Lady Zags vs Belmont Game Summaries & Discussion

[ZagDad84]

From the Spokesman Review:

‘This team hasn’t peaked yet’: Gonzaga women in for fight against 12th-seeded Belmont in NCAA opener
By Jim Allen
[email protected]
(509) 459-5437

They’re only a No. 12 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but the Belmont Bruins have long ago moved past the happy-to-be-here stage.

After a convincing win on March 6 in the Ohio Valley Conference championship game, Belmont coach Bart Brooks told his players and everyone else that “this team hasn’t peaked yet.”

If that’s the case, the Gonzaga women will have a tough fight in their first-round NCAA game Monday afternoon in San Marcos, Texas.

Fifth-seeded Gonzaga is 23-3 and should be favored to advance to a second-round game against Indiana or Virginia Commonwealth.

The Bruins (20-5), however, are one of the hottest teams in the country with 10 consecutive wins and 14 in their past 15. They’re also no stranger to the NCAAs, having qualified five out of the past six years.

“For us there’s no question, we’re absolutely in the best place we’ve been as a team,” Brooks said on Selection Monday.

“Just the function of playing together and having everyone together and healthy for the last two or three weeks has been huge,” said Brooks, now in his fourth year. “Our team has made incredible strides just in that stretch.”

Like many teams, Belmont coped with the usual distractions related to COVID-19, including canceled and postponed games.

The team had nine game postponements and two game cancellations in navigating the COVID-19 pandemic this year.

The Bruins defeated Auburn and Conference USA champion Middle Tennessee in the nonconference portion of the season.

They finished two games behind UT-Martin in the regular season, then got on a hot streak.

Most of that success has been fueled by defense.

“We’ve done a good job on defense; we’ve found our defensive identity,” Belmont junior guard Maddie Cook said. “I don’t think it’s been anything about our strategy. It’s been our hustle and our individual players. We take pride in our defense in our matchups.”

The Bruins also take pride in their ability to take the ball away. Belmont ranks 16th in Division I in steals with an average of almost 11 per game.

Bulldogs senior guard Cierra Walker already knew that.

“Just like with any team, we know that we have to take care of the ball,” Walker said Wednesday from San Marcos.

“Every possession does matter, and our mindset is that we have to value the basketball.”

At the other end of the court, the Bruins are 15th best in the nation in 3-point field goals made per game (8.7), but they rank only 57th in 3-point accuracy at 34.7%

Unlike the Zags, Belmont has no dominant seniors.

Freshman guard Destinee Wells is only 5-foot-6 but has made a huge impact that has only grown through the season.

Wells averages 17.6 points, shoots 40% from long range and has 106 assists and 48 steals. She’s also coming off a 32-point performance in the OVC title game.

Conley Chinn, a 6-1 junior forward, is the only other Bruins player scoring in double figures (12.5 ppg). Chinn’s 4.9 rebounds per game lead a squad that is among the most balanced in the nation on the glass.

The Bruins have posted six consecutive 20-win seasons and are 109-9 in their past 118 OVC games.

The programs have met once, in the Play 4 Kay tournament in Las Vegas in November 2017. The Bruins won 71-63.

Article Link: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/20...men-in-for-fi/

ZagDad

[ZagDad84]

From the Gonzaga Bulletin:

Zags begin tournament run Monday vs. Belmont
Cole Forsman
Mar 17, 2021

After a year hiatus from the madness, the NCAA women’s basketball tournament has returned to cap off a wild season filled with uncertainty and ambiguity. Cancellations, postponements and reschedules could not stop the process of crowning a champion, however, as the competing field of 64 teams was announced on Monday night. A tournament unlike any other seems like a fitting end to the most wild regular season to date.

Following a thrilling, come-from-behind victory in the West Coast Conference championship game, the Gonzaga Bulldogs (23-3, 16-1 WCC) earned a fifth seed in this year’s NCAA tournament, matching the program’s highest placement set in 2019. Prior to the selection, the team rose in the Associated Press’ rankings to No. 14 nationally, up one spot from the previous week. Along with a five game winning streak, the Zags are excited to showcase their talents on the game’s biggest stage after last year’s unfulfilling conclusion.

“It feels like it’s been longer than two years,” Head Coach Lisa Fortier said. “But we’re excited about the game and we’re glad we’ve made it to this point.”

