Idaho Vandals defeat Gonzaga 86-75 in women's basketball upset

Idaho Vandals Overpower Gonzaga in 86-75 Upset

The Idaho women’s basketball team delivered a striking performance on Friday, defeating Gonzaga 86-75 at the McCarthey Athletic Center. In a contest featuring two programs that secured NCAA Tournament bids just last season, the Vandals controlled the tempo from the opening tip, leaving the Bulldogs struggling to recover from a disastrous start.

The Spokesman-Review reported that a crowd of 4,939 watched as Idaho established a 16-0 lead before Gonzaga managed to score. The Bulldogs, often a fixture of consistency under coach Lisa Fortier, committed seven turnovers in the first four minutes of play. By halftime, the Vandals had racked up 54 points, a defensive collapse that Fortier later described as “embarrassing” for her squad.

Defensive Lapses and Offensive Dominance

The disparity in the first half was stark. Gonzaga failed to force the Vandals to their weak hand and struggled significantly on the glass, where Idaho outrebounded the taller Bulldogs 52-33. While Gonzaga managed to trim the deficit to seven points on three separate occasions in the second half, they could never bridge the gap. The Vandals secured the win by hitting 11 of 14 free throws in the final 77 seconds.

“We had our starting forwards on the bench (early) with two fouls. (And) in that part of the game we were turning it over. We didn’t force them to their weak hand at all. We offered very little defensive resistance. So I think it was a lot of things. We were getting our butts kicked on the glass from the start. So what is there to explain,” said Gonzaga coach Lisa Fortier.

For the Vandals, the win was a testament to a specific recruiting philosophy. Coach Arthur Moreira emphasized that while his team may not always possess the most resources, they prioritize toughness. “I know we’re not always the most talented, I know we don’t have the most resources, but we’re gonna recruit tough kids,” Moreira said. “And they’re gonna play hard … and they’re gonna rebound hard.”

Individual Milestones and Team Struggles

The offensive load for Idaho was carried largely by Hope Hassmann and Ana Pinheiro, who combined for 54 of the team’s 86 points. Hassmann finished with 28, while Pinheiro added 26. Their ability to consistently penetrate the Gonzaga defense served as the backbone of the upset.

On the other side of the court, Gonzaga junior guard Allie Turner reached a personal milestone, scoring her 1,000th career point and finishing with a team-high 23. Despite the achievement, her assessment of the team’s performance was blunt. “They simply played harder than us and outcompeted us,” Turner said. “That was the main message in the locker room. We just need to play harder, need to practice harder, we need to push each other more.”

Looking Ahead at the Homestand

For Gonzaga, the loss marks a difficult second game of the season. The Bulldogs, now 1-1, are scheduled to conclude their three-game season-opening homestand on Sunday when they host UC Riverside. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at the McCarthey Athletic Center, where the team will look to correct the communication errors and defensive lapses that defined Friday’s loss.

Idaho’s victory, meanwhile, moves the Vandals to 2-0. The post-game celebration on the floor indicated the magnitude of the win for the program, reflecting the intensity of an early-season matchup that saw one team clearly out-hustle the other from the very first possession.