Gonzaga WBB Guts Out 72-69 Road Win Over Toledo
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Lauren Whittaker (33) celebrates with Taylor Smith (20) during Gonzaga’s 72-69 win over Toledo on Nov. 9, 2025, at John F. Savage Arena in Toledo, Ohio. [/caption]
For multiple stints throughout their matchup, neither Gonzaga women’s basketball (2-0) nor Toledo (0-2) could separate enough to build a comfortable lead. There were 17 lead changes and nearly identical box scores, and the Rockets continued to battle until the final buzzer sounded – playing the foul game until time ran out – but in the end, the Bulldogs eked out a 72-69 win on the road.
The two teams staged similar runs during the course of the game, with the Zags pulling away by 5 with just 45 seconds to go. In the waning moments of the game, two players stood out for the Zags: Inês Bettencourt and Taryn Gardner. The latter had 12 points in the game, as Gardner drilled all four of her four three-point attempts, with each shot feeling pivotal at various points in the contest. Her final three put GU up three with just under five minutes to go, as the sophomore transfer from Boise State excelled in her catch-and-shoot role from the corner.
Bettencourt, on the other hand, had an unknown status as far as completing the game. Following a made three late in the third quarter, Bettencourt went over a ball screen but bumped knees with Faith Fedd-Robinson of the Rockets. She got the worst of the collision and stayed down on the floor briefly before being helped off by two coaches. Bettencourt returned to the game at the start of the fourth quarter and was the main catalyst in stretching Gonzaga’s lead to five late in the ballgame.
After drawing a foul and knocking down both free throws, Bettencourt stripped Kendall Carruthers as she drove in an attempt to tie the game. On that extra possession for the Zags, Lauren Whittaker reeled in a loose ball and found a wide-open Allie Turner for a huge three from the wing. It was a huge swing in the game, initiated by the senior Bettencourt. Overall, she had nine points with two rebounds and two assists.
The first half was a true defensive battle, with both sides struggling to get to their spots on the floor. Toledo took away GU’s intended entry passes to their bigs, getting takeaways and hindering the Zags from getting shots off. After the first several minutes, Gonzaga switched to their zone trap defensively, which led to a scoreless run by the Rockets that lasted for the final six minutes of the quarter. There were also five forced turnovers apiece in the first quarter, and the first half overall included a couple of 10-second violations as well as a shot clock violation.
In addition to keeping the ball away from the Bulldogs’ bigs, Toledo also denied Turner from getting touches. Even though she finished tied for a game-high 16 points, Turner didn’t score her first points until about halfway to go in the second quarter – a driving layup off a pick-and-roll. Turner’s first three of the game came late in the first half, which gave the Bulldogs a momentary lead of 27-25. She also ended with five assists, leading all players.
With the struggles offensively, head coach Lisa Fortier made some changes to spark energy in the half-court. After starting the game, Zeryhia Aokuso was pulled after the first four minutes and didn’t get back on the floor until the second half began. Lauren Whitter also played just five of the first 20 minutes, being taken out of the game by Toledo’s defense. But the redshirt freshman had a better second half, where she wound up matching Turner’s 16, including two free throws at the end that sealed the victory for the Zags.
Toledo was picked to finish second in the MAC in the conference’s preseason poll, and with the moving parts on Gonzaga’s roster, it was an impressive early-season victory considering how the game transpired. GU will return to Spokane for its next matchup as a contest with Colorado State at the McCarthey Athletic Center is slated for Thursday, November 13, at 6 PM PT.