Awaiting GU in the first round is the Ohio Valley Conference champion Belmont Bruins (20-5, 14-3 OVC), who come into the tournament on a hot streak of their own. Winners of 10 straight, BU coasted through its conference play with numerous blowout wins, including five of their last seven games decided by double digits. The Bruins finished the season leading the OVC in scoring offense and defense, powered by efficient shooting and disciplined playmaking with a positive 4.7 turnover margin average per game.

The potent Bruins offense is fueled by the conference’s freshman of the year in Destinee Wells, who has consistently stepped up for her team throughout the regular season. Leading the team with 17.6 points per game, she has also been efficient shooting from deep, knocking down 40.7% on nearly four attempts per night. Her impact was felt immediately upon arrival, as she has started in all but one contest for the Bruins, including her first career game where she logged 34 minutes of play against Kentucky.

Even with an outstanding first season filled with conference accolades, Wells saved her best performance when it mattered most. In the OVC championship game against UT Martin, the freshman scored a program-best 32 points en route to being named the tournament’s most valuable player. Her output led BU to a 83-75 victory over the Skyhawks.

With Wells on the perimeter, Madison Bartley and Conley Chinn provide the Bruins with a presence in the paint. Bartley, a freshman herself, protected the interior with her 6’3” stature, averaging nearly a block per game. On the offensive end, it was Chinn who controlled the paint with 12.5 points per game. The all-OVC first team member was also BU’s top rebounder with 4.9 boards a night.

Despite the challenges, the Zags should hold their own against the Bruins in the first round. Overall, the talent in the frontcourt alone and depth off the bench is GU’s strength in this matchup that will likely propel them to the second round.

The road to the Final Four only gets more difficult in the second round, however, with the Bulldogs’ most likely opponent being the Indiana Hoosiers (18-5, 16-2 Big Ten), who earned a four seed in the tournament after a second place finish in the Big Ten. A loss to Michigan State in the conference tournament prevented the Hoosiers from earning a conference crown, yet it was an impressive season for Head Coach Teri Moren and her team. Boasting one of the Big Ten’s best offenses and defenses, IU notched quality victories over rivals Ohio State, Michigan and Northwestern, all of which ranked inside the top 25.

An outstanding run through conference play was powered by the services of forward Mackenzie Holmes, who provided sparks on both ends of the floor. While leading the team with 18.1 points per game, she was also a defensive anchor, averaging 2.8 blocks a night. At 6’5,” she has continued to impose her will on smaller forwards and guards, making it difficult for opponents to find success in the paint.

On the perimeter, guard Grace Berger provides the Hoosiers with toughness and crafty playmaking. Not much of an outside threat, Berger favors drives to the rim that allow her to find open shooters or draw shooting fouls on layup attempts. Averaging nearly five free throw attempts a game, the junior is not afraid to get physical down low despite her smaller build as a guard.

Should the Zags move onto the Sweet Sixteen, the top-seeded North Carolina State Wolfpack (20-2, 12-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) will most likely stand in the way barring any early round upsets.

Overall, the Wolfpack attacked their opponents in a variety of ways. Averaging 16.8 points per game, Cunane was also extremely efficient on offense, shooting 57% from the field on 10.4 attempts a night. She formed a dynamic duo with guard Jakia Brown-Turner, who knocked down the deep ball at a high rate of 37.8% this season. In the clutch, it was guard Raina Perez who stepped up to give her team a score when it mattered most. With the score knotted at 56, the graduate student knocked down the go-ahead jumper with two seconds left after converting back-to-back free throws to tie the game.

Nonetheless, it’s March, a time where trends and streaks mean almost nothing after tipoff. Upsets are bound to happen and teams can get hot at a moments notice despite regular season records and statistics. In a year where nothing was guaranteed from the start, only the hungriest team will come out on top. A five seed means nothing in the end, and this Zags squad knows their time could be now.

“It’s all or nothing,” GU senior forward Jenn Wirth said. “It’s March, and obviously watching all of the conference tournaments, upsets happen. It’s the best time of the year.”

Article Link: https://www.gonzagabulletin.com/spor...15e5e8fae.html

ZagDad

[ZagDad84]

From GoZags:

Zags Set for #12-Seed Belmont in NCAA First Round Monday
First NCAA Tournament game in two years
Women's Basketball
3/19/2021

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The #14/13 ranked and fifth-seeded Gonzaga women's basketball team is set for its first NCAA Tournament game in two years as the Zags are set to face #12-seeded Belmont in the NCAA Tournament First Round Monday, March 22 at 1 p.m. PT inside the Strahan Arena at the University Events Center on the campus of Texas State in San Marcos, Texas.

