SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — As soon as Kayleigh Truong, her sister Kaylynne and the remainder of Gonzaga’s sharp-shooters obtained scorching from the perimeter, there was nothing one other starring effort from Utah’s Alissa Pili might do to decelerate the Zags.
Gonzaga is rolling into the second weekend of the NCAA Match for the primary time in practically a decade.
Kayleigh Truong scored 21 factors, Yvonne Ejim added 17 factors and 13 rebounds, and fourth-seeded Gonzaga superior to the Candy 16 for the primary time since 2015 beating No. 5 seed Utah 77-66 within the second spherical of the NCAAs on Monday night time.
The Zags used a barrage of 3-point taking pictures within the second and third quarters to beat an early deficit and superior to their first regional semifinal in 9 years. Gonzaga (32-3) received its thirty sixth consecutive sport at residence and can face top-seeded Texas within the Portland 4 Regional semifinal on Friday in Portland, Oregon.
“These guys, they set their very own objectives and so they wish to break all these data that folks at Gonzaga have not finished earlier than and also you simply need to remind them to examine them off little by little,” Gonzaga coach Lisa Fortier stated. “If you wish to do issues we’ve not finished, we obtained to go one step at a time. They performed robust in the present day.”
Gonzaga obtained contributions from all through the lineup. Truong and twin sister Kaylynne have been on the mark from the perimeter because the Bulldogs hit 12 3-pointers within the first three quarters and led by as many as 21.
Kaylynne Truong added 14 factors and Elisa Hollingsworth added 13. The Bulldogs completed 12 of twenty-two from past the 3-point line and took a victory lap by means of the crammed Kennel Membership scholar part following the victory.
“You bought to offer them credit score for what they do. It isn’t straightforward standing the entire sport and cheering individuals on and shedding their voices,” Ejim stated.
Utah hoped to return to the regional semifinals after final 12 months when the Utes fell 66-63 to eventual nationwide champion LSU within the Candy 16.
Pili led Utah (23-11) with 35 factors, her fifth 30-point sport of the season, in her remaining sport for the Utes. Pili scored the primary 10 factors of the sport for the Utes and closed her profession with a 3-pointer with 2 seconds left earlier than having a protracted hug with Utah coach Lynne Roberts.
“I am grateful I got here to Utah and type of turned my complete life round,” Pili stated. “I am grateful and I am prepared for the long run.”
Roberts stated the group skilled a number of racist incidents on the group’s first resort in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, after arriving within the space final Thursday and compelled the group to maneuver motels earlier than their first event sport on Saturday. Roberts stated the incidents left her gamers shaken.
“We had a number of situations of some type of racial hate crimes towards our program and (it was) extremely upsetting for all of us,” Roberts stated. “In our world, in athletics and in college settings, it is surprising. There’s a lot range on a school campus and so that you’re simply not uncovered to that fairly often.”
On the court docket, Gonzaga trailed by as many as seven early within the second quarter earlier than a barrage of pictures began falling.
Gonzaga hit seven of its subsequent eight pictures, together with 5 3-pointers by 5 totally different gamers as a part of a 19-3 run. Dasia Younger scored on a driving layup with six seconds left within the half to lastly finish Utah’s drought, however the deficit was 10 on the break.
Gonzaga’s run didn’t cease with the halftime break. The Bulldogs scored the primary 11 of the second half, together with Kaylynne Truong’s desperation 3 because the shot clock expired and a 3-point play from Hollingsworth to push the result in 55-34.
“I really feel like we made a few psychological errors there, however they only shot lights out. They did not miss. They made us pay,” Younger stated.
Utah rallied to tug inside 67-61 with 4:49 left after six straight factors from Pili. That was as shut because the Utes would get. Utah missed its subsequent 5 pictures, Gonzaga hit 5 of six free throws and Ejim’s rebound basket with 1:50 left gave the Bulldogs a 74-61 lead.
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The Zags misplaced within the second spherical in 2022 and 2019 and can play within the regional semifinals for the fifth time in class historical past. The final time reaching this spherical, Gonzaga misplaced to Tennessee in extra time in 2015 in coach Lisa Fortier’s first season.
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AP March Insanity bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket/ and protection: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness