No. 20/22 GONZAGA UNIVERSITY BULLDOGS (24-4, 14-2 WCC)
F - 14 Sunny Greinacher, 6-4, Jr., Essen, Germany
(11.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.1 apg; WCC: 10.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.1 apg )
C - 44 Shelby Cheslek, 6-5, RS-So., Pullman, WA
(3.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.3 bpg; WCC: 5.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.2 bpg)
G - 3 Haiden Palmer, 5-8, Sr., Moreno Valley, CA
(15.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3.1 spg; WCC: 15.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.9 spg)
G - 24 Keani Albanez, 5-10, Jr., Santa Barbara, CA
(9.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.7 spg; WCC: 9.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.5 spg)
G - 34 Jazmine Redmon, 5-8, Sr., Spokane, WA
(5.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.5 apg; WCC: 5.0 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 2.6 apg)
HEAD COACH: Kelly Graves (University of New Mexico, 1988)
GONZAGA RECORD: 311-135 (14th year); CAREER RECORD: 377-161 (17th year) SAINT MARY'S COLLEGE GAELS (20-7, 10-6 WCC)
F - 30 Amanda Arter, 6-2, Jr., Brea, CA
(2.7 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.3 apg; WCC: 3.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.3 apg)
F - 54 Danielle Mauldin, 6-0, Sr., Emeryville, CA
(17.9 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 1.8 spg; WCC: 17.4 ppg, 13.4 rpg, 1.9 spg)
G - 3 Jackie Nared, 6-1, Sr., Portland, OR
(21.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.6 apg; WCC: 21.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.3 apg)
G - 10 Kate Gaze, 5-8, Sr., Melbourne, Australia
(12.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 5.0 apg; WCC: 11.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4.4 apg)
G - 14 Shannon Mauldin, 5-9, So., San Pablo, CA
(6.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.2 apg; WCC: 8.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.6 apg)
HEAD COACH: Paul Thomas (Wayne State College, 1988)
SMC RECORD: 146-104 (8th year); CAREER RECORD: 383-260 (20th) FINAL WEEK OF REGULAR SEASON ON TAP; ZAGS HOST SAINT MARY'S THURSDAY: The Gonzaga University women's basketball team closes out the regular-season this week by hosting two games. The Bulldogs begin the final two-game home stretch hosting Saint Mary's College Thursday at 6 p.m. ZAGS CLINCH AT LEAST A SHARE OF WCC TITLE:
• The Gonzaga University women's basketball team clinched at least a share of its unprecedented 10-straight West Coast Conference regular-season title with its win over the University of Portland, Feb. 22. Win one win in their final two games, the Bulldogs will clinch the title outright and secure the No. 1 seed at the league tournament. ABOUT THE GAELS:
• The Saint Mary's College women's basketball team enters into its game with Gonzaga University with a 20-7 overall mark and a 10-6 record in the West Coast Conference. Heading into the final weekend of league place, the Gaels are currently fifth in the standings.
• The Gaels had a two-game winning streak snapped last weekend after they fell to Santa Clara University 89-83.
• Saint Mary's has four players averaging double-figure points. The Gaels are led by Jackie Nared, who is averaging a league-leading 21.6 points per game. Danielle Mauldin is averaging a double-double of 17.9 points and 13.5 rebounds per game. Mauldin's rebounding average leads the WCC.
• Lauren Nicholson and Carli Rosenthal are game-to-game for the Gaels. Nicholson has missed 10-straight after playing in 17 - and starting 16 - games. Rosenthal has missed 12 games after starting the first 15 contests. Nicholson was averaging 13.1 points per game before the injury.
• Saint Mary's is coached by Paul Thomas, in his eighth year at the helm. WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FIRST GAME? GU VS. SMC:
12/28/13: L, 79-78 (ot) @Moraga, Calif.
(GU: Haiden Palmer 31 pts, 4 stls, 3 blks)
(SMC: Danielle Mauldin 24 pts, 23 rbs; Jacki Nared 27 pts, 11 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 rebounded to win 13-straight before falling at BYU, Feb. 15. Gonzaga now stands at 14-2 in conference and 24-4 overall. 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 IN BOTH TOP 25 POLLS:
• The Gonzaga University women's basketball team is No. 20 in the USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll for the second-consecutive week. The Bulldogs garnered 25 extra points in Tuesday's poll for a total of 213 to stand firm in their No. 20 spot.
• The Gonzaga University women's basketball team jumped two spots to No. 22 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll released Monday. The Bulldogs received 124 points - 31 additions points from a week ago. Gonzaga is 28 points ahead of 23rd place Middle Tennessee State University and 41 points behind 21st place Michigan State 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. He now is 311-135 as the head coach of the Bulldogs.
• Ironically, Graves earned his 350th career victory with a win at BYU Feb. 23, 2013. PALMER, GREINACHER EACH HAVE EARNED WCC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball senior Haiden Palmer was named West Coast Conference Player of the Week, Jan. 27 after leading the Bulldogs to two road victories. The guard averaged 21.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.5 assists per game, while shooting 54.5 percent (18-of-33) from the field and 50.0 percent from the 3-point arc (5-of-10).
• It was Palmer's first WCC Player of the Week honor of the season and the fourth of her career.