#14/13 (5) GONZAGA vs. (12) BELMONT
MARCH 22 | 1 P.M. PT | SAN MARCOS, TEXAS | STRAHAN AREANA AT UEC
TELEVISION: ESPN2 | LIVE STATS

THE TIP-OFF
- Gonzaga defeated BYU 43-42 on a last-second shot--and only made field goal--from Jill Townsend to capture the Zags' ninth tournament title and berth to their 12th NCAA tournament (not including the 2020 NCAA Tournament in which GU was projected as a No. 3/4 seed but was not the WCC automatic qualifier).
- Gonzaga returns to the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time in program history and the fourth-straight season (not including the 2020 NCAA Tournament that was cancelled due to COVID-19). Gonzaga secured a No. 5 seed for the 2021 tournament, which ties the highest seed in program history. It marks the second-straight tournament GU has been a No. 5 seed. In the last NCAA tournament in 2019, Gonzaga advanced to the NCAA Second Round before falling to No. 4 seed, and First and Second Rounds host, Oregon State 76-70.
- In 11 previous NCAA Tournament appearances, Gonzaga has advanced to the Elite Eight one time (2011), and the Sweet 16 on four separate occasions: 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015. GU owns an even 11-11 record in the NCAA Tournament.
- With the win, GU improved to 23-3 on the season. It marks the fifth-straight 20-win season for the Zags, and the 19th 20-win season in program history.
-Gonzaga has twice played on March 22, with both games coming during the NCAA Tournament. The Zags carry a perfect 2-0 mark on the day; GU first faced Texas A&M on March 22, collecting a 72-71 victory in the NCAA Second Round in 2010. The last time GU played on March 22 was during the 2015 season, Head Coach Lisa Fortier's first as the Zags HC, defeating Oregon State 76-64 in Corvallis to advance to the Sweet 16.
- The Zags secured the outright West Coast Conference regular-season title with a 95-49 victory over Pepperdine on Feb. 25 inside the McCarthey Athletic Center. It's the fifth-straight regular-season title for the Zags and the 17th in program history.
- Gonzaga concluded the regular season with another dominating performance, defeating visiting LMU 77-39 on Senior Day on Feb. 27. It extended the nation's leading home win streak to 25 straight games. The Zags haven't lost a game in the Kennel since the 2018-19 season. Currently, Gonzaga is tied with Stephen F. Austin for the nation's longest win streak. Maryland is third with 22 straight, while South Dakota (20 straight) and Rice (19 straight) round out the top five.
- With the win over Loyola Marymount on Feb. 27, Gonzaga finished undefeated at home for the fifth time in program history and the second-straight season. It also marks the eighth undefeated home conference slate in program history.
- Gonzaga collected five WCC All-Conference honors this season, tying BYU for league-leading honors. Senior Jenn Wirth picked up Player of the Year honors--the first of her career--and the second-straight Zag and third in the last four seasons to earn the top award. Wirth was also selected to the All-WCC First Team along with Jill Townsend, the second such award for both. Melody Kempton was named the first-ever WCC Sixth Woman of the Year along with Honorable Mention All-WCC, the first all-conference awards for the junior forward. Kayleigh Truong and LeeAnne Wirth joined Kempton as All-WCC Honorable Mention, the second All-WCC award for Truong (All-Freshman in 2020), and the first All-WCC award for LeeAnne Wirth.
- Currently, Gonzaga is ranked 14th in the AP Poll and 13th in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll. The Bulldogs have now been ranked or receiving votes for 55 consecutive voting weeks, dating back to Dec. 3, 2018.
- The Bulldogs return three starters and nine letter winners from last season's squad that claimed the Zags' fourth consecutive West Coast Conference regular season title.
- In 2019-20, Gonzaga rose to its highest regular-season national ranking ever, securing a No. 11 AP and No. 10 ranking in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll. Prior to the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Zags were predicted as high as a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament and were expected to host the First and Second Rounds for the first time since the NCAA changed hosting rules for the tournament in 2014-15.
- Gonzaga returns 79.1 percent of its scoring and 79.2 percent of its rebounding from last season.
- Gonzaga returns as one of the top defensive teams in the nation from a season ago. In 2019-20, the Bulldogs ranked third in the nation in scoring defense, limiting opponents to 51.9 points per game.
- The Bulldogs won 28 games last season, including a 17-1 mark in WCC play to tie their own record for wins in a conference season. It was the fourth-straight 25+ win season and 12th 25+ win season in the last 13 seasons.

