No. 22/25 GONZAGA UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS (16-3, 6-1 WCC)
F - 14 Sunny Greinacher, 6-4, Jr., Essen, Germany
(12.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.1 bpg; WCC: 13.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.4 spg )
C - 44 Shelby Cheslek, 6-5, RS-So., Pullman, WA
(2.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.5 bpg; WCC: 3.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.7 bpg)
G - 3 Haiden Palmer, 5-8, Sr., Moreno Valley, CA
(15.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.2 spg; WCC: 16.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.0 apg)
G - 24 Keani Albanez, 5-10, Jr., Santa Barbara, CA
(9.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.2 spg; WCC: 10.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.4 spg)
G - 34 Jazmine Redmon, 5-8, Sr., Spokane, WA
(4.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.9 apg; WCC: 1.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 2.2 apg)
HEAD COACH: Kelly Graves (University of New Mexico, 1988)
GONZAGA RECORD: 303-134 (14th year); CAREER RECORD: 369-160 (17th year) LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY LIONS (5-13, 2-5 WCC)
F - 15 Emily Ben-Jumbo, 6-1, Jr., Tualatin, OR
(5.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.2 apg; WCC: 6.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.1 apg)
F - 35 Mackenzie Kerins, 6-1, Sr., Eugene, OR
(6.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.3 apg; WCC: 6.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.6 bpg)
G - 4 Hazel Ramirez, 5-4, Sr., Huntington Park, CA
(14.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 5.3 apg; WCC: 16.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4.9 apg)
G - 20 Sophie Taylor, 6-0, So., Lafayette, CA
(7.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.1 spg; WCC: 9.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.7 spg)
G - 23 Leslie Lopez-Wood, 5-9, Fr., North Hollywood, CA
(7.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.3 apg; WCC: 10.7 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.4 apg)
HEAD COACH: Charity Elliott (Southwest Missouri State University, 1992)
LMU RECORD: 13-19 (2nd year); CAREER RECORD: 195-142 (12th) BULLDOGS AT LOYOLA MARYMOUNT THURSDAY: The Gonzaga University women's basketball team continues a four-game roadswing this week. The Bulldogs play their third-straight West Coast Conference game on the road Thursday when they battle Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. The contest is set to tip at 7 p.m. ABOUT THE LOYOLA MARYMOUNT LIONS:
• The Loyola Marymount University women's basketball team enters into its game with Gonzaga University with a 5-13 overall mark and a 3-5 record in the West Coast Conference.
• The Lions have won two of their last three West Coast Conference contests.
• LMU broke a five-game losing skid with a 76-64 victory at Pepperdine University, Jan. 11. The Lions followed that victory up with a 90-84 win over the University of Pacific.
• In their last game, the Lions dropped a tough 78-74 victory to second-place Saint Mary's College.
• LMU is led by Hazel Ramirez and Deanna Johnson at 14.6 points and 12.9 points per game, respectively.
• Loyola Marymount is coached by Charity Elliott in her second year at the helm. WHAT HAPPENED LAST SEASON? GU VS. LMU:
1/31/13: W, 79-57 @McCarthey Athletic Center (Box Score)
(GU: Sunny Greinacher 21 pts, 7 rbs, 3 stls)
(LMU: Hazel Ramirez 14 pts, 4 rbs, 3 stls)
2/9/13: W, 70-56 @Los Angeles Calif. (Box Score)
(GU: Haiden Palmer 17 pts, 6 rbs, 3 stls)
(LMU: Chelsea Barnes 11 pts, 3 rbs) ABOUT THE GONZAGA BULLDOGS:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball is coming off another successful campaign where it earned its fifth-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, won its ninth-straight West Coast Conference regular season title and fourth WCC Tournament Championship in five years. The Bulldogs went 27-6, and 15-1 in the WCC in 2012-13.
• The Zags ended their 2013-14 non-conference portion of the schedule with a 10-2 mark, with their only losses coming at then-No. 11 University of Oklahoma, Nov. 14 and then-No. 4 Stanford, Dec. 14.
