Over the Thanksgiving holiday in beautiful Fort Myers, Florida, Gonzaga went 1-1 at Coconut Hoops.
In the opening round, the Zags were unable to make a comeback against Indiana (7-1), 76-72. Despite losing the battle in the paint versus the Hoosiers’ talented frontcourt, 40-28, redshirt freshman forward Lauren Whittaker continued to show off her dominance at the rim and ability to stretch out the floor at 6-3 by finishing with 27 points on 9-for-18 field goals, 2-for-5 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 7-for-7 at the free-throw line.
Star sophomore guard Allie Turner also chipped in 21 points on 4-for-7 three-pointers in the first matchup of the tournament.
In the third-place game of the Blue Heron Division, Gonzaga beat Marquette by a close margin, 65-61. Whittaker added the second double-double to her young, promising collegiate career with 23 points on 7-for-15 shooting from the field, 3-for-6 on three-pointers, and 6-for-7 from the charity stripe to go along with 13 rebounds against the Golden Eagles.
Turner notched 17 points, four rebounds, and four assists to wrap up the final day on the East Coast before heading back to Spokane.
Indiana ended up falling to No. 10 Iowa State (9-0) in the championship game in the Sunshine State, 106-95. Junior center Audi Crooks, National Player of the Year candidate, scored a career-high 47 points for the Cyclones.
Whittaker was named to the Coconut Hoops All-Tournament Team after averaging 25.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. That year off last season has really paid off for her. The redshirt program within the Gonzaga athletic department, on both the men’s and women’s basketball sides, continues to prove how beneficial it is.
Next for the Zags, coach Lisa Fortier’s group hosts Grand Canyon (1-6) in the Kennel on Thursday, Dec. 4, at 6 p.m. PT on ESPN+/SWX. The Antelopes ended up in last place at the Hoopfest Women’s Basketball Challenge in Frisco, Texas, during Feast Week.
Whittaker and Turner are averaging half of Gonzaga’s total scoring this season (34.4 of 68.8). The Zags seem to be missing that third element behind that duo. Someone specifically within the backcourt, like either senior guard Ines Bettencourt or junior guard Zeryhia Aokuso, needs to help bring the continuous support as West Coast Conference play nears.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