SERIES NOTES
- HOME: 0-0
- ROAD: 0-0
- NEUTRAL: 0-1, Belmont leads
- ONLY MEETING: Belmont won 71-63 in the Play4Kay Showcase in Las Vegas on Nov. 23, 2017.
- STREAK: Belmont, Won 1

SCOUTING THE BRUINS
- Belmont carries a 20-5 overall record and a 14-3 mark in the Ohio Valley Conference, securing the No. 2 seed in the OVC Championships.
- The Bruins advanced to the finals, defeating top-seeded UT Martin 83-75 to secure the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. In doing so, the Bruins became just the third program from the OVC to ever make five conference tournament championships in a six-year span.
- Belmont is making its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance and fifth in the last six years.
- Belmont navigated nine game postponements and two cancellations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Heading into the tournament, the Bruins have won 10 consecutive games by an average of 15.2 points per game, and they rank inside the Top 50 nationally in 14 statistical categories, including the sixth-most steals (272) and 15th-most three-point field goals made (217).
- As a program, Belmont has posted six consecutive 20-win seasons.
- This season, the Bruins average 70.4 points per game shooting 44.3 percent from the floor and 34.7 percent from long range. 42 percent of their shot attempts come from beyond-the-arc.
- Belmont adds an average of 34.7 rebounds, 15.7 assists and 10.9 steals per game, to go along with 15.7 turnovers per contest.
- Two players average double-figure for Belmont, led by freshman Destinee Wells at 17.6 points per contest. Wells was named Freshman of the Year in the OVC this season, as well as All-OVC First Team and the OVC All-Newcomer Team. Wells finished with a career-high 32 points, seven assists and four steals in the championship game against UT Martin on March 13.
- Conley Chinn adds 12.5 points per game; Chinn was named to All-OVC First Team.
- Chinn leads the Bruins in rebounds with 4.9 per game; the junior ranks third in the OVC in field goal percentage with 47.2 percent. Allison Luly ranks second with 4.6 rebounds per game.
- Madison Bartley leads the Bruins in blocks with 23 on the season, 14 more than the next closest player for Belmont.
- Wells also leads Belmont in assists with 106 on the season for a 4.6 per game average; Jamilyn Kinney ranks second with 2.96 per game.

ALL ABOARD ALL-AMERICANS
Jill Townsend and Jenn Wirth became the fifth and sixth Zags in program history to earn All-America honors, and the first ever pair. Both Bulldogs were named Honorable Mention All-America, the first since Haiden Palmer in 2014. The duo joins Shannon Mathews (2005), Stephanie Hawk (2007), Courtney Vandersloot (2009, 2010, 2011) and Haiden Palmer (2014) as the only other Zags to be named Honorable Mention All-American.

ALL-TOURNEY PERFORMERS
[March 18] Gonzaga placed two players on the WCC All-Tournament team: Jill Townsend and Yvonne Ejim. Townsend was also selected the Most Outstanding Player, despite scoring just two points in 19 minutes of play in the title game. Townsend's two points were arguably the most crucial of the game, as she hit a jumper as time expired to lift Gonzaga over BYU 43-42 for Gonzaga's ninth tournament title and first since 2018. Yvonne Ejim was instrumental in the win, scoring a career-high 13 points while grabbing a career-high nine rebounds, one of which forced a jump ball with 0.6 seconds remaining in regulation, setting Gonzaga up for the last-second shot.

HOW WE STACK UP NATIONALLY
[March 18] Gonzaga ranks inside the top 15 in six categories, including rebounding margin (4th), total assists (10th), assists per game (10th), scoring margin (11th), win/loss percentage (11th) and field goal percentage (14th). Including those categories, GU ranks inside the top 20 in eight categories, and inside the top 40 in 10 categories.