• Gonzaga opened WCC play with a one-point overtime loss at Saint Mary's College. The Zags have rebounded to win six-straight. Since losing to the Gaels, the Bulldogs average margin of victory is 22.7 points. Gonzaga now stands at 6-1 in conference. WHAT WE RETURNED:
• Gonzaga University's women's basketball team returned 12 letterwinners, including four starters from last year's squad and lost only two players to graduation.
• Overall, the Zags returned 80.2 percent of its scoring from the 2012-13 season and 88.5 percent of its rebounding.
• Senior Haiden Palmer, classmate Jazmine Redmon and junior Sunny Greinacher are the only three returning Zags to average more than 20 minutes a game last season. ZAGS BACK IN COACHES POLL AND AP POLL:
• The Gonzaga University women's basketball team returned to the Associated Press Top 25 Poll Monday. The Bulldogs checked in at No. 25 after receiving 75 points - 46 more points than a week prior.
• The Bulldogs moved up one spot to No. 22 in the USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll released Tuesday. The Zags received 183 points, one point behind 21st place West Virginia University. GRAVES REACHES 300:
• Kelly Graves won his 300th game as head coach of the Gonzaga University women's basketball team Jan. 9 when the Zags defeated BYU 68-42.
• Ironically, Graves earned his 350th career victory with a win at BYU Feb. 23, 2013. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WIN AT SANTA CLARA:
• The six-point win was the closest margin of victory in a league game this season for Gonzaga. The Bulldogs margin of victory prior to the Santa Clara game was 26.0 points.
• Lindsay Sherbert hit multiple 3-pointers for the first time in eight games; sinking three. She also broke a 2-game streak without hitting a 3-pointer.
• Shot 33.3 percent from the field (21-of-63), the lowest shooting percentage for the Zags in WCC play and second-lowest shooting output all season.
• Sunny Greinacher hit a career-tying high five free throws, while Elle Tinkle sank a career-high five free throws. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WIN AT SAN FRANCISCO:
• Gonzaga held an opponent to 40 points or below for the third time this season and for the second WCC game with their 68-40 win over San Francisco.
• Sunny Greinacher recorded second career double-double; finished with 13 points and 10 boards.
• Palmer registered her 14th double-figure game of the season and fourth 20-plus point outing with her game-high of 26 points.
• Gonzaga outrebound San Francisco by the impressive advantage of 51-30, including the 26-9 edge on the offensive board.
• The Zags forced the Dons to turn the ball over 26 times, had 17 steals and 21 points off the miscues.
• Lindsay Sherbert tied a career-high with four steals.
• Elle Tinkle tied a career-high with five boards - all coming in the second half. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WIN VERSUS SAN DIEGO:
• Gonzaga held an opponent to 50 points or below for the seventh time this season and for the third-straight game with their 79-50 win over then-No. 24 University of San Diego.
• The 29-point win was the second largest margin of victory in conference play.
• Danielle Walter tied a career-high in assists with seven. Walter got her third-straight start of her career.
• Haiden Palmer tied a career-high in assists with six.
• Gonzaga held San Diego to their second-lowest point total of the season (lowest was 48).
• Kiara Kudron came off the bench and scored 9-straight points in the first half for Gonzaga (giving them the 25-10 advantage). Kurdon finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.
• Gonzaga held San Diego scoreless from the 14:33 mark of second half until the 8:34 mark, forcing them to go 0-of-10 with four turnovers. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WIN VERSUS BYU:
• Gonzaga held the Cougars to 42 points; their lowest point total of the season - by 10 points - and to 32 rebounds; their lowest rebounding total - by three rebounds.
• The Bulldogs also outrebounded BYU 43-32. It was just the fifth time this season the Cougars were outrebounded.
• The Zags forced the Cougars to shoot a season-low 30.6 percent (15-of-49) from the field.
• Gonzaga held BYU's leading scorer and rebounder Jennifer Hamson to five points and two rebounds. Hamson was averaging 19.2 points and 10.3 rebounds per game coming into the contest.
• Junior Sunny Greinacher scored a game-high 20 points. It was her second 20-plus came of the season and the third of her career.
