> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Gonzaga WBB Can't Overcome Turnover-Riddled Performance, Falls 68-66 to Arizona State - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/gonzaga-wbb-cant-overcome-turnover-riddled-performance-falls-68-66-to-undefeated-arizona-state/ - Published: 2025-12-17T09:20:19.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T05:54:19.000Z - Author: Corbin Smith - Tags: Analysis, Game Day, Gonzaga, Lisa Fortier, Lauren Whittaker, Allie Turner, Taylor Smith, Christabel Osarobo \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="862"\] ![ Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Taylor Smith (20) makes a layup during a 68-66 loss to Arizona State at the McCarthey Athletic Center. Credit: Gonzaga Athletics/Instagram ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/screenshot-2025-12-17-at-1-29-18-e2-80-afam-format-original.png) Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Taylor Smith (20) makes a layup during a 68-66 loss to Arizona State at the McCarthey Athletic Center. Credit: Gonzaga Athletics/Instagram \[/caption\] SPOKANE, Wash. — With 10 days off since its last game, Gonzaga women’s basketball (6-5) trended in the opposite direction as it relates to the team’s biggest issue to this point in the season. The Zags entered Tuesday’s game against Arizona State (13-0) averaging 17.9 turnovers a game, but that number ballooned after their 68-66 loss to the Sun Devils in the McCarthey Athletic Center, as the Bulldogs’ 16 first-half turnovers nearly matched their game average on the year, winding up with 26 in the full 40 minutes. Forcing 36 turnovers in their previous contest against Penn State, ASU paired its strength with GU’s weakness as a recipe for disaster from the Zags’ perspective. The Sun Devils scored 26 points off the turnovers, taking 16 more shots than Gonzaga overall. And the ball control problems comprised a little bit of everything for the Bulldogs. Miscommunication, inaccurate passes, travels, stepping out of bounds, errant entry tries, and so much more. ASU hedged ball screens that led to double-teaming the ball-handlers coming off the action, where they wound up just taking the ball from the Bulldogs’ hands on several occasions. But miraculously, GU still had an opportunity to win the game on its final possession. A wide-open three-point look from star guard Allie Turner is about as high-percentage a shot that Gonzaga can take, but her attempt clanged off the rim and then the backboard from the corner as the final buzzer sounded. Even on their home court, it would’ve been a true steal of a win by the Zags due to their own self-inflicted wounds and the way the last two minutes of the game unfolded. “I think the bigger point is just that we were able to execute through some of it,” said GU head coach Lisa Fortier. There was also adamant frustration with the officiating on both sides throughout the game. In her halftime interview with ESPN+/SWX, Fortier expressed her displeasure with the lack of whistles blown, and then said after the game that fouls could’ve been called on “probably 10” of her team’s turnovers. In the second half, it was ASU head coach Molly Miller’s turn to be unhappy with the referees, as three of her starters had racked up three fouls apiece midway through the third quarter. For the most part, the Bulldogs toned down the turnovers for much of the second half. But with an opportunity to tie the game on several possessions down the stretch, their Achilles heel reared its ugly head once again. Down by 3 with less than two minutes to go, Turner first committed a turnover when trying to make an entry pass from the left corner. Lauren Whittaker couldn’t complete a seal-off as the ball was thrown into no-man’s land, where the Sun Devils’ Gabby Elliott took it the other way. On the next possession, Inês Bettencourt was pressured near half-court where she attempted to pass the rock to Turner on the right sideline, but ASU’s Jyah Lovett jumped the lane and converted a fast-break layup. Finally, Bettencourt committed a double-dribble coming off a ball screen as GU looked to cut it back to a one-possession deficit. After Bettencourt’s dribbling violation and a Sun Devil free throw, the Bulldogs were down six with just 12 seconds remaining, making their victory chances as bleak as possible. But Whittaker nailed a stepback three on a broken play, keeping the door open for GU. Then as Teryn Gardner fouled Elliott immediately on an inbound, Bettencourt got tied up with ASU’s Last-Tear Poa, earning a technical away from the play after a long review. Elliott split her trip to the charity stripe, while Turner drained both of hers as the free-throw shooter for the tech, cutting the Zags’ deficit to just 2 with seven seconds to go. The ball went to Whittaker, and with the defense collapsing on the redshirt freshman, she looked for a teammate and found a wisely cutting Taylor Smith who raced down the baseline. Seemingly in the clear for a game-tying layup, Smith’s shot was sent out of bounds by Heloisa Carrera with two seconds left. On the final play, Whittaker once again received the inbound but gave it back to Turner in a hot-potato display. It set the sharpshooter up for an open look from the corner, but she just missed the mark. Regardless, there were some intriguing positive takeaways for Gonzaga aside from the tough loss. Whittaker continued to be the team’s reliable scoring option, putting up 24 points on 8-for-13 shooting, including hitting three shots from deep. Smith stacked her second-straight 8-point game, as well as notching five assists, two rebounds, and a steal. She sparked the squad’s scoring effort early, making her first three field goal attempts in the first quarter. But the most surprising contribution came from sophomore guard Christabel Osarobo, who provided a huge defensive swing with right under four minutes remaining and the Zags down 6\. It didn’t start smoothly as her assignment, Elliott — who had a game-high 30 points — broke free and scored an easy layup in a vacated lane. Osarobo responded on the ensuing possession as she hustled for a loose ball after a missed shot, tipping it to Smith, who kicked to Gardner for a huge three. Then on the other end, she streaked into the passing lane, poking the ball away and getting a score in transition. The sequence added life and fire to a late comeback attempt, and Osarobo stayed on the floor until the final possession. Zeryhia Aokuso went down earlier in the quarter with a knee issue, but even after being told she was cleared to return, Fortier stuck with Osarobo for crunch time. “Last week we were actually talking about, you know, since we had some extra time, who we would want in the game if we needed one stop, and we were kind of toying back and forth, and Chris was never out of the conversation,” she said. “…And so I just think she's a really good defender. She hasn't gotten a ton of in-game opportunities, but we see her doing that every day…Her length is impactful. So hopefully we can continue to help her build confidence because I'm very confident in her if we need a stop.” Six of Gonzaga’s first 11 games have now been decided by four or fewer points, and the Bulldogs have split those contests. The non-conference slate has been a grueling road so far for Fortier’s squad, with many things to learn from, work on, and eventually improve on, which she says is her main focus moving forward. “The message that we have for our team is like, ‘let's stay competent and build momentum’, if we can,” Fortier said. “…We still have areas to improve…we’re just trying to keep getting better.” There are undoubtedly things the Zags need to sort out before WCC play begins. Turner’s presence isn’t felt as consistently for four quarters, similar to last season, as the sophomore guard once again was held without a field goal in the first half. More dependable production from the roster’s auxiliary pieces around Whittaker and Turner would go a long way as well, although some players are beginning to find their place in the pecking order. And of course, the abundant turnovers. The Bulldogs will look to put together a complete win on Friday, December 19, on the road against Missouri State at 4:30 PM PT.