Article Link: https://gozags.com/news/2021/3/19/wo...nt-monday.aspx

ZagDad

[ZagDad84]

On various threads we have heard about Belmont's ability to shoot the 3, their rebounding prowess, their defense, their ability to steal and force turnovers, the number of free throws they get etc. Correspondingly, people complain about the Zags ability to miss the bunnies, horrible 3-point shooting at times and a lack of value for holding onto the ball. All very true. However, despite our turnovers, missed bunnies, poor 3-point shooting, etc. if you eliminate the BYU games, since the beginning of the year, we have one game where we scored 67 points, and 2 games where the Zags scored 69 points. Every other game they scored 70 or more points. The bad offensive statistics, at times, has only affected us in games with BYU. Let's take a look at each team's body of work over the entire season and you can decide between the two teams:

Conference and Conference Tournament
Gonzaga (16-1) - Won both the WCC Conference and the Conference Tournament
Belmont (14-3) - Finished 2nd in the OVC 2 games behind UT Martin (17-2), beat UT Martin in the title game to win OVC tournament championship.

2020-2021 Schedule
Gonzaga (23-3) - Played 4 tournament teams (South Carolina, SDSU, South Dakota and BYU (3 times)) achieving a record of 3-3. Played 1 P-5 team (South Carolina) and lost by 7.
Belmont (20-5) - Played 2 tournament teams (Kentucky & Marquette) achieving a record of 0-2. Played 2 P-5 teams (Kentucky & Auburn) lost by 20 to UK & beat Auburn by 21.
Gonzaga lost 1 game in conference to BYU by 7, had an overall record versus BYU of 2-1. Has a 5 game winning streak
Belmont lost 3 games in conference; to Murray State by 6, to UT Martin by 3, and to SE Missouri State by 4. Has a 10 game winning streak.
Gonzaga NET Rating = 16 AND Belmont NET Rating=63

SCORING:
Points Per Game: Gonzaga=71.5, Gonzaga Opponent=54.9 AND Belmont=70.4, Belmont Opponent=58.1
Scoring Margin (ppg): Gonzaga =+16.6 AND Belmont=+12.3

SHOOTING:
FG: Made-Attempted: Gonzaga=711-1522, Gonzaga Opponent=508-1348 AND Belmont=658-1486, Belmont Opponent=521-1340
FG: Percentage: Gonzaga=0.467, Gonzaga Opponent=0.377 AND Belmont=0.443, Belmont Opponent=0.389
FG: Per Game: Gonzaga=27.3, Gonzaga Opponents=19.5 AND Belmont=26.3, Belmont Opponent=20.8
3PT: Made-Attempted: Gonzaga=158-436, Gonzaga Opponent=134-434 AND Belmont=217-625, Belmont Opponent=138-477
3PT: Percentage: Gonzaga=0.362, Gonzaga Opponent=0.309 AND Belmont=0.347, Belmont Opponent=0.289
3PT: Per Game: Gonzaga=6.1, Gonzaga Opponent=5.2 AND Belmont=8.7, Belmont Opponent=5.5
FT: Made-Attempted: Gonzaga=278-368, Gonzaga Opponent=277-401 AND Belmont=228-327, Belmont Opponent=273-417
FT: Percentage: Gonzaga=0.755, Gonzaga Opponent=0.691 AND Belmont=0. 97, Belmont Opponent=0.655
FT: Per Game: Gonzaga=10.7, Gonzaga Opponent=10.7 AND Belmont=9.1, Belmont Opponent=10.9

REBOUNDING:
Total: Gonzaga=1038, Gonzaga Opponent=685 AND Belmont=867, Belmont Opponent=894
Per Game: Gonzaga=39.9, Gonzaga Opponent=26.3 AND Belmont=34.7, Belmont Opponent=35.8
Margin: Gonzaga=+13.6 AND Belmont= --1.1

ASSISTS:
Total: Gonzaga=453, Gonzaga Opponent=282 AND Belmont=392, Belmont Opponents=309
Per Game: Gonzaga=17.4, Gonzaga Opponent=10.8 AND Belmont=15.7, Belmont Opponents=12.4

TURNOVERS:
Total: Gonzaga=383, Gonzaga Opponents=401 AND Belmont=345, Belmont Opponents=463
Per Game: Gonzaga=14.7, Gonzaga Opponent=15.4 AND Belmont=13.8, Belmont Opponents=18.5
Margin: Gonzaga=+0.7 AND Belmont=+4.7
Assist/Turnover Ratio: Gonzaga=1.2, Gonzaga Opponents=0.7 AND Belmont=1.1, Belmont Opponents=0.7
Points Off Turnovers: Gonzaga=17.8, Gonzaga Opponents=12.6 And Belmont - No Summarized Data Available

STEALS:
Total: Gonzaga=196, Gonzaga Opponents=189 AND Belmont=272, Belmont Opponents=168
Per Game: Gonzaga=7.5, Gonzaga Opponents=7.3 AND Belmont=10.9, Belmont Opponents=6.7

BLOCKS:
Total: Gonzaga=77, Gonzaga Opponents=43 AND Belmont=69, Belmont Opponents=63
Per Game: Gonzaga=3.0, Gonzaga Opponents=1.7 AND Belmont=2.8, Belmont Opponents=2.5

In looking at the above statistics, Gonzaga scores more points and gives up fewer points than Belmont. Gonzaga shoots better in every category (overall, 3-pt and free throw) than Belmont. Rebounding is heavily in the Zags favor as the Zags not only average more rebounds than Belmont, but Belmont does not even out rebound their opponents. The difference in rebounding margin, Gonzaga is almost 15 rebounds better than Belmont. In assists, the Lady Zags average more assists and permit fewer assists by their opponents than do the Bruins. Belmont does have fewer turnovers than Gonzaga but only less than one turnover per game. However when combined with assists, Gonzaga has a slightly better assist to turnover ration. Belmont does create more turnovers (18.5 per game) than the Lady Zags 15.4), a significant advantage. Another area where Belmont has a significant advantage is that Belmont generates 10.9 steals per game while the Zags only generate 7.5 steals per game. However, keep in mind that the steals are part of the overall turnover per game number where Belmont has less than a 1.0 turnover per game advantage.

As I said in a different thread, after watching the Belmont vs UT Martin OVC Championship game, I would say that Belmont closely resembles Santa Clara. They have good, quality players that are very well coached. They are undersized under the basket and get free by motion or they launch from long range. Four of Belmont's starters average over 28 minutes with only two starters averaging in double digits; Destinee Wells (17.6 ppg) & Conley Chinn (12.5 ppg) with one more player averaging over 9 ppg and 3 more players averaging over 7 ppg. When a team has a single player who is the significant leader in scoring, Gonzaga has had a very good record of shutting them down or limiting the damage they can inflict.

As we have seen in the first two days of the NCAA Mbb tournament, anybody can beat anybody on any given day. You simply cannot have an "off" day and expect to win. I fully expect that the better defense will offset any advantage Belmont may get on their steals/turnovers. Zag rebounding will lead to some significant 2nd chance points and I fully expect the Zags to win the points in the key by 10+ points.

Zags win and will face Indiana on Wednesday.

ZagDad

[ZagDad84]

From the Belmont Wbb website:

NCAA First Round Preview
Mar 21, 2021

SAN ANTONIO – The 12th-seeded Belmont women's basketball team (20-5) is set to face the No. 5 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs (23-3) in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament on Monday. Tip is slated for 3 p.m. CT at Strahan Arena in San Marcos, Texas.

The Bruins and the Bulldogs will meet for the second time in the series history, as Belmont won the first meeting between the two schools on Nov. 23, 2017. The Bruins recorded a 71-63 neutral-site victory at Mandalay Bay Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. at the Play4Kay Showcase.

Four Belmont players logged double-figure points in the 2017 matchup, as the Bruins were fueled by 21 points and eight rebounds from Sally McCabe. Belmont held the Bulldogs to just 11 percent shooting from 3-point range and outrebounded Gonzaga by a 44-41 margin on the afternoon.

LAST TIME OUT: The No. 2 seed Bruins took down top-seeded UT Martin, 83-75, in the OVC Championship game to earn an automatic bid to the 2021 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship.

Belmont logged its fifth conference tournament title in the last six years to become only the third OVC program ever to win five titles in a six-year span.

Freshman guard Destinee Wells scored a career-high and program championship game record 32 points en route to tournament Most Valuable Player honors. Wells became the first freshman to garner OVC Tournament MVP honors since 2011.

Wells also added a team-high seven assists and four steals for the Bruins, while three other players tabbed double-figure points. Junior guard Jamilyn Kinney, who tabbed 15 points and five assists, also earned OVC All-Tournament Team honors alongside Wells.

Overall, Belmont shot 54 percent from the field, knocked down 12 threes, dished out 18 assists and recorded 31 points off turnovers on the afternoon. The Bruins led for all but 50 seconds of the OVC Championship bout.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS: Gonzaga is led by seventh-year head coach Lisa Fortier, who holds a 178-46 (.795) record in her time at the helm of the program. The Bulldogs enter the first round of the NCAA Tournament having won 22 of their last 23 games and boast a 23-3 overall record.

