Nov. 15, 2005
Gonzaga Women's Basketball Game Notes - Nov. 15, 2005
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WCC Weekly Notes
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Game No. 1 - SAN JOSE STATEFriday, November 18 - 7 p.m.SJSU Event Center (5,000) - San Jose, CA
GONZAGA UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS (0-0, 0-0 West Coast)F - 42 Stephanie Hawk, 6-3, Jr., Ontario, OR (9.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.0 bpg)F - 44 Anne Bailey, 6-0, Sr., Snohomish, WA (9.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.3 apg)G - 12 Rachel Kane, 5-7, Jr., Kaneohe, HI (1.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.7 apg)G - 21 Katy Ridenour, 5-11, Jr., Post Falls, ID (3.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 0.9 apg)G - 32 Jami Bjorklund, 5-11, Fr., Spokane, WA (2.5 ppg, 1.5 apg, 2.0 apg - exhibition stats)HEAD COACH: Kelly Graves (University of New Mexico, 1988)GONZAGA RECORD: 80-69 (6th year);CAREER RECORD: 146-95 (9th year)
SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY SPARTANS (0-0, 0-0 WAC)F - 32 Anetero Uiagalelei, 5-10, Sr., Pomona, CA (2.1 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 1.1 apg)F - 43 Lamisha Augustine, 6-1, Sr., Fresno, CA (13.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.7 apg)C - 34 Amber Jackson, 6-2, So., Oxnard, CA (14.9 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 0.7 apg)G - 14 Brittany Imaku, 5-2, Jr., Lakewood, CA (2.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 4.0 apg - exhibition stats)G - 41 Breanna Fields, 5-8, Fr., Sacramento, CA (10.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 5.0 apg - exhibition stats)HEAD COACH: Janice Richard (Louisiana College, 1986)SJSU RECORD: 80-91 (7th year);CAREER RECORD: 239-128 (13th year)SERIES RECORD: Gonzaga leads 2-0
Game No. 2 - EASTERN WASHINGTON Sunday, November 20 - 2 p.m. McCarthey Athletic Center (6,000) - Spokane, WA Radio: KGA 1510 AM
EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY EAGLES (0-1, 0-0 Big Sky)F - 31 Abby Johnson, 6-2, So., Clarkston, WA (6.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 0.0 apg)F - 32 Jamie Chicane, 6-1, Sr., Cottonwood, ID (0.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 1.0 apg)F - 55 Felice Moore, 6-2, Sr., Spokane, WA (3.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 0.0 apg)G - 5 Leah Gonnella, 5-7, Jr., Spokane, WA (0.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.0 apg)G - 20 Brittney Osborn, 6-0, So., Enumclaw, WA (13.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.0 apg)HEAD COACH: Wendy Schuller (Fresno Pacific University, 1992)EWU RECORD: 57-58 (5th year);CAREER RECORD: SameSERIES RECORD: Gonzaga leads 19-14
HEAD COACH Kelly Graves: Kelly Graves is in his sixth season as the head coach at Gonzaga University having built the Bulldogs into an annual West Coast Conference contender. After winning just 5 games his first season, Graves guided the Bulldogs to their first regular-season title since 1988 last year when GU posted a 28-4 record and 14-0 mark in the WCC. It was only the second time a school has run the table in the league, Graves was an assistant coach at the University of Portland when the Pilots accomplished the feat in 1997. Graves was named the WBCA Region 8 Coach of the Year and WCC Coach of the Year as Gonzaga ran off a nation's-best 23 game win streak and earned the school's first national ranking. Graves is currently the school's career wins leader with a 80-69 record. He has twice been named the WCC Coach of the Year at Gonzaga (2003 & 2005) and boasts a 146-95 career record including 65-47 in WCC action.
