Gonzaga's Wirth named WCC Player of the Week

SAN BRUNO, Calif. — Gonzaga women’s basketball junior forward Jenn Wirth has been named the West Coast Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday.

Wirth led Gonzaga to a perfect 3-0 record on the week and its first non-conference tournament title since 2011 as the Zags defeated Dayton, Middle Tennessee and Purdue en route to the 2019 Gulf Coast Showcase tournament title. Wirth was instrumental in making that happen, averaging 13.7 points per game shooting over 62 percent from the floor. For her efforts, she was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

On Friday against Dayton, the junior forward finished with a career-high 19 points off 7-of-9 from the floor and a perfect 5-of-5 showing from the charity stripe. She grabbed six boards and silence the Flyers in their comeback attempt. She added another double-digit effort in GU’s 62-50 win over Middle Tennessee — the program’s first win over the Blue Raiders — along with seven rebounds and two assists. In Sunday’s title game, Wirth stifled Purdue’s bigs, drawing five fouls on reigning two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Naismith Defensive Player of the Year finalist Ae’Rianna Harris.

On the week, Wirth averaged 13.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 62.1 percent from the floor. The Mesa, Ariz., native added four assists, two blocks and one steal on the week while shooting a perfect 100 percent from the charity stripe (5-5).

Wirth was also named the College Sports Madness Conference Player of the Week on Monday morning.

Gonzaga has won four straight games and moved up to No. 18 in Monday’s latest Associated Press Top 25 poll.

The Bulldogs continues play Thursday at Montana State in Bozeman, Mont.