Jan. 2, 2011
Complete Release in PDF Format 
GAME NO. 16
Southern Utah
at
Gonzaga
Monday, Jan. 3 - 6 p.m.
McCarthey Athletic Center - Spokane, Wash.
(Radio: 1050 The Key)
Gametracker and video links available at GoZags.com
GONZAGA UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS (11-4, 0-0 West Coast)
F - 32 Kayla Standish, 6-3, Jr., Ellensburg, WA
(15.9 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.3 bpg)
F - 44 Kelly Bowen, 6-0, Jr., Victoria, Australia
(5.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.5 apg)
G - 11 Janelle Bekkering, 6-0, Sr., Taber, Alberta, Canada
(11.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.5 spg)
G - 21 Courtney Vandersloot, 5-8, Sr., Kent, WA
(16.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 9.4 apg, 3.1 spg )
G - 23 Katelan Redmon, 6-1, Jr., Spokane, WA
(17.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.9 apg)
HEAD COACH: Kelly Graves (University of New Mexico, 1988)
GONZAGA RECORD: 212-117 (11th year); CAREER RECORD: 278-143 (14th year)
SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY THUNDERBIRDS (9-5, 3-1 Summit)
F - 31 Tayler Anderson, 6-0, So., Lyman, WY
(4.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.3 apg)
F - 32 Caitlyn Sears, 5-10, Sr., Cedar Hills, UT
(16.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.8 apg)
C - 24 Challis Pascucci, 6-2, Sr., Goodyear, AZ
(16.8 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.4 bpg)
G - 3 Desiree Jackson, 5-10, Fr., Moreno Valley, CA
(7.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.6 apg)
G - 13 Kaila Goff, 5-8, Sr., Las Vegas, NV
(6.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 4.6 apg)
HEAD COACH: JR Payne (Saint Mary's College, 1999)
SUU RECORD: 16-28 (2nd year); CAREER RECORD: Same
Gonzaga vs. Southern Utah quick hits
*Second-ever meeting between Gonzaga and Southern Utah.
*Southern Utah won the only other meeting between the two schools; 57-66 at the BSU Tournament to open up the 1988-89 season.
*Gonzaga head coach Kelly Graves coached Southern Utah head coach JR Payne at Saint Mary's College.
*Southern Utah head coach JR Payne was a senior on the Saint Mary's College squad, coached by GU head coach Kelly Graves, that won the WCC and earned its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 1999.
*Southern Utah head coach JR Payne was an assistant coach at Gonzaga, under current head coach Kelly Graves, for five seasons.
Gonzaga vs. Southern Utah Game Promotions
Team Night & Fellowship Night: Spokane-area worship groups are encouraged to participate in Fellowship Night! All worship groups that RSVP ahead of time to Whitney Hughes
(hughes@athletics.gonzaga.edu) will be recognized through an announcement at halftime!
All local teams, including AAU, clubs, high schools, and youth programs are invited to Team Night and encouraged to wear their jerseys and show their Gonzaga spirit!
You can purchase group tickets for your team at a reduced rate! Tickets are just $2 each for groups of 20 or more and can be purchased from the McCarthey Athletic Ticket Office,
by calling (509) 313-6000.
ON THE RADIO Gonzaga University will have all regular-season games broadcast on the radio this season as Steve Myklebust returns for his sixth year of calling the action. Each game will be broadcast on 1050 The Key AM in Spokane with a pre-game show 30-minutes prior to tip and a 30-minute post-game show. Games will also be available on the internet at GoZags.com.
TWITTER: Yes, the Gonzaga University Bulldogs are on twitter! You can find us at www.twitter.com/GonzagaBulldogs. We provide inside scoop on all Bulldog athletics as well as in-game updates for all home and away women's basketball contests. CHECK US OUT! Do you want insight on Gonzaga University women's basketball straight from head coach Kelly Graves too? Now you can, check out Graves' twitter site at www.twitter.com/kgzag for everything Bulldog basketball and much, much more!
FACEBOOK: The Gonzaga University women's basketball team is on Facebook. Search for Gonzaga University women's basketball when signed into facebook and LIKE the page. Get inside scoop on the team, see photos from the season, read recaps of matches and watch video. ENJOY!
TALKING HOOPS WITH 'SLOOT: Gonzaga University women's basketball senior point guard Courtney Vandersloot, from Kent, Wash., will be writing a season-long blog, giving Bulldog fans an in-depth and behind the scene look at the Zag basketball program. She will also does a sit-down video interview with select players throughout the year. Get ready for TALKING HOOPS WITH `SLOOT - find it at GoZags.com.
