Feb. 28, 2009
Box Score
SPOKANE, Wash. - The University of San Diego women's basketball team fell just short of ending the season on a high note, as they fell to Gonzaga University, 77-67, in the season finale for both teams.
With the loss, the Toreros finish the regular-season with a 16-12 overall record and a 7-7 mark in the WCC. USD also will not receive a bye in the upcoming WCC Tournament, as they got the No. 6 seed and will face San Francisco on Friday at 2:30 p.m. With the win, the Zags finish the regular season with a 24-6 overall record and a 12-2 mark in the WCC.
In the first half, the Zags jumped out to a 14-6 early lead with Heather Bowman scoring 10 of those points for GU. However, back-to-back jumpers by San Diego, followed by a 3-pointer by USD's Morgan Henderson sliced GU's lead to one at 14-13 with 13:01 to go in the half.
The Zags then went on a 10-0 run to gain a 24-13 advantage with 8:49 to go in the half. A Amber Sprague 3-pointer then ignited a 14-5 San Diego run that was capped on a Kiva Herman jumper to pull the Toreros back to within two at 29-27 with 3:48 left. After a Courtney Vandersloot jumper gave GU back a four-point lead, a Kaila Mangrum free throw sparked a 5-0 San Diego run, which gave USD its first lead of that game at 32-31 with 1:47 left. The Zags would then outscore USD 5-2 over the final minute of action to take a 36-34 lead into the break.
San Diego hit 42.9 percent (15-of-35) of its shots, and 42.9 percent (3-of-7) on three-pointers. Gonzaga shot just 38.9 percent (13-of-34) from the field in the opening half, including 25.0 percent (2-of-8) from behind the 3-point arc.
The Bulldogs held a five or seven point lead for the majority of the first 10 minutes of the second half. Gonzaga finally pushed its lead above double-digits when, after leading 55-50; it strung together a 6-0 outburst to put the score at 61-50 with six minutes left in the contest.
The Zags largest lead late in the second half was 14, 75-61, after Vandersloot drained her second 3-pointer of the afternoon with 1:40 left in the game.
The Bulldogs finished the game hitting 46.9 percent (30-of-64) from the floor, including a sizzling 56.7 percent (17-of-30) in the second half.
San Diego had three players score in double-figures, including Sprague who scored a team-high 21 points. Dominique Conners added 16 points and Kiva Herman had 15.