BULLDOGS HAVE HIGH HOPES FOR 2006: Despite the loss of three senior starters from last year's 28-4 team, the Gonzaga Bulldogs have high hopes entering the 2006 season. Head coach Kelly Graves thinks this team could be better at the end of the year than last season's team as Gonzaga does return nine other players who played last season including honorable mention All-WCC honoree Anne Bailey. Gonzaga kicks off the season on the road at San Jose State University before hosting Eastern Washington University on Sunday afternoon at the McCarthey Athletic Center.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS: Gonzaga opens the season on Friday night at San Jose State in the first of two in-season meetings between the schools. The Spartans will pay a return visit to Spokane on Dec. 23 marking the second time SJSU will play at Gonzaga. Gonzaga leads the all-time series 2-0 winning the last match-up 65-54 in the Martin Centre on Dec. 7, 2002. San Jose State went 18-12 last year with a 10-8 mark in the Western Athletic Conference which was good for 6th place. Amber Jackson is force down low for the Spartans with 14.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and .659 shooting percentage.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES: Gonzaga hosts Eastern Washington on Sunday afternoon as the annual series makes its first appearance at the McCarthey Athletic Center. Gonzaga leads the all-time series 19-14 after a 72-51 win in Cheney, Wash. EWU has played the Bulldogs tough during the Kelly Graves era with GU winning three of the five meetings, the two Eagles wins coming by 3 points or less. Eastern Washington is already off to an 0-1 start, falling to the University of California in the pre-season NIT. Brittney Osborn scored 13 points to finish as the only EWU player in double-figures during the 64-45 set back. Eastern Washington will face Saint Mary's College to open the season on Friday night.
GONZAGA DOMINATES WCC ATTENDANCE: Gonzaga led the West Coast Conference in attendance for the second straight season as the Bulldogs averaged 1,817 fans to rank 64th in the nation. GU had more than 1,000 fans at eight of its 14 home games last season including a WCC record setting 5,825 when Gonzaga defeated the University of Portland to close out the regular-season. Already this year Gonzaga has drawn over 1,000 fans to both exhibition wins with an 1,125 average.
BAILEY AMONG TOP WCC RETURNERS: Senior forward Anne Bailey has been selected as one of the Top 6 returning players in the West Coast Conference for the 2006 season. Bailey was an honorable mention All-WCC pick as a junior averaging 9.9 points and 5 rebounds per game. In league play Bailey was even better with 10.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per contest shooting .530 from the floor. Bailey ended the season playing extremely well hitting double figures in 13 of the final 16 games. Joining Bailey on the top returning player list are guard Dominique Carter from the University of San Francisco, guard Kayla Huss from Santa Clara University, guard Daphanie Kennedy from Pepperdine University, forward Amber Sprague from the University of San Diego and guard Rachael Ziemann from Loyola Marymount University.
TWO STARTERS RETURN: Last season Gonzaga returned all five starters from a team that advanced to the 2004 Women's NIT. This year the Bulldogs only have two starters back from the squad that advanced to the second round of the 2005 Women's NIT. Returning are senior guard Juliann Laney and junior forward Stephanie Hawk. Laney started 23 games last season taking over the role of defensive stopper after Ashley Anderson was lost for the season. Laney averaged 1.2 points and 2 rebounds per game appearing in all 32 games. Hawk started 26 games after being inserted into the starting line-up prior to the University of Montana game. The Bulldogs ran off a nation's best 23-game win streak after Hawk joined the starting rotation as she averaged 9.4 points and 5 rebounds per game.
