“I hope we can end (nonconference) on Saturday in a good note and go into conference with a lot of confidence,” Huijbens said. “Eastern always gives us a good game.”

EWU redshirt sophomore forward Bella Hays and senior guard Alexis Pettis are the lone Eagles to have played in the game last year. Hays, who is starting this season, had two points and Pettis, who is averaging 21 minutes off the bench, was scoreless.

It’s a challenging game for Fortier because she’s playing a team coached by a friend and former coach. She played for Gleason at Butte College in Oroville, California.

“It’s more fun before the game than it is during the game,” Fortier said of facing off against Gleason. “I don’t enjoy playing against her. It’s stressful. Playing against your friends isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. It’s fun when we get to play, but neither one of us enjoys it. I bet she’d say the same thing.”

The game could be a measuring stick for Gonzaga, but not in the traditional sense. EWU has played three West Coast Conference teams. EWU opened with an 83-82 loss at Washington State in a game in which the Eagles had a 15-point lead.

Eastern fell 74-62 at home against Portland, which is off to the best start of any team in the WCC. And the Eagles were nipped 59-57 by Saint Mary’s in a game in Hawaii.

Gonzaga needs to play well since the game is its final nonconference tuneup before WCC play begins next week. EWU has two more nonconference games before starting Big Sky play Jan. 2 at Montana.

Eastern, picked to finish seventh by the media and eighth by the coaches in the Big Sky, can use the game to measure how it stacks up against a future conference foe – Montana. Gonzaga topped Montana 82-69 in a season opener at home.

Gonzaga showed improvement in a 74-72 overtime loss at Colorado State on Sunday. The Zags got out to a 43-23 lead by halftime only to see the Rams claw back and force overtime.

EWU’s lone Division I victory was a 67-58 decision over CSU Bakersfield. The Eagles are coming off lopsided losses at South Dakota State (81-58) and North Dakota State (74-47).

“We’re definitely different than last year, but we don’t feel like we’re rebuilding,” Gleason said. “Our schedule is extremely tough, especially for a team that has so many new players who need to contribute right away. We’re learning every game and playing three true freshmen every game.”

Peyton Howard has been far and away EWU’s leading scorer at 16.1 points per game. The graduate transfer point guard from Seattle University by way of Central Valley High School is the lone Eagle averaging in double figures. But they get production from six other players who are averaging between 8.4 and 5.0 points.

Gleason said one of the challenges has been not seeing progress reflected in the win column.

“Not getting the gratification of a win when you’re working hard,” Gleason said. “It’s the toughest schedule we’ve ever had since we’ve been here. We’re playing quality teams, quality programs. We’re throwing this team to a fire and it will help us down the stretch.”

Taking on Gonzaga is just another difficult test the Eagles have had so far.

“(Ejim) is always one of the biggest challenges,” Gleason said. “She’s one of the best posts in the nation. She draws so much attention, and they surround her with some good players who can shoot. But you’ve got to try to slow (Ejim) down as much as you can.”

Injury update

Fortier said there’s a possibility that redshirt freshman forward Lauren Whittaker could be lost for the season.

A second MRI will determine whether Whittaker will need surgery to repair a meniscus issue.

Saint Mary’s graduate guard Tayla Dalton (stress fracture) and redshirt junior guard Bree Salenbien (knee) are practicing but haven’t been released to play in a game.

Cougars back home

Washington State (4-5) returns home after a six-game road trip.

The Cougars finish up nonconference play with a pair of home games Friday against BYU and Sunday against Saint Martin’s.

WSU has lost two in a row including an 85-70 setback at Oregon last week. Senior wing Tara Wallack is leading in scoring at 14.7 and sophomore guard Eleonora Villa is next (14.3).

“Wish we could have pulled off a win or two more, but looking at the teams that we’ve played – and reality is we have seven brand new players trying to fit into our system and play together – we’ve got to understand that it’s going to be a process and we’re not anywhere near our finished product,” WSU coach Kamie Ethridge said.

Taking a medical redshirt

Former WSU standout guard Charlisse Leger-Walker announced last week she plans to sit out the 2024-25 season.

Leger-Walker transferred to UCLA this year. She suffered an ACL injury Jan. 28 in an overtime win at UCLA.

She plans to return next year to the Bruins, who are 9-0 and ranked No. 1. She’s focusing on making a full recovery from her knee surgery.

“I had hoped I would be competing with the Bruins this season, but I’ve decided I need more time to get back,” Leger-Walker said in the release . “I am looking forward to getting fully healthy, training at an elite level and coming back to the court next year.”

Leger-Walker finished her career at WSU ranked third in scoring with 1,743 points and second in made 3-pointers (199), among other feats.

EWU signs three

The Eagles announced the addition of three players Tuesday.

Elyn Bowers, a guard from Pinedale, Wyoming; Dylyn Dess, a guard from Kennewick; and Madeline Gibbs, a guard from Aurora, Colorado, will join EWU next season.

“All three of our 2025 signees have competed on high school or club programs at the highest levels and are winners on and off the court,” Gleason said.