SPOKANE, Wash. — A staunch defensive effort Thursday on the road against the West Coast Conference's best kept the University of San Francisco women's basketball team in reach, but No. 15/15 Gonzaga finally found its stroke in the second half and pulled away from the Dons for a 56-38 win at McCarthey Athletic Center.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Dons (9-16, 2-11 WCC) held the WCC's best shooting team (45.6% entering the night) to only 30.7% shooting in the first half. They forced eight turnovers by the Bulldogs (24-2, 13-1 WCC) in the first 20 minutes and were within three points or less for most of the first quarter, only trailing by five after one.
   
• USF's strong defensive effort continued in the second, holding Gonzaga to just 5-for-17 shooting (29.4%) during the period. The Dons forced the Bulldogs – the WCC's best ball-handling team with a 1.10 assists-to-turnovers ratio – to turn it over three more times, and thanks to scoring six of the second quarter's last nine points, were within single digits at halftime, trailing 25-16.
   
• Gonzaga settled down and figured it out coming out of the break, going on a 10-2 run to start the second half and gain some separation with a 35-18 lead. The Bulldogs shot 50.0% in the third and only turned the ball over twice. Meanwhile, the Dons struggled to shoot for most of the night, not going over 40% until the fourth quarter. Leilah Vigil and Mikayla Williams both led USF in scoring and tied for the game high with 10 points each.
   
• Gonzaga's balanced attack shined through as usual, with five players scoring at least eight points and none scoring more than 10. Three Bulldogs had at least five rebounds and three had at least three assists each. Gonzaga outrebounded San Francisco, 38-28, only the second time in the last 10 games USF has been outrebounded, and the Dons' second-lowest rebounds total (25 on Jan. 18, also versus Gonzaga).

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• 1: San Francisco made only one 3-pointer (1 for 13, 7.7%), but the single trey came from Rojeen Sharifi, who in her one-plus minute of action, made the only shot she took. It was her second triple of the season after also making one at Washington on Dec. 20.
• 77.8%: The Dons were over the 70% mark at the free-throw line Thursday for the third straight game, a streak that follows a stretch where they were only at 70% or better twice in their previous 12 contests.

COMING UP

• San Francisco travels to Portland on Saturday before returning home for its final two home games of the season next week. Fans can purchase tickets and find all live coverage links on USFDons.com.