ANDERSON BACK IN THE MIX: Senior Ashley Anderson has returned to the Bulldogs mix of players after she suffered a torn anterior cruciate in her left knee prior to the University of Idaho game. Anderson had started the first eight games of the year with 8.3 points and 5.5 rebounds. She was named to the Wells Fargo Holiday Classic All-Tournament team after a 20-point effort against the University of Nevada. As a sophomore Anderson earned honorable mention All-WCC honors with 11.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
BULLDOGS SIGN SIX NEW PLAYERS: Gonzaga head coach Kelly Graves announced the signing of six new players that will join the Bulldogs team for the 2006-07 season. Signing national letters of intent with the Bulldogs were Janelle Bekkering, Heather Bowman, Michelle Elliott, Vivian Frieson, Simone Jordan and Tatriana Lorenzo. Bekkering is a 6-0 guard/forward at W.R. Myers High in Taber, Alberta, Canada. Bowman is a 6-2 forward from Spokane's Lewis and Clark High. Elliott is 5-11 guard from Pasco, Wash., who played two seasons at San Diego State University before attending Columbia Basin College for classes this season. Frieson is a 6-0 forward from Seattle's Garfield High. Jordan is a 5-10 guard from Franklin High in Portland. Lorenzo is a 5-7 point guard from Kamahameha High in Honolulu.
HOME RADIO AVAILABLE: Gonzaga will have all regular-season home games broadcast on the radio this season as Steve Myklebust returns for his second year of calling the action. Each game will be broadcast on KGA 1510 AM in Spokane with a pre-game show 20-minutes prior to tip. Games will also be available on the internet with live audio streaming on www.GoZags.com.
ZAGS LOOK SHARP IN EXHIBITIONS: Gonzaga closed the exhibition season with a 2-0 record as the Bulldogs defeated Concordia University of California, 89-36, and Seattle Pacific University, 85-61. The Bulldogs were able to get all 12 players in uniform into both games with a freshman stepping up in each contest. Redshirt freshman Sarah Schramm led the team with 12 points against Concordia hitting 4-of-5 from the floor. Against SPU Stephanie Hawk led the Bulldogs with 26 points while freshman Maria Hassett added 17 with 7 rebounds.
HASSETT HITS DOUBLE DIGITS TWICE: Freshman Maria Hassett scored in double figures in both of Gonzaga's exhibition games as she scored 10 points against Concordia before pouring in 17 against Seattle Pacific. Hassett has connected on 10-of-12 from the floor and 7-of-8 from the free throw line. She also had 7 rebounds against SPU, six of them offensive rebounds which led to put back baskets.
NEW FACES ON THE BLOCK: Gonzaga will have five new faces on the bench this year including four that will don the Bulldog uniform for the first time. Joining the line-up this year are redshirt freshman Sarah Schramm, junior college transfer Simone Santos and freshmen Jami Bjorklund, Maria Hassett and Sasha Polishchuck. Schramm played in the Bulldogs lone exhibition game last season before suffering a wrist injury which forced her to redshirt last season.
LANEY, SANTOS MISS EXHIBITIONS: Senior Juliann Laney and junior college transfer Simone Santos both missed the Bulldogs exhibition games last week with both players nursing preseason injuries. Both players have returned to practice this week and will be a game day decision for this weekend's season openers. Head coach Kelly Graves expects both to be back at full strength by the time GU heads to the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands.
WCC TOURNAMENT COMES TO SPOKANE: The West Coast Conference Tournament will makes its first appearance in Spokane as the Bulldogs host the annual men's and women's championship on March 2-6 at the McCarthey Athletic Center. The Gonzaga women have advanced to the last two WCC Championship games losing to Loyola Marymount in 2004 at San Diego and to host Santa Clara last season. All session passes are now on sale through the Gonzaga ticket office at (509) 323-6000.
ZAGS FACE NATION'S BEST IN PARADISE: Gonzaga will take the stage with three of the nation's best programs when they play in the Paradise Jam over Thanksgiving weekend. The Bulldogs will play 2004 Final Four participant Michigan State University, the University of Maryland and preseason No. 1 the University of Tennessee.
BULLDOGS AND THE 3-POINTER: In the Bulldogs final home game in the Martin Centre, Gonzaga witnessed its consecutive game streak with a 3-pointer made come to an end against the University of San Francisco. That 0-for-6 performance against the Lady Dons ended a 222 game streak in which the Bulldogs had made at least one 3-pointer in a game. The streak started after the Bulldogs went 0-for-10 against the University of San Diego on Feb. 17, 1996. Gonzaga rebounded from that performance to knock down seven 3-pointers in each of its next two games and has extended its current streak to 38 games. The Bulldogs record for 3-pointers made in a game is 14 against UC Riverside on Dec. 31, 2001. Gonzaga has recorded 17 games with 10 or more 3-pointers made since the 3-point basket was incorporated into the college game including a 13 3-point performance against Santa Clara last season to open West Coast Conference play.
GU BLOCK STREAK: In addition to its current 3-point streak, Gonzaga also has a block streak of 36 games dating back to the 2004 season. Last year the Bulldogs had a record setting 136 blocks to shatter the previous mark of 118 set in the 2003 season. The Bulldogs had two games with 10 or more blocks including a record tying 12 blocks against Nevada. GU has blocked 10 or more shots 6 times.
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: Gonzaga enters the 2005 season with the nation's 14th longest active home winning streak at 14 games. The Bulldogs enter the year tied with the University of New Mexico, a team that defeated GU at The Pit last season. Western Illinois leads the nation with a 39 game winning streak entering the season. Last season Gonzaga was one of two programs in the country to have both its men's and women's teams go undefeated at home, the University of North Carolina was the other. Over the past three seasons Gonzaga has won more than 90 percent of its home games with a 37-4 record.
BAILEY AND HAWK ON THE BLOCK: Senior Anne Bailey and junior Stephanie Hawk have been a large part of the Bulldogs success in blocking shots as both players rank in the career Top 11 entering the season. Bailey has 62 blocks for her career and enters the year 8th on the list. Hawk has 46 blocks in her first two seasons and is tied with former All-WCC pick Ashley Burke for 11th. Hawk needs five more blocks to tie Sue Harvey (1979-83) for 10th on the career list.
BULLDOGS SET RECORD FOR WINS: The 2005 Gonzaga Bulldogs tied a school record for wins going 28-4 to advance to their second straight post-season berth. GU previously hit 28 wins in 1985 when head coach Bill Evans guided the Bulldogs to a 28-4 record and appearance in the NAIA District playoffs. Gonzaga did establish a new mark for consecutive wins as they rattled off 23 straight wins to lead the NCAA until falling in the WCC championship game. The previous mark was 18 straight wins set during the 1985 season.
LIFE ON THE ROAD: For the second straight year Gonzaga will play at home on the opening weekend before hitting the road for an extended road trip. After opening Friday night at San Jose State University, the Bulldogs will host Eastern Washington on Sunday afternoon for its home opener. Following the EWU game Gonzaga will hit the road for one month playing eight straight road games before returning home to host the University of Montana on Dec. 18. Along the way GU will cover nearly 11,500 miles traveling to the U.S. Virgin Islands, Idaho, Nevada, California and Utah.
DEFENSE CONTINUES FOR BULLDOGS: A strength of the 2005 Gonzaga team, the Bulldogs again played solid defense in both exhibition wins. Gonzaga held their opponents to a combined .330 field goal percentage including a .174 shooting clip from 3-point range. Last year the Bulldogs ranked 9th in the NCAA in field goal percentage defense allowing opponents to shoot only .353 from the field. Last season Gonzaga only allowed opponents to shoot over 40 percent from the field in nine games with only Arizona State University connecting for over 50 percent.
ZAGS NEW POINT: After four years with WCC Player of the Year Shannon Mathews running the point, Gonzaga will have a new floor leader this year as junior Rachel Kane and freshman Sasha Polishchuck competing for the starting job. Kane won the starting job in 6 games as a freshman before tearing her ACL. Last season she averaged 13 minutes a game off the bench with one start in the WCC Championship game after Mathews was hurt. Polishchuck is a true freshman averaging 14 minutes, 5 points and 3.5 assists during the two exhibition wins.