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.
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.
SEASON TICKETS SOAR ABOVE 2,700: Gonzaga University women's basketball season tickets have hit a record-high 2,700 and counting. Season tickets are up nearly 800 from a season ago - the largest increase in school history. The Bulldogs average attendance for their 15 home games at the McCarthey Athletic Center last season was 2,931 which stood 44th in the NCAA for women's basketball attendance.
TV GAMES: Gonzaga University women's basketball will have 11 games televised this season, including eight home contests. The following home games will be televised on SWX: Nov. 14 - Whitman, Nov. 21 - Stanford, Jan. 20 - Santa Clara, Jan. 22 - San Francisco, Feb. 4 - Portland, Feb. 10 -Loyola Marymount, Feb. 12 - Pepperdine, Feb. 24 - Saint Mary's, Feb. 26 - San Diego. SWX will also broadcast the Zags contest at Eastern Washington Dec. 3. The final two televised games of the season are Jan. 13 at Pepperdine and Jan. 27 at Saint Mary's - both on CBS College Sports.
BULLDOGS BEGIN NEW YEAR WITH FINAL NON-CONFERENCE GAME OF REGULAR SEASON: The Gonzaga University women's basketball team begins the New Year by hosting Southern Utah University Monday in its final non-conference game of the regular season. The Bulldogs and Thurnderbirds, who are coached by former Zag assistant coach JR Payne, are set to tip at 6 p.m.
SCOUTING SOUTHERN UTAH: Southern Utah University enters into its contest with Gonzaga University on a 7-game winning streak. The last time the Thunderbirds lost was on Dec. 2 at Oakland University to open up Summit League play. Southern Utah has two players averaging double-digits; Challis Pascucci is leading the team at 16.8 points per game, while Caitlyn Sears is averaging 16.1 points per contest.
ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST THE THUNDERBIRDS: This will be only the second meeting between Gonzaga University and Southern Utah University. The only other meeting between the two schools was won by Southern Utah 57-66 at the Boise State University Tournament to open up the 1988-89 campaign.
WHAT WE LOST: Gonzaga University had arguably its best season in 2009-10 finishing with a school record 29 wins and only five losses and made it to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen for the first time in school history. The Bulldogs did lose three BIG seniors to graduation last spring. GU lost the WCC and Gonzaga all-time leading scorer Heather Bowman; lost Vivian Frieson, the forward who hit the winning shot against Texas A&M University to send the Zags to the Sweet Sixteen and Tiffanie Shives, GU's sharpshooter who drained four-straight 3-pointers to help the Zags defeat UNC in the opening round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament. All together, GU lost 45 percent of its scoring from a season ago.
WHAT WE RETURN: Despite losing three key seniors to graduation a season ago, the Gonzaga University women's basketball squad still returns a decent amount of ammunition. As a team, Gonzaga returns 55 percent of its scoring and 63 percent of its rebounding. The Bulldogs return five of its top eight scorers and their third, fourth and fifth top rebounders.
WHO IS BACK: Ten letterwinners are back from the Gonzaga University women's basketball team that went 29-5 a season ago. Headlining the group are seniors Courtney Vandersloot and Janelle Bekkering. Vandersloot, the back-to-back West Coast Conference Player of the Year, was the nations assist leader in 2009-10 at 9.4 per game and became the GU and WCC career assist leader (751) and the GU steals leader (252), while Bekkering played for the Canadian National Team this summer at the FIBA Word Championships for Women. The Zags also welcome back junior Katelan Redmon, the reigning WCC Newcomer of the Year, junior Kelly Bowen, junior Kayla Standish and senior Claire Raap - to name a few.
WOODEN AWARD WATCH LIST: Gonzaga University women's basketball senior Courtney Vandersloot was named to the preseason Women's John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 30. The list is comprised of 30 student-athletes who, based on last year's individual performance and team records, are early frontrunners for the college basketball's most prestigious honor. Vandersloot becomes the second Bulldogs in school history to be nominated for the award in back-to-back seasons as she also made the list in 2009. Former Zag Heather Bowman is the only other player to make the prestigious list twice; earning the nod in 2008 and 2009.
WADE WATCH LIST: Women's basketball senior Courtney Vandersloot has been named to the prestigious 2010-11 preseason "Wade Watch" list for The State Farm Wade Trophy Division I Player of the Year. Vandersloot, who become the first Bulldog to be named to the list in 2009-10, is just one of six this season to become two-time "Wade Watchers". The 25-member list is made up of top NCAA Division I student-athletes who best embody the spirit of Lily Margaret Wade according to the following criteria: game and season statistics, leadership, character, effect on the team and overall playing ability.
