Dec. 21, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Game No. 14 - WYOMING
Monday, December 22 - 6 p.m.
McCarthey Athletic Center (6,000) - Spokane, WA
Gametracker & Live Video: GoZags.com; Radio: 1510 KGA
GONZAGA UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS (10-3, 0-0 West Coast)
F - 11 Janelle Bekkering, 6-0, So., Taber, Alberta, Canada
(5.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.1 apg)
F - 30 Heather Bowman, 6-2, Jr., Spokane, WA
(19.3 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.8 spg)
F - 44 Kelly Bowen, 6-0, Fr., Victoria, Australia
(4.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 0.9 spg)
G - 21 Courtney Vandersloot, 5-8, So., Kent, WA
(16.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 6.8 apg )
G - 32 Jami Schaefer, 5-11, Sr., Spokane, WA
(5.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.6 spg )
HEAD COACH: Kelly Graves (University of New Mexico, 1988)
GONZAGA RECORD: 155-105 (9th year); CAREER RECORD: 221-131 (12th year
WYOMING COWGIRLS (6-4, 0-0 Mountain West)
F - 10 Rebecca Vanderjagt, 6-3, Sr., Townsville, Australia
(2.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.4 apg)
F - 21 Emma Langford, 6-2, Fr., Arthurton, Australia
(14.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 4.2 apg)
C - 33 Elisabeth Dissen, 6-1, Sr., Hillsboro, OR
(9.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 0.8 bpg)
G - 3 Randi Richardson, 5-7, RS-So., Arlington, WA
(2.9 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 1.8 apg )
G - 24 Megan McGuffey, 5-11, Sr., Cheyenne, WY
(11.0 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 2.8 apg)
HEAD COACH: Joe Legerski (University of Wyoming, 1979)
WYO RECORD: 105-59 (6th year); CAREER RECORD: Same
UPCOMING GAMES: The Gonzaga University women's basketball team hosts the University of Wyoming in their final contest before the Christmas break. The Gonzaga and Wyoming match-up on Monday, Dec. 22 at 6 p.m.
LIVE VIDEO COVERAGE: All home Gonzaga University women's basketball contests can be seen live on CBS College Sports all-access through GoZags.com. Check out the women's basketball schedule page for the link to the video broadcast. Gametracker is also available for all home games and can be accessed at GoZags.com
ON THE RADIO: Gonzaga University will have all regular-season home games broadcast on the radio this season as Steve Myklebust returns for his fifth year of calling the action. Each game will be broadcast on either KGA 1510 AM or KJRB 790 AM in Spokane with a pre-game show 20-minutes prior to tip. Games will also be available on the internet at GoZags.com.
TICKET INFORMATION: Single game tickets to Gonzaga University women's basketball can be purchased through TicketsWest at 325-SEAT (7328), TicketsWest.com, at any TicketsWest outlet, or at the McCarthey Athletic Center Ticket Office, Monday through Friday, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Women's Basketball Ticket Prices are as follows: $8-Reserved, $5-General Admission Adult; $3-General Admission Child (12 and under), or Senior (65 and over); Gonzaga Students, Faculty & Staff are free with a valid Gonzaga ID.
SCOUTING THE COWGIRLS: The University of Wyoming holds a 6-4 overall record on the year. The Cowgirls' had won three-straight before dropping a 74-59 decision to Saint Louis University on Saturday. Wyoming's other three loses this season are to the University of Montana (71-64), the University of Oregon (51-45) and Gonzaga University (68-58). Wyoming is led by Emma Langford. Langford is averaging 14.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per contest.
ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST WYOMING: This will only be the third all-time meeting between Gonzaga University and the University of Wyoming. The Cowgirls defeated the Bulldogs in the school's inaugural meeting; a 69-60 victory on Nov. 24, 1989. The Zags and Cowgirls already played once this season, with GU earning a 68-58 win in Laramie, Wyo. Heather Bowman paced Gonzaga with 28 points and 10 boards, while Courtney Vandersloot chipped in 18 points and four assists. Kristen Scheffler led Wyoming with 21 points.
BOWMAN MAKES ANOTHER LIST: Gonzaga University women's basketball player Heather Bowman was named to the Naismith Trophy Early Watch List presented by AT&T as announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. Bowman, a junior forward averaging 19.3 points and 8.8 rebounds for the Bulldogs this season, became the inaugural Zag to be named to this list. The Naismith Trophy watch list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Board of Selectors, which based its criteria on player performances from the previous year and expectations for the 2008-09 college basketball season. The watch list does not include incoming freshmen, although those student-athletes will be considered in the first vote in February, 2009. The Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T will be awarded at the 2009 NCAA Women's Final Four in St. Louis, MO.
HEAD COACH Kelly Graves: Kelly Graves begins his ninth season as the head coach at Gonzaga University having built the Bulldogs into an annual West Coast Conference contender. After winning just five games his first season, Graves has guided the Bulldogs to four-straight West Coast Conference regular-season titles. In 2006-07, Graves added a WCC Tournament championship and the Zags inaugural berth in the NCAA Tournament to his GU highlights. Gonzaga finished the 2006-07 season with a 24-10 overall record and a 13-1 record in the WCC; which helped Graves garner WCC Co-Coach of the Year honors. He once again led the Zags in 2007-08, as GU finished with a 25-9 overall record, 13-1 mark in the WCC and a WNIT invitation. Graves is currently the school's career wins leader with a 155-105 record. He has been named the WCC Coach of the Year at Gonzaga four times (2003 & 2005 & 2007 & 2008) and boasts a 221-131 career record including 102-52 in WCC action.
Bowman Named To Preseason Wooden Award List: Gonzaga University women's basketball junior Heather Bowman became the inaugural Bulldog player to be named to the preseason Women's Wooden Award All-American Team and Player of the Year trophy as the 30 student-athletes for 2008-09 were announced by Richard "Duke" Llewellyn, Wooden Award Chairman and founder. The list is composed of 30 student-athletes who, based on last year's individual performance and team records, are the early frontrunners for college basketball's most prestigious honor.
BOWMAN AND VANDERSLOOT AMONG TOP WCC RETURNEES: Heading the group of Gonzaga University returners are 2008 WCC Player of the Year Heather Bowman and Newcomer of the Year Courtney Vandersloot. Bowman and Vandersloot were tabbed by the West Coast Conference coaches as one of the top 10 returnees this season. Bowman led the WCC in scoring at 20.1 points per game in just her second year in the league and was third in the conference in rebounding at 8.6 per game. Vandersloot will enter the year as the conferences steals (62) leader and led the team in assists (191).
RECEIVING VOTES IN THE ESPN/USA TODAY POLL: The Gonzaga University women's basketball team continues to receive votes in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Top 25 poll. The Bulldogs received two votes in the latest poll, released Tuesday. The Zags received seven votes a week ago, but dropped to only two after going 1-1 for the second-straight week. GU's only loss last week was to South Dakota State University, who cracked the Top 25 for the first time in school history at 22.
WHAT'S IN A NAME?: When looking at the Gonzaga University women's basketball roster some may wonder what happened to Bulldog Jami Bjorklund. Don't fret, the senior guard from Spokane is still on the squad, she is just going by a different name. Bjorklund was married to Drew Schaefer this past August and is now going by her married name - Jami Schaefer.
CAREER NIGHT: Courtney Vandersloot scored a career-high 32 points in the Bulldogs 80-77 setback to Marquette University in the first round of the WBCA Classic. Vandersloot joined nine other former Bulldogs in the 30-Point Club. She was six points off a single-game record, as Amy Simpson scored 38 points against Lewis-Clark State Feb. 1, 1983. The last Zag to score 30 or more points was junior Heather Bowman who tallied 30 against Santa Clara on Feb. 28, 2008.
NEARING 1,000 POINTS: Senior guard Jami Schaefer is closing in on 1,000 career points. Schaefer has scored 922 total points at Gonzaga University and only needs 79 more to become the 14th Bulldog all-time to score 1,000 or more points.
SCHAEFER A TOP SENIOR: Senior Jami Schaefer was named a candidate for the 2008-09 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. Thirty senior male and female NCAA college basketball players were announced to the 2008-09 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, presented annually to an NCAA Division I student-athlete in nine sports. Based on criteria focusing on the "Four C's" of classroom, character, community and competition, the award winners will be selected by national balloting of head basketball coaches, national media and college basketball fans.
ZAGS KNOCK OFF RANKED OPPONENT: Heather Bowman scored 18 points to lead Gonzaga University to a 69-62 upset over then-No. 15/16 University of Virginia in the WBCA Classic. The win secured the Bulldogs the WBCA Classic title. The victory against Virginia was the first over an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) school in three tries and the second-ever over a ranked opponent. The Bulldogs only other win over a top ranked team was Nov. 24, 2006 when they defeated then-No. 19 UCLA 62-57 at the Rainbow Wahine Tournament.
WBCA ALL-TOURNAMENT: Junior Heather Bowman and classmate Vivian Frieson both were named to the WBCA Classic All-Tournament squad after leading the Gonzaga University women's basketball team to a 2-1 record. Bowman also was named the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament. Bowman averaged 17.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per contest, while Frieson averaged 9.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game.
NATIONAL STATISTICS - INDIVIDUALS: Heather Bowman, Courtney Vandersloot and Vivian Frieson, of the Gonzaga University women's basketball team, all are among the nations leaders in NCAA Division I statistics. Bowman is 20th in scoring at 19.8 per game and Vandersloot is 89th in scoring at 16.3 per game. Vandersloot is also seventh in assists per game at 6.7, while Frieson is 47th in steals per game at 2.7.
NATIONAL STATISTICS - TEAM: The Gonzaga University women's basketball team is ranked in the Top 40 of the NCAA Division I statistics in five categories. The Bulldogs are 20th in steals per game (12.1), 26th in turnover margin (5.42), 28th in scoring offense (75.2), 31st in assist-to-turnover ratio (0.97), and 39th in assists per game (16.2).
THIRD DOUBLE-DOUBLE: Junior Vivian Frieson posted her third career double-double on Nov. 29 against the University of Utah. Frieson helped Gonzaga University to a 60-55 victory by scoring 12 points and grabbing 11 boards. The forward, who didn't have any double-doubles as a freshman, had her first two late in the season as a sophomore. Frieson had 12 points and 11 rebounds against Pepperdine University in the Zags opening game of the West Coast Conference Tournament. She then posted a 10 point, 11 rebound performance at the University of Colorado, in the second round of the WNIT.
PICKING POCKETS: Gonzaga University junior Vivian Frieson was a big factor in why the Bulldogs defeated the University of Washington 64-59 on Nov. 16. Frieson finished the contest with a career-high 10 steals. The forward, who was playing in her hometown of Seattle, had five steals in each half. It is the single-highest steal total during head coach Kelly Graves' tenure. For the season, Frieson has 31 steals to her credit.
DOUBLE-DIGIT ASSISTS: Sophomore Courtney Vandersloot had her third and fourth career double-figure assist games in back-back contest this season. Vandersloot dished out 10 assists against Utah Valley University on Nov. 19 and then had a career-high 13 assists versus Montana State University, Nov. 21. Those two games were also double-doubles for the point guard as she finished with 15 and 19 points, respectively. Vandersloot is averaging a team-best 6.8 assists per contest.
LOWEST SCORING OUTPUT: Junior forward Heather Bowman scored a game-high 16 points with eight rebounds, but the Gonzaga women's basketball team lost to Santa Barbara 59-47, Dec. 7. Vivian Frieson added 11 points and seven rebounds for the Bulldogs, who had their lowest scoring output since losing 85-46 to Middle Tennessee State in the 2007 NCAA tournament (45 games). It was GU's sixth road game in 15 days.
FOUR DOUBLE DOUBLES IN FIVE GAMES: Junior Heather Bowman has recorded double-doubles in four of Gonzaga University's last six games. The Spokane native started off scoring 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds against then-No. 15 University of Virginia, Nov. 30. She followed that performance up with 23 points and 11 rebounds at Eastern Washington, Dec. 4. She was two rebounds shy of a double-double at Santa Barbara on Dec. 7 finishing with 16 points, eight boards. She went back to work, putting together a 29 point, 13 board output against South Dakota State, Dec. 12 and followed that up with 20 points and 14 rebounds versus Portland State, Dec. 14. For the season, Bowman has six double-doubles to her credit and nine double-figure scoring games.
SUFFOCATING DEFENSE: Gonzaga University women's basketball has stepped up its defensive game, forcing its opponents to turn the ball over 21.8 times per game, while only turning the ball over 16.8 times per contest. The Bulldogs have forced two schools to turn the ball over 30-plus times, five schools to turn it over 20-plus times and five others to have 10-plus miscues.
INJURY REPORT: Junior sharpshooter Tiffanie Shives had microfacture surgery on her right knee on Monday, Dec. 15 and will be out for the rest of the season. Shives was averaging 10.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists before her injury. She was also the Bulldogs leading three-point shooter, sinking 19-of-48.
BULLDOGS PICKED TO WIN WCC: Gonzaga University was chosen as the favorite to claim the West Coast Conference women's basketball title, as the Zags try to defend their WCC regular season title. The Bulldogs, who received seven first place votes for a total of 49 points, lost in the finals of last year's WCC Tournament to host University of San Diego and hosted their first round matchup in the WNIT, where they beat UC Davis.
