SPOKANE, Wash. – The University of San Francisco women's basketball team saw its season-best six game winning streak come to an end on Thursday night.  No. 17 Gonzaga's interior play and length made life difficult for the Dons as the Bulldogs came away with the 79-66 win at the McCarthy Athletic Center.
 
USF (11-9, 7-7 WCC) got a tremendous performance from Lucie Hoskova who scored a game-high 19 points.  Abby Rathbun was the only other Don in double figures.  Offensively, USF got a little bit from everyone, with eight players scoring at least four points.  Freshman guard Ioanna Krimili had an uncharacteristically quiet evening, she finished with five points and was held to just one field goal.
 
"I'm proud of the way we played in the second half for sure," said head coach Molly Goodenbour. "I thought we played with better intensity level, better toughness. When playing a good team like that you have to do everything right and there were a few times that we let people get loose for open looks and they were able to capitalize.  But overall, I'm pleased with our effort tonight."
 
Gonzaga (17-2, 12-0 WCC) had three players finish in double figures.  Leading the team was guard Jill Townsend who also scored 19 points.  Townsend was efficient on the evening, going 7-for-11 from the field and was 4-for-6 from long range.  Also in double figures was Jenn Wirth with 14 points and Kayleigh Truong who had 11. 
 
Jenn Wirth and her sister Leanne Wirth were a force inside. The sisters combined for 22 points and 18 rebounds.  Rebounding was a major factor in the win for Gonzaga.  The Bulldogs outrebounded the Dons 44 to 26 on the evening. 
 
Early in the contest the Dons harassed the Bulldogs.  USF was all over the floor, jumping on loose balls, creating turnovers, and getting out in transition. The result was an early 9-6 lead midway through the first quarter for the Dons.
 
USF opened the contest 7-for-17 from the field, and even though they were just 1-for-6 from beyond the arc to open the contest, they found themselves trailing Gonzaga by five, 23-18.
 
In the second quarter, Gonzaga's size advantage inside took its toll.  The Bulldogs outrebounded USF 13-2 in the second period, five coming on the offensive glass that led to 10 second chance points.  Gonzaga got a bulk of its scoring inside, outscoring the Dons 12-2 in the key. 
 
After being outscored 45-33 in the first half, the Dons defense did a better job of forcing tough shots by the Bulldogs.  Gonzaga shot 50.0 percent from the field in the first half – that number dipped to 45 percent in the second half.
 
Late in the third, USF's defense once again started creating opportunities. A steal by McDowell-White led to an easy bucket for Hoskova to bring the Dons to within 12.  Krimili hit a jumper just inside the arc for her field goal of the contest with 2:04 in the third to bring the deficit to single digits.  
 
In the fourth quarter the Bulldogs attempted to pull away twice, the second time coming on a 3-point field goal by Townsend, giving Gonzaga out front 75-59.  But USF refused to go quietly. The Dons forced a few more turnovers that led to quick buckets.  The Dons finished the night with 23 points off of 18 Gonzaga turnovers.
 
USF will return to action on Saturday when they travel to Portland, Ore., to take on the Pilots.  Saturday's game will tip off at 2:00 p.m. and will be streamed on the WCC Network. George Devine will have the call on radio on the Dons' Audio Network.