Over the Thanksgiving holiday in beautiful Fort Myers, Florida, Gonzaga went 1-1 at Coconut Hoops.
In the opening round, the Zags were unable to make a comeback against Indiana (7-1), 76-72. Despite losing the battle in the paint versus the Hoosiers’ talented frontcourt, 40-28, redshirt sophomore forward Lauren Whittaker continued to show off her dominance at the rim and ability to stretch out the floor at 6-3 by finishing with 27 points on 9-for-18 field goals, 2-for-5 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 7-for-7 at the free-throw line.
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Star sophomore guard Allie Turner also chipped in 21 points on 4-for-7 three-pointers in the first matchup of the tournament.
In the third-place game of the Blue Heron Division, Gonzaga beat Marquette by a close margin, 65-61. Whittaker added the second double-double to her game log this 2025-26 season with 23 points on 7-for-15 shooting from the field, 3-for-6 on three-pointers, and 6-for-7 from the charity stripe to go along with 13 rebounds against the Golden Eagles.
Turner notched 17 points, four rebounds, and four assists to wrap up the final day on the East Coast before heading back to Spokane.
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Indiana ended up falling to No. 10 Iowa State (9-0) in the championship game, 106-95. Junior center Audi Crooks, National Player of the Year candidate, scored a career-high 47 points for the Cyclones.
Whittaker was named to the Coconut Hoops All-Tournament Team after averaging 25.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. That year off last season has really paid off for her. The redshirt program within the athletic department, on both the men’s and women’s basketball sides, continues to prove how beneficial it is.
Next for the Zags, coach Lisa Fortier’s group hosts Grand Canyon (1-6) in the Kennel on Thursday, Dec. 4, at 6 p.m. PT on ESPN+/SWX. The Antelopes ended up in last place at the Hoopfest Women’s Basketball Challenge in Frisco, Texas, during Feast Week.
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Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