In its last outing, Gonzaga defeated BYU at the buzzer, 43-42, to lift its ninth West Coast Conference title on March 9. The Bulldogs are ranked inside the top 15 nationally in six statistical categories, including assists per game (17.40), rebound margin (+13.6) and field goal percentage (46.7).

WHO TO WATCH FOR: Gonzaga is led in scoring by the senior duo of guard Jill Townsend and forward Jenn Wirth, who average a combined 26.2 points per outing. The tandem also each earned AP All-American Honorable Mention recognition.

J. Wirth averages a team-best 8.2 rebounds per game, while sophomore guard Kayleigh Truong tallied a team-high average of 4.1 assists per contest. The Bulldogs' balanced attack features seven players that average four-plus points per game.

COMING IN HOT: With its OVC Championship win on March 6, Belmont extended its winning streak to 10 games. In that span, they have averaged 73.2 points per game and won by an average margin of 15.2 points. Additionally, freshman guard Destinee Wells averages 21.4 points per game on 52.1 percent shooting from the floor in Belmont's last 10 appearances. The Bruins have also recorded a 10-plus game winning streak in five of the last six years.

POSTSEASON PRESENCE: Belmont will make its 32nd appearance all-time in a postseason game on Monday dating back to 1974. The Bruins hold an 11-20 record in postseason games, which include wNIT, NAIA, WBI and NCAA Tournament matchups.

TOURNAMENT VETERAN: Along with his third appearance with Belmont, head coach Bart Brooks previously was a part of 11 consecutive NCAA Tournament trips as an assistant coach at DePaul from 2007 to 2017.

NO STRANGER TO STRAHAN: The Bruins will make their second-ever appearance at Strahan Arena on Monday, as they previously played Texas State on Nov. 9, 2012. Belmont fell to the Bobcats by a score of 82-76 in the last meeting.

FOLLOW THE BRUINS: Monday's first round game will be televised on ESPN2, can be heard through the Bruin Sports Network or tracked through live stats.

UP NEXT: The winner of Monday's matchup will advance to the round of 32 to face the winner of No. 4 seed Indiana and 13th-seeded VCU.

Article Link: https://www.belmontbruins.com/sports...20210319tpr6tr

ZagDad

[ZagDad84]

From the Spokesman Review:

Gonzaga women face NCAA first-round challenge from pesky Belmont
UPDATED: Sun., March 21, 2021
By Jim Allen
[email protected]
(509) 459-5437

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Belmont women’s coach Bart Brooks brought his ‘A’ game to the news conference on Friday.

Asked what advantage his team will have over Gonzaga in Monday’s first-round NCAA Tournament game, Brooks paused and pointed out: “We’re closer to the ground.”

That was another way of saying that fifth-seeded Gonzaga will enjoy a distinct height advantage when the teams tip off at 1 p.m. at Strahan Arena on the campus of Texas State University.

Pressing home his point, Brooks pointed out that all five starters for the 14th-ranked Zags (23-3) are taller than their Bruin counterparts.

“And we’re not going to grow taller overnight,” Brooks said. “But when you’re a bigger player and you always have someone underneath you on defense, that’s something that isn’t always pleasant,” Brooks said.

If the favored Zags can overcome their discomfort, they will advance to face Indiana or Virginia Commonwealth in a second-round game Wednesday in San Antonio.

GU has an undeniable height advantage inside with the 6-foot-3 Wirth sisters, Jenn and LeeAnne. They also have 6-1 Melody Kempton and 6-5 AnaMaria Virjoghe coming off the bench.

Another big plus is the emergence of freshman Yvonne Ejim, who played well above her 6-1 stature in the WCC title game win over BYU.

GU comes into the NCAAs with a plus-13.6 rebounding margin, fourth-best in Division I. Belmont ranks 201st with a minus-1.1 average.

Belmont (20-5) promises to counter with what Brooks calls a “good mix of guard play and some versatile bigs who can play outside. I think we need to use what we have to our advantage.”

For most of the season, Belmont has been winning by stealing the ball (11 per game to rank 15th nationally) and making a lot of 3s (almost nine per game).

Those advantages might be magnified against a bigger team, but this is no David-and-Goliath matchup either.

GU has burned many teams with its inside-out game, making 36.2% of its shots from long range. And while Belmont makes more 3s, the Bruins rank only 57th in 3-point accuracy at 34.7%.

