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Jan. 7—Through one week, the West Coast Conference has had some interesting results. One thing is clear: The transfer portal has allowed some parity to develop.
Just one undefeated team remains and it shouldn't come as any surprise. The Oregon State (11-5 overall, 3-0 WCC) women were tabbed to win the league.
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A four-way tie for second exists between Gonzaga (11-6, 3-1), Santa Clara (13-4, 3-1), San Francisco (10-5, 3-1) and Portland (9-7, 3-1).
Washington State (3-14, 2-2), Pacific (7-8, 2-2) and Loyola Marymount (8-7, 2-2) all have the capability of knocking off teams ahead of them.
LMU, in fact, handed visiting Santa Clara its first conference loss last Friday, 92-85. Then Santa Clara bounced back two days later and handed Gonzaga its first WCC setback, 76-73 after Zags coach Lisa Fortier picked up her 300th career victory two days earlier.
In her 12th season, Fortier became the fastest active Division I head coach to reach 300 Division I wins. She reached the feat in her 379th game, matching the number of games it took LSU's Kim Mulkey to earn her 300th win.
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Fine company for sure.
Santa Clara is coached by Loree Payne, who is in her first season after moving over from Northern Arizona.
"Lisa has done a phenomenal job," Payne said in an ESPN+ interview following the win over Gonzaga. "She is the standard and Gonzaga is the standard. With the unbalanced schedule we don't get to go up there (Spokane), so we knew it was our one shot at them ... when you talk about down the road and standings and all that stuff."
Gonzaga has a bye Thursday when WCC continues. The Zags are at home Saturday against recent nemesis Portland. It's the first of three straight at home for Gonzaga.
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—WSU faces a pair of difficult home games, beginning Thursday when WCC-leading Oregon State visits and concluding Saturday with Santa Clara.
Oregon State is led by Jenna Villa, who was one of six transfers and one of two starters to transfer from WSU in the spring.
Villa, a 6-1 junior guard from Arlington, Washington, has made an immediate and impressive impact for the Beavers. She's averaging a team-leading 15.3 points. She's also averaging 4.8 rebounds and 2 assists.
She had a career-high 32 points in OSU's last game, an 81-61 rout of Pacific. She made 11-of-17 shots from the field, 4 of 7 from 3-point range.
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"I loved coaching Jenna," WSU coach Kamie Ethridge said. "She was a tremendous person in our program. High character and did everything she could to try to help us win. I don't have a bad thought or word about her. ... She's really playing well and a big key for them. The big key for us is if we can contain her a little bit."
Villa averaged 5.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists as a starter for WSU last year.
WSU, which has struggled with injuries, got healthier over the holidays with the return of junior post Alex Covill.
Around the Sky
Eastern Washington's late rally after falling behind 37-24 in the first half fell short in a Big Sky Conference opener at home against visiting Idaho on Saturday.
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Idaho headed home with a 69-63 decision.
EWU (7-7, 0-1) makes its Montana trip this week, beginning Thursday at league favorite Montana State (9-4, 2-0) and concluding Saturday afternoon at Montana (3-10, 0-2).
Idaho (10-4, 1-0) does the same trip in reverse order.
Weekly honors
For the third straight week and sixth time this season, Gonzaga redshirt freshman forward Lauren Whittaker was named WCC co-Freshman of the Week.
In Gonzaga's 85-59 win over Seattle on Friday, she had 16 points and 10 rebounds. In a 76-73 loss at Santa Clara on Sunday, she had 21 points and 13 rebounds. The two double-doubles extend her season total to seven, a Gonzaga freshman record.
It's the eighth time overall Whittaker has earned a WCC honor. She was player of the week earlier this season.
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