NAISMITH PRESEASON LIST: Gonzaga University women's basketball player Courtney Vandersloot has been named to the Naismith Trophy preseason watch list. The 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 2010-11 college basketball season. The Naismith Trophy, presented by AT&T, will be awarded on April 4, 2011 at the NCAA Women's Final Four in Indianapolis.
NCAA ASSIST LEADER: Gonzaga University women's basketball senior Courtney Vandersloot, the nations assist leader in 2009-10, is currently leading the nation in assists again this season. The point guard is averaging 9.4 assists per game, after accumulating 141 so far this season.
8TH IN DOUBLE-DOUBLES: Gonzaga University women's basketball senior Courtney Vandersloot is eighth in the NCAA statistics for double-doubles. She has registered seven so far this season (points/assists), with her last coming in the Zags win over Cal State Fullerton (14 pts/11 assists). Tierney Jenkins, of the University of Alabama, has the most double-doubles so far this season, registering nine.
WHERE WE STAND IN OTHER NCAA STATS: As a team, the Gonzaga University women's basketball team is 2nd in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.45), sixth in assists per game (20.3), 7th in field goal percentage (48.2), 9th in scoring offense (84.4), 10th in turnovers per game (14.0), 15th in scoring margin (21.5) and 19th in turnover margin (5.91). [THESE RANKINGS ARE AS OF DEC. 19 - NO NEW RANKINGS COME OUT UNTIL JAN. 3]
LARGEST SCORING MARGIN IN SCHOOL HISTORY: The Gonzaga University women's basketball team defeated Whitman College Nov. 14 by the score of 114-40. The 74-point victory was the Bulldogs largest margin of victory in school history. The previous best was 57 when Gonzaga defeated Eastern Oregon University 101-44 - exactly two years prior(Nov. 14, 2008).
SAME OVERALL RECORD AT THE END OF 2009: The Gonzaga University women's basketball team currently holds an 11-4 overall mark. The Bulldogs had the exact same record last season at this time. After closing out the 2009 calendar year 11-4, the Zags rattled off 18 in a row after the New Year, before dropping their final game of the season in the 2010 NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen.
SINCE RETURNING TO THE MAINLAND: Since returning from the Rainbow Wahine Showdown in Honolulu, Hawaii, the Gonzaga University women's basketball team has stepped up its offense. In the eight games since returning to the mainland, the Bulldogs are averaging 88.8 points per contest. The Zags highest scoring output during the past eight games is 101, scored at Eastern Washington University and against Cal State Fullerton. Their lowest scoring output was 61, in their only loss during the stretch, a 70-61 setback to No. 14/16 University of Notre Dame.
CAREER-HIGH NIGHT FOR RED: Gonzaga University women's basketball junior Katelan Redmon had a career-high night against the University of North Dakota, Nov. 23 The guard from Spokane, Wash., scored a career-high 28 points, besting her previous career-high by six points. She hit an impressive 12-of-17 from the field and sank 4-of-5 free throws. Redmon has scored in double figures in 14 of the Zags 15 contests this season, including seven 20-plus point contents.
STANDISH BREAKING OUT: Gonzaga University women's basketball junior Kayla Standish, who for the previous two seasons played behind Zag all-time leading scorer Heather Bowman, has shined in her starting role. The forward from Ellensburg, Wash., has scored in double-figures 13 of the Bulldogs 14 contests this season, including 20-plus point performances in the five of the last six outings. She only had one 20-plus point performance prior to this season, scoring a career-high 25 against North Dakota last year. In the last five games, in which she has scored 23 points, 22 points three times, 21 points and 16 in the other, she has shot an impressive 60.4 percent from the floor, hitting 55-of-91, and 94.1 percent at the charity stripe, sinking 16-of-17.
STANDISH INCREASES CAREER DOUBLE-DOUBLE TOTAL TO SIX: Junior Kayla Standish has registered four double-doubles this sesaon, increasing her career total to six. The 6-3 forward scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the Bulldogs win over Whitman College earlier this season and then had 13 points and 11 boards a 101-74 win at Eastern Washington University. Her most recent double-doubles came at the State Farm Holiday Hoops Classic. She scored 16 points and grabbed a game-high 12 boards in GU's nine-point setback to Notre Dame and followed that performance up with a season-high 23 points, along with 12 boards in the Zags lopsided win over Seattle University. Her two other double-doubles prior to this season came during her sophomore year (10 pts/11 rbs vs. UCI - 10 pts/14 rbs vs. Pep).