• Redshirt sophomore Shelby Cheslek blocked four shots for the second-consecutive game. She leads the team with 25 blocks. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WIN AT PORTLAND:
• The Zags held Portland to 24 total points; the fewest points allowed by a Bulldog squad. The previous low was 31 points, coming this season when GU defeated Colgate University 81-31.
• The 24 points also was the lowest points scored in a West Coast Conference game. The previous lowest was 30 points scored by the University of San Francisco in its 41-30 loss to Loyola Marymount University during the 1987-88 campaign.
• Gonzaga held the 50-33 rebounding edge; breaking a two-game stretch where it was the team outrebounded.
• The Bulldogs had 19 assists on 24 baskets.
• Redshirt sophomore Shelby Cheslek - who started the first five games of the season - got her first start since Nov. 30.
• Junior Danielle Walter got her second-straight start at point guard for the injured Jazmine Redmon. Walter played a career-high 27 points and had six points, five assists and two steals.
• Twelve players saw action; all 12 grabbed at least one rebound, 11 scored at least two points, 10 had an assist and seven had a steal. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WIN AT PACIFIC:
• Keani Albanez poured in a career-high 21 points. It was her first 20-plus point game of her career and was the sixth 20-plus performance by a Zag this season. Albanez hit 6-of-8 from the field and sank a career-high eight free throws.
• Haiden Palmer passed out a career-high six assists. She also had her 11th double-figure outing of the season with 13 points.
• Shaniqua Nilles scored a career-high eight points and had a career-high seven boards in a career-high 26 minutes of action.
• Zags shot a season-best 56.9 percent from the floor (29-of-51). Sixth game of the season shooting 50.0 percent or better.
• Danielle Walter got her first career start; replacing injured point guard Jazmine Redmon. Walter played 25 minutes. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE LOSS AT SAINT MARY'S:
• Gonzaga lost its opening game in league for the first time since the 2002-03 campaign when it fell 78-63 at Pepperdine.
• Jazmine Redmon played 20 minutes before leaving the game early in the second half with a sprained ankle. She did not return.
• Haiden Palmer scored a career-high 31 points in the setback. She is the 13th player in Zag history to break the 30-point plateau. The last Bulldog to score 30-plus was Katelan Redmon, who had 32 points at Santa Clara on Jan. 19, 2012.
• Danielle Walter came in for starting point guard Jazmine Redmon after she was injured and played 21 minutes and scored a career-high 14 points - her third career double-figure game.
• Lindsay Sherbert had the chance to win the game for the Zags in regulation. Sherbert was fouled with .3 seconds left and sent to the line for the bonus. She hit the first to tie the game at 72 but missed the second.
• Gonzaga was outrebounded 51-34.
• The Zags sank just 6-of-14 from the charity stripe. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE NON-CONFERECE:
• Gonzaga ended the non-conference portion of its schedule with a 10-2 mark. GU's only losses coming at then-No. 11 University of Oklahoma, Nov. 14 and then-No. 4 Stanford, Dec. 14.
• The Bulldogs finished two other non-conference seasons with just two losses. GU ended the 2004-05 campaign at 11-2 with losses coming at New Mexico and at Arizona State. The Zags also closed out the 2011-12 non-conference at 11-2 with losses coming to Stanford and USC.
• Gonzaga defeated two Big Ten Conference members on the road (Ohio State and Wisconsin) and one PAC-12 school on the road (Washington State).
• The Zags went a perfect 7-0 at the McCarthey Athletic Center.
• Gonzaga won their non-conference games by an average of 20.0 points per game. The Zags largest victory was 50 points; an 81-31 victory over Colgate University. Their smallest margin of victory was one; a 59-58 victory at Ohio State University. GU won three games by single-digits (Idaho, Ohio State and Washington State).
• Sophomore Shaniqua Nilles hit the final two buckets for the Zags, including the buzzer beater. Nilles had been inserted into the game for the first time with three minutes remaining in the game after junior Keani Albanez fouled out.
• Junior Sunny Greinacher recorded her first career double-double in the Zags win over Ohio State. Greinacher scored a season-high 18 points - 10 in the second half - and grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds, seven offensive. BULLDOGS PICKED FIRST IN WCC:
• Gonzaga University was chosen as the favorite to claim the West Coast Conference women's basketball title for in the 2013-14 preseason coaches' poll.
