Gonzaga is known for its dominant men's basketball program. This year, the women's team could make a deep NCAA Tournament run as well.
The prelude to March Madness didn't go the way the Bulldogs wanted. After winning a second straight regular-season championship, Gonzaga lost to Portland in the West Coast Conference tournament championship. Again.
But the Bulldogs still earned their highest seed in March Madness history with a No. 4 seed. That means they're hosting the first two rounds of the tournament, and the home-court advantage should help their chances of advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2015.
Gonzaga is carrying its best record in program history at 30-3, and that includes a win over Stanford.
The Bulldogs will face No. 13 seed UC Irvine in the first round in the hopes of getting their second tournament win in four appearances. A win — and a potential run — would be quite a way to send out two of Gonzaga's most notable players.
Twin sisters Kayleigh and Kaylynne Truong will leave Gonzaga better than they found it. An NCAA tournament win would just add to their legacy.
Unfamiliar with the Truong twins? The Sporting News has you covered with everything to know about the duo.
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Who are Kayleigh and Kaylynne Truong?
The Truongs began their careers in Houston, Texas. They knew they wanted to play together in college, and they and found their home in Gonzaga, where they became the first Asian American twins to play Division I basketball.
It's been a career full of rollercoasters for the 5-9 twins, particularly Kayleigh. The guard was a first-team All-WCC selection in 2022, but she barely competed in the following season. She suffered an ankle injury in November that kept her off the court for 23 games of her senior season, though she returned for the five final games.
Since the Zags were missing their leading scorer in the 2022-23 season, Kaylynne knew she she'd have to fill in for her sister's absence. She averaged 15.8 points per game and 5.0 assists to earn WCC Player of the Year and her first all-conference first-team selection. She added an AP All-American honorable mention to her resume.
Back on the court together for their fifth and final season in Spokane, there's no mistaking the twins, who frequently sport thick, matching headbands.
The pair earned first-team All-WCC honors this year. Kayleigh and Kaylynne average 11.9 and 11.6 points, respectively, along with 4.5 and a team-high 5.9 assists. They're all-around players, adding 1.3 steals in each appearance. They're efficient shooters from behind the arc; Kaylynne has a shooting percentage of 43.2% while Kayleigh is right behind at 40.1%.
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Their biggest impact on the program emerges with the Bulldogs as a team. Kaylynne is 2nd on the program's career assist leaderboard with 609 ahead of her final March Madness.
The Truongs are favorites in Spokane, but they're beloved overseas, too.
In 2022, they helped Vietnam to a silver medal in 3-on-3 at the SEA Games which were held in Hanoi, Vietnam's capital. It was their first time representing their country and first time visiting the home of their native language.
A year later, the Truongs won Vietnam's first gold medal in the women's 3-on-3 at the SEA Games in Cambodia.
Kayleigh and Kaylynne have yet to announce their future plans after college basketball.
