Over Thanksgiving weekend in sunny Fort Myers, Florida, Gonzaga women’s basketball got a little taste of both sides of the scoreboard at the Coconut Hoops Classic - a tough loss to Indiana followed by a gritty bounce-back win over Marquette.
Let’s start with the opener. The Zags fell just short against a strong Indiana squad, 76-72.
The Hoosiers brought muscle to the paint, outscoring Gonzaga 40-28 down low, and that interior edge proved to be the difference. But despite the loss, redshirt sophomore forward Lauren Whittaker made it clear she’s one of the most versatile bigs in the country right now.
She dropped 27 points on 9-of-18 shooting, including 2-of-5 from deep and a perfect 7-for-7 at the line. That’s not just efficiency - that’s a player who can stretch the floor and still finish through contact.
Sophomore guard Allie Turner backed her up with 21 points, including four makes from beyond the arc. Turner’s outside shooting gave Gonzaga a fighting chance late, but Indiana’s frontcourt presence was just a little too much to overcome.
Two days later, in the third-place game of the Blue Heron Division, the Zags showed some serious resilience. They edged out Marquette, 65-61, in a back-and-forth battle that came down to execution in the final minutes.
Once again, it was Whittaker leading the way - this time with a double-double. She poured in 23 points on 7-of-15 shooting, knocked down three triples, and grabbed 13 boards.
That’s the kind of stat line that anchors a win.
Turner added 17 points, four rebounds, and four assists, showcasing her all-around game. Her ability to create both for herself and her teammates was a steadying force throughout the contest.
Indiana, the team that edged Gonzaga in the opener, went on to fall in the championship game to No. 10 Iowa State, 106-95.
But Whittaker’s performance over the two-game stretch didn’t go unnoticed - she was named to the Coconut Hoops All-Tournament Team after averaging 25 points, 9 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. That’s an elite line, and it speaks to her impact on both ends of the court.
Next up for Gonzaga: a return to Spokane and a matchup against Grand Canyon on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. PT.
The Antelopes are coming off a tough Feast Week showing at the Hoopfest Women’s Basketball Challenge in Frisco, Texas, where they finished last, and they’ll be looking to regroup. But with Whittaker and Turner firing on all cylinders, the Zags will be favored to keep the momentum rolling back home in the Kennel.