• The Bulldogs, who received the maximum nine first place votes for a total of 81 points, have won the WCC regular season title for an unprecedented nine-straight years. PRESEASON ALL-WCC:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball seniors Haiden Palmer and Jazmine Redmon and junior Sunny Greinacher were each named to the 2013 Preseason All-West Coast Conference Team. REDMON RETURNS AFTER MISSING TWO GAMES:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball senior Jazmine Redmon returned to action against BYU, Jan. 9 after missing two games with a high ankle sprain.
• Redmon came off the bench against the Cougars to play 12 minutes and pass out four assists and make one steal.
• Redmon missed two-straight games with the ankle injury - Pacific and Portland - and just third-ever game .
• Redmon has now played in 118 out of 122 games during her Bulldog tenure. The only other game - besides Dec. 28 and Dec. 30 of this season - she did not play in was Nov. 28, 2010 (her freshman campaign) against Washington State University during the Rainbow Wahine Classic. She was suited up, but did not get into the game.
• The missed game at Pacific on Dec. 28 broke a 46-game starting streak for Redmon. PALMER 8th IN THE NATION IS STEALS PER GAME:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball senior Haiden Palmer is currently 8th in the nation in steals per game at 3.16 and first in the West Coast Conference.
• Palmer ended her junior season ranked 14th at 3.18. REDMON 13th IN THE NATION IS ASSIST-TO-TURNOVER RATIO:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball senior Jazmine Redmon is currently 13th in the nation and first in the West Coast Conference in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.05.
• Redmon ended her junior season ranked 35th at 1.92 and her sophomore season seventh at 2.27. PALMER SECOND IN CAREER STEALS:
• Gonzaga University senior Haiden Palmer is currently second in the Zag career record book for total steals, having accumulated 243 during her 2-plus years in a GU uniform.
• Courtney Vandersloot holds the top spot with 366 steals from 2007-11. BACK-TO-BACK ROAD WINS:
• Wins at Ohio State University and the University of Wisconsin marked the first season with multiple true road wins (non-neutral) against schools from BCS conferences for Gonzaga University women's basketball. TWO DOUBLE-DIGIT REBOUNDERS:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball had two players break double-figures in rebounds against the University of Idaho, Nov. 8.
• Sophomore Kiara Kudron and junior Lindsay Sherbert both grabbed 11 rebounds. The 11 rebounds were a career-high for Kudron, while University of Cal transfer's career high is 14 grabbed at New Mexico on Nov. 20, 2010 while a member of the Bears squad.
• The last time two players had double-digit rebounds in the same game was Feb. 18, 2012 when Kelly Bowen and Taelor Karr had 16 and 12 rebounds, respectively, in the Zags 66-40 win over Pepperdine University. THIRD GAME AS A ZAG GIVES SHERBERT SECOND CAREER DOUBLE-DOUBLE:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball junior Lindsay Sherbert registered her first-career double-double as a Zag in her third game in uniform.
• Sherbert scored a season-high 14 points and grabbed a season-high 12 rebounds in the Bulldogs tough four-point loss at then-No. 11 University of Oklahoma.
• Sherbert, a transfer from the University of California, had registered one double-double in 62 games as a Bear. As a freshman in 2010-11, Sherbert scored 17 points and had 10 boards against the University of Oregon. TEN OF THE 14 BULLDOG PLAYERS AVERAGING DOUBLE-FIGURE MINUTES:
• Ten of the 14 Gonzaga University women's basketball players are averaging double-digit minutes.
• Five of the 14 players are averaging above 20 minutes per contest and none above 30 minutes per game. Haiden Palmer leads the charge at 29.1. PALMER COLLECTS FIRST DOUBLE-DOUBLE:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball senior Haiden Palmer collected her first double-double of the season against Colgate University, Nov. 30. Palmer scored 11 points and grabbed 10 boards - one rebound shy of tying her career-high.
• The double-double was the second in a Zag uniform and fourth overall for the guard who transferred to GU from Oregon State University after her freshman campaign. Her first double-double as a Bulldog came during her sophomore season.