KEEPING A GOOD GRIP ON THE BALL: The Gonzaga University women's basketball team only turned the ball over six times, including once in the second half, against Brigham Young University, Dec. 21. The six turnovers was the lowest miscues the Bulldogs have had in a game since the 2008-09 season when they also only had six turnovers in a 109-73 victory at the University of San Diego, Jan. 31, 2009.
PLAYER OF THE MONTH: Gonzaga University women's basketball senior Courtney Vandersloot has been named the West Coast Conference Player of the Month for November, as announced by the conference office Thursday. Vandersloot averaged 16.3 points, 9.6 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 3.4 steals and shot 42.9 percent from the field in leading Gonzaga to a 4-3 record in the month of November. Vandersloot, from Kent, Wash., closed out the month leading the nation in assists per game, sixth in double-doubles with four and was named to the Rainbow Wahine Showdown All-Tournament squad after the Zags finished 2-1. She scored double-figures in all seven games, including two 20-plus point performances. Her best outing of the month came against No. 3 Stanford University when she had 24 points, 10 assists with just one turnover, and three steals in the six-point loss. This is Vandersloot's fifth WCC Player of the Month honor of her career.
'SLOOT BREAKS 30, SCORES CAREER-HIGH: Senior Courtney Vandersloot scored a career-high 33 points to lead the Gonzaga University women's basketball team to a 101-74 victory over Eastern Washington University. Vandersloot hit 12-of-17 from the floor, 3-of-3 from beyond the 3-point arc and sank 6-of-6 free throws to finish with her new career-high 33 points; besting her previous high by one point. Vandersloot, the first person to score 30-plus points since Heather Bowman scored 31 against the University of San Diego on Feb. 25, 2009, scored her previous high of 32 points in the Bulldogs 80-77 loss to Marquette University on Nov. 28, 2008. Vandersloot secured her career-high in points on two free throws with eight minutes remaining. She was subbed out for the game after hitting the second.
BULLDOGS PICKED FIRST IN WCC: Gonzaga University was chosen as the favorite to claim the West Coast Conference women's basketball title for the third straight year in the 2010-11 preseason coaches poll. The Bulldogs, who received the maximum seven first place votes for a total of 49 points, won the 2010 WCC Zappos.com Championship, earned their third-ever bid to the NCAA Tournament and advanced to their first-ever Sweet Sixteen appearance. As a No. 7 seed, Gonzaga upended No. 10 seeded North Carolina in the first round 82-76, upset No. 2 Texas A&M 72-71 in the second round, before falling to No. 3 seeded- Xavier 74-56 in the regional semifinal.
VANDERSLOOT, REDMON (KATELAN) AND BEKKERING AMONG TOP WCC RETURNEES: Heading the group of Gonzaga University that were tabbed as preseason All-West Coast Conference are seniors Courtney Vandersloot and Janelle Bekkering and junior Katelan Redmon. Vandersloot is the two-time WCC Player of the Year and Tournament Most Valuable Player; Bekkering was named WCC All-Academic a season ago and Redmon is the reigning WCC Newcomer of the Year.
LOOKING FOR ITS SEVENTH IN A ROW: The Gonzaga University women's basketball team is looking to capture its seventh-straight West Coast Conference regular season title in 2010-11. The Bulldogs have won the regular season title starting in 2004-05. The Zags tied for the title in 2005-06, but won it outright the five other years. In those six seasons, Gonzaga has gone 77-7 in conference and has had two perfect 14-0 seasons (2004-05 and 2009-10).
GONZAGA TO HOST 2011 AND 2012 NCAA FIRST AND SECOND ROUNDS: Gonzaga University was one of 16 institutions selected to host the first-and-second rounds of the 2012 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament as announced by the NCAA. The Bulldogs, who are also hosting the first-and-second rounds for the first-time this season, will host the opening weekend action at the McCarthey Athletic Center. The first and second rounds of this year's NCAA Tournament, set for the Kennel, are Saturday, March 19 and Monday, March 21. If Gonzaga earns a bid to the NCAA Tournament, it automatically will be seeded to play at the MAC.
WHAT A SUMMER!: Gonzaga University women's basketball senior Janelle Bekkering was named to the 2010 Canadian Senior Women's National Team (SWNT) this summer. The forward/guard, who helped the 2009 SWNT squad qualify for the 2010 FIBA World Championships for Women by placing third at the FIBA Americas Championships for Women last September, was one of 12 to make this year's team. Bekkering and Team Canada traveled and played in France and Greece before making their way to the Czech Republic for the FIBA World Championships. She played in six of the seven games for Canada, who finished 12th, scoring a team-high eight points in their setback to Team USA in the second round.
