It was a beatdown by the Gonzaga Bulldogs (17-7-7, 9-2 WCC) in the second spherical of the rivalry matchup with the Oregon State Beavers (17-7-7, 9-2 WCC) in Spokane, Washington, 67-37. A a lot totally different story from the 92-87 time beyond regulation loss in Corvallis, Oregon, simply two weeks in the past.
Senior guard Ines Bettencourt put collectively her greatest private efficiency of the season with 15 factors on 5-for-9 three-pointers, 5 rebounds, 5 assists/zero turnovers, and two steals. Gonzaga coach Lisa Fortier leaned on the Portuguese guard’s faculty basketball expertise from her UConn Huskies days, and it paid off in the greatest recreation of 2025-26 up till now.
The Zags had been locked in on the perimeter protection, forcing the Beavers to shoot 1-for-21 from past the arc (5 %) whereas additionally grabbing ten steals. That pissed off Beavers coach Scott Rueck a lot that he acquired his second technical foul in the sequence this season.
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Gonzaga’s main ball-handlers took care of the rock with the better of care, with solely seven turnovers, the fewest of the season. Oregon State, on the different hand, turned it over a staggering 20 occasions in the rocking McCarthey Athletic Center setting, turning into 20 factors on the different finish.
After being one rebound shy of a triple-double in the first matchup (17 factors, tied program document of 10 steals, 9 rebounds), Oregon State junior guard Kennedie Shuler struggled to make any type of impression. She solely completed two factors, two rebounds, and one help to 6 turnovers.
Despite the Beavers being picked to win the West Coast Conference this offseason, the Zags have discovered a method to play the spoilers and doubtlessly obtain a No. 1 seed for the convention event at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Seven video games stay in the common season, and all are very winnable video games with this group’s capabilities behind the management of the National Freshman of the Year candidate in redshirt ahead Lauren Whittaker (tied for 14th in the nation with 11 double-doubles) and sophomore guard Allie Turner, who has had her ups and downs this season. The latest bench manufacturing from true freshman guard Paige Lofing has introduced a brand new power to this workforce heading into the house stretch.
In assist of breast most cancers consciousness, Gonzaga can be portray the Kennel pink with their recent jerseys in opposition to the Pacific Tigers (9-13, 4-7 WCC) on Saturday, Jan. 7, at 2 p.m. PT on ESPN+. The first 200 college students in attendance will take house a free pink t-shirt.
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Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho