Jan. 13, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Game No. 18 - SANTA CLARA
Thursday, January 15 - 7 p.m.
Leavey Center (4,500) - Santa Clara, CA
TV: CBS College Sports; Gametracker: www.GoZags.com
GONZAGA UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS (13-4, 1-0 West Coast)
F - 12 Vivian Frieson, 6-0, Jr., Seattle, WA
(8.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.3 spg)
F - 30 Heather Bowman, 6-2, Jr., Spokane, WA
(19.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.8 spg)
F - 44 Kelly Bowen, 6-0, Fr., Victoria, Australia
(5.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.1 spg)
G - 11 Janelle Bekkering, 6-0, So., Taber, Alberta, Canada
(6.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.2 apg )
G - 21 Courtney Vandersloot, 5-8, So., Kent, WA
(15.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 7.1 apg )
HEAD COACH: Kelly Graves (University of New Mexico, 1988)
GONZAGA RECORD: 158-106 (9th year); CAREER RECORD: 224-132 (12th year)
SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY BRONCOS (2-15, 0-2 West Coast)
F - 20 Maggie Goldenberger, 6-0, Jr., Olympia, WA
(6.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.6 spg)
F - 21 Lena Gipson, 6-0, So., Hanford, CA
(12.8 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 1.5 spg)
G - 4 Rhianna Faithfull, 5-4, RS-Fr., Sydney, Australia
(4.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 2.3 apg)
G - 30 Elizabeth Doran, 6-0, Sr., Corvallis, OR
(8.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.0 apg)
G - 34 Sara Majors, 5-9, Sr., Aumsville, OR
(6.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.0 apg)
HEAD COACH: Jennifer Mountain (Gonzaga University, 1991)
SCU RECORD: 2-15 (1st year); CAREER RECORD: Same
Game No. 19 - SAN FRANCISCO
Saturday, January 17 - 2 p.m.
War Memorial Gym (5,300) - San Francisco, CA
Gametracker: www.GoZags.com
UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO DONS (4-12, 0-2 West Coast)
F - 21 Nnenna Okereke, 5-10, Jr., Berkeley, CA
(1.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 0.6 spg)
F - 50 Necolia Simmons, 6-0, Sr., Pittsburg, CA
(13.9 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 1.2 apg)
G - 1 Rheina Ale, 5-8, Fr., Carson, CA
(11.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.9 apg)
G - 11 Shay Rollins, 5-4, Sr., Alameda, CA
(17.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.4 apg)
G - 32 Vania Singleterry, 5-11, Fr., Murrieta, CA
(3.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 0.8 apg)
HEAD COACH: Tanya Haave (University of Tennessee, 1984)
USF RECORD: 38-49 (3rd year); CAREER RECORD: Same
NEXT UP: The Gonzaga University women's basketball team continues West Coast Conference action with two road games. The Bulldogs first face off against Santa Clara University, coached by former Zag player and assistant coach Jennifer Mountain, on Thursday at 7 p.m. GU closes out the weekend with a contest at the University of San Francisco on Saturday. Tip for the Bulldog-Don matchup is set for 2 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 BRONCOS: Santa Clara University currently holds a 2-15 overall record on the season and is 0-2 in West Coast Conference action. The Broncos opened the WCC season with back-to-back losses to Saint Mary's College (58-55) and the University of San Diego (67-54). SCU held an 11-point lead at halftime against USD, but only scored 21 points in the second half to allow the Toreros to earn the come-from-behind victory. The Broncos are led by Lena Gipson who is averaging a double-double of 12.8 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.
ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST SANTA CLARA: This will be the 46th meeting between Gonzaga University and Santa Clara University. The Broncos hold the 27-18 lead in the all-time series but the Bulldogs have won 10 out of the last 13 meetings, including the last four. The Zags won their two games over the Broncos last season by an average of 22.5 points. Gonzaga took a 88-52 victory over Santa Clara at the McCarthey Athletic Center in its first meeting and then defeated SCU 80-71 at the Leavey Center.
A FAMILIAR FACE: There will be a familiar face on Santa Clara University's bench when Gonzaga University plays the Broncos Thursday. Bronco head coach Jennifer Mountain was an assistant coach with the Bulldogs for the seven seasons prior to her being named coach at Santa Clara this past summer. Mountain, a 1991 graduate of Gonzaga, was also a four-year letterwinner with the Zags from 1987-91. She is the Bulldogs fifth all-time leading scorer with 1,422 points, sixth in field goals made (547) and three-point field goals made (116), and ninth in assists (269).
SCOUTING THE DONS: The University of San Francisco currently holds a 4-12 overall record, including an 0-2 record in West Coast Conference play, and has lost four-straight. The Dons opened WCC action with back-to-back setbacks to the University of San Diego (69-62) and Saint Mary's College (89-62). The Dons are led by Shay Rollins, who is averaging a team-best 17.8 points per game.
ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST SAN FRANCISCO: This will be the 46th meeting between Gonzaga University and the University of San Francisco. The Dons hold the slight 24-21 advantage in the all-time series but the Bulldogs have won nine out of the last 10 meetings, including the last five meetings. The Zags pulled out a four-point victory (74-70) at San Francisco in their first matchup last season and then defeated the Dons 90-42 at the McCarthey Athletic Center on Valentines Day.
ÂLOOKING FOR NUMBER FIVE: The Gonzaga University women's basketball team is looking to capture its fifth-straight West Coast Conference regular-season championship and second WCC Tournament title in three years. The Bulldogs, who are 51-5 over the past four WCC seasons, are coming off a 13-1 WCC campaign in 2007-08. Of the five losses during the past four seasons, two have been to both Pepperdine University and Loyola Marymount University, while one came against and Santa Clara University. Last year's lone loss was at LMU.
SCHAEFER INJURED: Gonzaga University women's basketball senior Jami Schaefer, formerly Bjorklund, will be out at least six weeks with a knee injury suffered during the Bulldogs 67-38 victory over the University of Wyoming, Dec. 22. Schaefer, who was chasing down a loose ball in the first half, tripped and fell into the media table. She left the game and received eight stitches in the webbing of her right hand. After further examination, a partial tear of the posterior cruciate ligament in her right knee was noticed.
LORENZO BACK: Gonzaga University sophomore Tatriana Lorenzo returned to the Bulldog lineup against the University of Tennessee, Dec. 30. The back-up point guard broke her ring finger on her right hand against Portland State University, Dec. 14 and had been out for two games. Lorenzo played two minutes against the Lady Vols.
SOLD OUT: The Gonzaga University women's basketball contest against the University of Tennessee Dec. 30 at the McCarthey Athletic Center was the first Bulldog women's basketball game to be played in front of a sold out crowd. Six thousand fans braved winter weather to watch GU do battle with the two-time defending national champions. The largest crowd for a Zags contest at the McCarthey Athletic Center prior to the Lady Vols contest was Feb. 26, 2005 when 5,825 fans showed up for a the Bulldogs game against University of Portland.
BOWMAN MAKES ANOTHER PRESTIGIOUS 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.
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.
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 six votes in the latest poll, released Tuesday. Gonzaga has received votes in each ESPN/USA Today poll this season.
RECEIVING VOTES IN THE AP POLL: The Gonzaga University women's basketball team is one of 20 schools also receiving votes in the latest Associated Press Top 25. The Bulldogs, who have not received votes since the Dec. 8 polls, garnered three votes this week.
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 previous Zag to score 30 or more points, prior to Vandersloot scoring 32, 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 924 total points at Gonzaga University and only needs 76 more to become the 14th Bulldog all-time to score 1,000 or more points.
CRASHING THE BOARDS: Gonzaga University junior Vivian Frieson grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds at the University of Portland Jan. 10 to help the Zags secure their 11-point victory. Frieson, who was three shy of tying her career-high, grabbed five offensive boards and eight defensive boards in the Bulldogs first West Coast Conference victory of the season.
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 15th in scoring at 19.8 per game, 56th in free throw percentage (83.7) and 65th in rebounds per game at 8.7. Vandersloot is fourth in assists per game at 7.1, while Frieson is 73rd in steals per game at 2.5.
NATIONAL STATISTICS - TEAM: The Gonzaga University women's basketball team is ranked in the Top 40 of the NCAA Division I statistics in four categories. The Bulldogs are 31st in both scoring offense (73.9) and turnover margin (4.69); are 33rd in assist-to-turnover ratio (0.95) and 34th in assists per game (15.9).
FOURTH DOUBLE-DOUBLE: Junior Vivian Frieson posted her fourth career double-double on Jan. 2 versus Saint Joseph's University. Frieson helped Gonzaga University to a 93-70 victory by scoring 10 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. 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. Frieson's first double-double of her junior season was a 12 points, 11 rebound performance against the University of Utah.
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 37 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 then had her fifth career double-figure assist contest against then-No. 8 Tennessee Dec. 30 when she finished with 10. She also scored 13 points in GU's 19-point setback. Vandersloot is averaging a team-best 7.1 assists per contest.
INJURY REPORT: Junior sharpshooter Tiffanie Shives had microfracture 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.
BREAKING INTO BULLDOG CAREER RECORD BOOK: Sophomore point guard Courtney Vandersloot is sixth in the Gonzaga University women's basketball career record book for total assists. Vandersloot, who finished her freshman campaign with 191 assists, has dished out 290 in just a year and a half. She just needs two more to take over fifth place.