SAME LAST NAME, SAME HOMETOWN BUT NOT RELATED: When you look at the Gonzaga University women's basketball roster you will see two players with the last name Redmon, who are both also from Spokane, Wash. You may think they are related but they are not. Junior Katelan Redmon played high school ball at Lewis & Clark, while freshman Jazmine Redmon was a soccer and basketball star at Mead High School.
WHO ARE THE NEW FACES I SEE?: The Gonzaga University women's basketball squad has five new faces this season. The Bulldogs welcomed freshman center Stephanie Golden, freshman guard Jazmine Redmon, freshman guard Danielle Walter, Oregon State University transfer Haiden Palmer, who will redshirt this season, and redshirt-sophomore Molly Anderson to the team.
SOFTBALL TO BASKETBALL: Walk-on Molly Anderson, a redshirt-sophomore, transferred to Gonzaga University in 2009-10. Anderson attended Indiana University her freshman season (2008-09) and was a catcher for the Hoosier softball squad. She walked on to the women's basketball team last season and redshirted. This is her first year in uniform for the Bulldogs.
RAINBOW WAHINE ALL-TOURNAMENT: Gonzaga University women's basketball senior Courtney Vandersloot was named to the Waikiki Marriott Beach Resort Rainbow Wahine Showdown All-Tournament squad. The point guard, who led her team to a 2-1 record at the tournament, averaged 14.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 9.7 assists and 3.0 steals per game, and shot 48.6 percent from the floor. She scored in double-figures in all three contests, including 22 points against North Carolina Central.
HOLIDAY HOOPS CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT: Gonzaga University women's basketball senior Courtney Vandersloot and junior Kayla Standish were named to the State Farm Holiday Hoops Classic All-Tournament team. Vandersloot averaged 12.5 points, 7.5 assists and 4.5 steals over the two games, while Standish led the team with a double-double of 19.5 points and 12.0 rebounds per game.
TWELVE 3-POINTERS: After hitting just three 3-pointers in its setback to the University of Mississippi Nov. 26, the Gonzaga University women's basketball sank a season-high 12 to rebound with a 94-52 victory over North Carolina Central University on the second day of the Waikiki Beach Resort Rainbow Wahine Showdown. The 12 3-pointers is the most 3-pointers made since the Zags hit 13-of-29 in their 91-77 victory at Loyola Marymount University on Jan. 23, 2010.
THE BABIES HAVE ARRIVED: If you remember the end of last season, two Gonzaga University women's basketball assistant coaches were pregnant, one that was days away from giving birth when the Zags played in the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen. Well the two assistant coaches have since become moms. Lisa Mispley Fortier, who was nearly nine months pregnant when GU lost to Xavier to end its remarkable tournament run, gave birth to Marcus William in early April. Jodie Kaczor Berry welcomed a son nearly four months later. Tyson Jon was arrived in the world in August.
BULLDOGS SIGN FIVE: Gonzaga University women's basketball head coach Kelly Graves announced the signing of five players to national letters of intent. Joining the Bulldogs next fall is Keani Albanez, a 5-10 guard from Buena High School in Ventura, Calif., Shelby Cheslek, a 6-5 post from Pullman High School in Pullman, Wash., Shaniqua Nilles, a 6-0 small forward from West Valley High School in Spokane, Maiki Viela, a 5-6 point guard from Lahainaluna High School in Lahaina, Hawaii and Sonja Greinacher, a 6-4 post from Essen, Germany.
DID YOU KNOW?: Did you know that junior Katelan Redmon, assistant coach Michelle Elliott and director of operations Molly Hays each have a twin? Redmon's twin brother's name is Kyle, Elliott's twin sister is Nicole and Hays' twin sister is Mandy. Hays also has older twin sisters named Kelly and Kristy. Head coach Kelly Graves is also married to a twin. Mary Graves twin brother Bill Winter is the head men's golf coach at the University of Portland.
SENIOR CLASS AWARD NOMINEE: Gonzaga University women's basketball senior Courtney Vandersloot was selected as one of 30 candidates on Wednesday for the 2011 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award for women's basketball. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
GONZAGA WEST COAST CONFERENCE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:
Nov. 15 - Katelan Redmon, Gonzaga
Dec. 6 - Courtney Vandersloot, Gonzaga
Dec. 13 - Kayla Standish, Gonzaga