• The guard is leading the Zags in points at 15.6 and second in rebounds per game at 5.4. McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER:
• Since the McCarthey Athletic Center opened in 2004, the Gonzaga University women's basketball team has gone 119-16 overall. The Bulldogs went undefeated at 14-0 in the McCarthey Athletic Center during the 2004-05 campaign, the first season it was open, and went 15-0 during the 2009-10 season. Five of the 16 losses have been to Pacific-12 Conference members - Stanford (twice), Arizona State, USC and Washington State - and three to West Coast Conference schools. WHO ARE THE NEWCOMERS:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball welcomed two new faces in 2013-14; one of which had been with the program for season already.
• University of California transfer Lindsay Sherbert is eligible after sitting out the 2012-13 campaign due to NCAA transfer rules. Sherbert, now a junior, averaged 6.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game over her two years at California. She also drained 80 3-pointers.
• The lone freshman on the squad is Emma Wolfram from Kamloops, British Columbia. The 6-5 center was coached by Ken Olynyk, the father of former men's basketball player Kelly Olynyk. Wolfram will redshirt this season. SIXTH LONGEST CONFERENCE TITLE STREAK: The Gonzaga University women's basketball team captured its unprecedented ninth-straight West Coast Conference regular-season title in 2012-13, finishing league with a 15-1 record. In the Bulldogs nearly decade-long reign, they piled up an astonishing 120-10 record against conference foes. That includes three undefeated seasons. Their record has them tied for the sixth longest streak in the nation. T1) Louisiana Tech, Sun Belt and WAC, 15 (1993-2007)
T1) Wisconsin-Green Bay, 15 (1998-13)
3) Stanford, Pac-12, 13 in a row (2002-13)
4) Chattanooga, Southern, 11 in a row (2000-10)
5) Stanford, Pac-12, 10 in a row (1989-1998)|
T6) Gonzaga, West Coast, nine in a row (2005-13)
T6) Marist, Metro Atlantic, nine a row (2005-13)
T6) Liberty, Big South, nine in a row (1998-2006)
T6) Connecticut, Big East, nine in a row (1994-2002)
Only Gonzaga, Stanford, Marist and Wisconsin-Green Bay have active streaks. ZAGS CURRENTLY RANKED 16TH IN ATTENDANCE:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball is currently ranked 16th in the nation in attendance with a home average of 5,253 fans. Tennessee leads the nation with an average of 11,186 fans per game.
• The Zags ended the 2012-13 season ranked a school-high 13th in home attendance averaging 5,678 fans for its 17 home games. The Bulldogs also had a school record seven sellouts last year.
• In 2011-12, the Bulldogs averaged 5,442 fans for their 17 home games which stood 14th in the NCAA for women's basketball attendance. BASKETBALL IN HER GENES:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball sophomore Elle Tinkle comes from a basketball family.
• Her father Wayne Tinkle played for the University of Montana, played professionally in Europe for 10 years and is currently the head men's basketball coach at the University of Montana.
• Her mother Lisa Tinkle also played for Montana and was inducted into Montana's Hall of Fame.
• Her sister Joslyn Tinkle graduated from Stanford University in the spring of 2013 after a stellar 4-year basketball career. COACH GRAVES AND USA BASKETBALL:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball head coach Kelly Graves has added USA Basketball to his resume. Graves was an assistant coach with the U18 women's basketball squad that won goal at the 2012 FIBA Americas and was once again on the sidelines as an assistant coach when the U19 team won gold at the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship of Women held in Klaipeda, Lithuania this past summer. NEW FACE ON THE SIDELINES:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball head coach Kelly Graves announced the hiring of current WNBA player and former Stanford University standout Nicole Powell as an assistant coach with the Bulldogs in 2013-14.
• Powell closed out her 10th year in the WNBA and first with the Tulsa Shock this summer. PALMER WORKING ON MASTER'S DEGREE:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball senior Haiden Palmer graduated in May of 2013 with an undergraduate degree in sport management.
• Palmer is currently working on her master's degree in communication and leadership. Follow Gonzaga Athletics on Facebook
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