“We’re not a small team, but we’re not the biggest – we have a good inside-out attack,” GU coach Lisa Fortier said.

Taking care of the ball will be the bigger issue for the Zags, who average 14.6 turnovers per game to rank in the middle of the pack nationally.

“We know that they’re going to shoot a bunch of 3s and that they’re going to turn people over,” said GU senior guard Jill Townsend.

“We just have to get our minds right that we have to stop the 3 and the midrange jumper and value the ball,” Townsend said.

Gonzaga’s half-court game has been clicking of late. In the four games prior to the flu-plagued West Coast Conference title game, the Zags shot 49.8% from the floor while averaging almost 20 assists.

Fortier and others have compared Belmont to WCC rival Santa Clara.

The Broncos and their four-guard system took the Zags deep into the fourth quarter in two of their three meetings. In the WCC semis, they did it by forcing a season-high 21 GU turnovers and holding the Zags to 5 for 18 from beyond the arc.

Defensively, the Zags must contend with Belmont freshman guard Destinee Wells, the OVC Freshman of the Year after averaging 17.6 points per game.

Article Link: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/20...hallenge-from/

ZagDad

[ZagDad84]

From the Spokesman-Review:

Favored Zags won’t be overconfident, Fortier says
UPDATED: Sun., March 21, 2021
By Jim Allen
[email protected]
(509) 459-5437

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Lisa Fortier passed the trivia test with ease. Asked whether she remembered the last time Gonzaga lost an NCAA game as a favorite, Fortier answered instantly.

“2014, James Madison,” she said.

Life got better in a hurry, however. Three weeks later, Kelly Graves moved to Oregon and Fortier, his longtime assistant, took over the Zags.

Anticipating the next question, Fortier noted the upset happened in College Station, Texas. That’s a two-hour drive from the gym where No. 5-seeded GU will face Belmont in a first-round game Monday afternoon.

Since then, Fortier has taken GU to four NCAA tournaments, not including last year’s canceled event, and has gone 3-3.

Only once were the Zags favored, and they didn’t disappoint. As a 5 seed in Corvallis, Oregon, in 2019 they throttled Little Rock, 68-51.

Now they’re favored again, playing about two hours from College Station, where a 7-seeded GU squad fell to James Madision, 72-63, in 2014.

Upsets happen, though the women’s tournament generally runs closer to form than the men’s.

Overconfidence won’t be a problem, said Fortier, who has turned the “one-game-at-a-time” motto into a mantra.

“We don’t undervalue our opponents,” Fortier said.

Who’s rustier?
Gonzaga goes through it every year, the rust-inducing layoff that is meant to reward success.

Winning the West Coast Conference title meant the GU women had nine days between the end of the regular season and the WCC tournament.

Now the Zags are nearing the end of a 13-day layoff since their epic win over BYU in the conference title game.

And yet, that’s nothing compared to Belmont, which hasn’t played since beating UT Martin in the Ohio Valley Conference title game on March 6.

That’s 16 days of rust for the Bruins, but coach Bart Brooks said the players still “feel the synergy” from the tournament.

“Everything is falling into place,” Brooks said.

The Zags have been through this before: the same 13-day layoff before the 2019 tournament. However, restrictions forced by COVID-19 have kept players indoors for longer periods.

However, Fortier says the Zags are fortunate to be in a hotel in San Marcos that’s a good 10-minute walk to the testing site.

“We’re certainly trying to make the most of it,” Fortier said.

Article Link: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/20...erconfident-f/

ZagDad

[seacatfan]

Is everybody too nervous to post? Belmont is gonna make GU earn this. Zags turning it over too much.

[webspinnre]

Is everybody too nervous to post?

Pretty much.

[Coug Tracks]

Is everybody too nervous to post? Belmont is gonna make GU earn this. Zags turning it over too much.

Destinee Wells does not play like a frosh.

Plenty of time.

[CG3Dad]

Zags gotta clamp down and play as a TEAM. Unbeatable if they play together.

Wells is daring the Zags to play one on one isolation. And they’re taking the “bait”.

C’mon Zags, CLF play Zag Ball!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RenoZag]

The ref with the long pony tail is making the most of her TV time. . .

[RenoZag]

Zags - 55
Belmont - 57

3:10 to go !

[webspinnre]

Zags - 55
Belmont - 57

3:10 to go !

Way to get back in it, time to fight to finish!

[kitzbuel]

No bueno