• Palmer joined junior Sunny Greinacher as the only two Zags to earn weekly honors this year. Greinacher was tabbed the WCC Player of the Week Dec. 9 and Jan. 13. BULLDOGS REACH 20 WINS:
• The Gonzaga University women's basketball team, who is 24-4 on the year, reached the 20-victory plateau for the eighth-straight year and the ninth time in head coach Kelly Graves' 14-year tenure. GONZAGA RECORD BOOK:
• Gonzaga University senior Haiden Palmer is currently second in the Zag career record book for total steals, having accumulated 269, while classmate Jazmine Redmon is seventh with 201. Courtney Vandersloot holds the top spot with 366 steals from 2007-11.
• Palmer is 13th in the Zag record book for total points scored. She has tallied 1,265 points as a Bulldog to stand ahead of current administrative assistant Vivian Frieson (1,106). With her one year at Oregon State University, Palmer has scored 1,600 in her Division I playing career.
• Redmon also stands tied for sixth in career games played at 128 (with Frieson). Former Zags Kelly Bowen and Kayla Standish hold the record with 138 games played. The point guard is also in fifth in career assists with 374. Vandersloot leads that category with 1,118. PALMER 6th IN THE NATION IS STEALS PER GAME:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball senior Haiden Palmer is currently 6th in the nation in steals per game at 3.07 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 2.88.
• Redmon ended her junior season ranked 35th at 1.92 and her sophomore season seventh at 2.27. WHERE GONZAGA RANKS NATIONALLY:
• Gonzaga University is in the top 20 in the nation in seven different categories. The Bulldogs are second in steals per game (12.4), fourth in turnover margin (7.46), fifth in scoring defense (54.4) and scoring margin (21.1), 12th in won-lost percentage (85.7), 13th in 3-point field goal defense (26.9) and 20th in field goal percentage defense (35.7). TOUGH STRETCH FOR GREINACHER:
• Gonzaga University junior Sunny Greinacher started the West Coast Conference season held to four points at Saint Mary's but rattled off double-digits in nine of the next 10 games; averaging 13.5 points a game and shooting 57.6 percent (53-of-92) from the field. She again has been tripped up in the last five games, not cracking double-digits, averaging just 6.0 points and shooting 30.5 percent (11-of-36). GREINACHER HAS THREE DOUBLE-DOUBLES:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball junior Sunny Greinacher has recorded three double-doubles this season.
• Greinacher had her first career double-double at the University of Wisconsin, Dec. 10. She scored 18 points and grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds.
• Her other two double-doubles were at the University of San Francisco (13 pts, 10 rbs) and at Loyola Marymount (14 pts, 10 rbs).
• Greinacher is the first Zag to record three-plus double-doubles in a season since the 2011-12 campaign when Kelly Bowen, Katelan Redmon and Kayla Standish recorded three, five and eight, respectively. PALMER SCORES 30-PLUS POINTS TWICE:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball senior Haiden Palmer scored a career-high 32 points in the Bulldogs 91-82 overtime victory at Loyola Marymount University, Jan. 23.
• Palmer has now scored 30-plus points twice this season. She tallied a then-career-high 31 points in the Zags loss at Saint Mary's College, Dec. 28.
• Palmer is the fifth Zag to score 30-plus points twice in a season and the first since 1993 to tally those points in two West Coast Conference games. FREE THROW PRODUCTION INCREASING:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball closed out the first half of West Coast Conference play shooting 65.7 percent (119-of-181) from the charity stripe. The Zags have increased their accuracy in the first seven games of the final half of league play, hitting 76.5 percent (117-153) in those games.
• In the first seven games of league play, the Bulldogs sank just 65.5 percent (73-of-142) and got to the line 11 less times.
• Haiden Palmer hit a tough 52.6 percent (10-of-19) from the charity stripe in the first seven games of league and Keani Albanez sank 14-of-22 (63.6%). In the first seven of the second half of league, Palmer has gotten to the line 18 times and sank 15 (83.3%), while Albanez is a perfect 10-of-10. PALMER HANDING OUT ASSISTS:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball senior Haiden Palmer has always been known for her scoring ability and the ability to make steals - averaging team bests in both (15.4 & 3.1). She is now adding playmaker to the mix. In the past six games, Palmer has combined to pass out 26 assists, a 4.3 game average. Compare that to the first 10 conference games where she handed out 26 combined; a 2.6 game average. Palmer is now third on the team in assists per game at 2.5. HIGHLIGHTS FROM WCC PLAY:
• Gonzaga University women's basketball opened the first half of West Coast Conference playing losing at Saint Mary's College. The Zags lost their opening game in league for the first time since the 2002-03 campaign when it fell 78-63 at Pepperdine.
• The Bulldogs have held six teams below 50 points, including four below forty and one below 30 points.
• Gonzaga's average margin of victory in WCC play is 25.9 points. GU's largest margin of victory was 52 points in its 89-37 win over Santa Clara University, Jan. 30.
• Gonzaga played seven of its opening nine WCC games on the road; going 6-1.
• The Zags held Portland to 24 total points in the first meeting; 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 BYU to 42 points Jan. 9; the Cougars then lowest point total of the season - by 10 points - and to 32 rebounds; their lowest rebounding total - by three rebounds.
• In the first game between the two schools, the Zags forced the Cougars to shoot a season-low 30.6 percent (15-of-49) from the field.
• In its Jan. 11 game, Gonzaga held San Diego to their second-lowest point total of the season in its 79-50 win over the Toreros. USD's lowest was 48.
• The six-point win at Santa Clara, Jan. 19 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.
• The 46 points scored by San Francisco, Feb. 1 was the most given up in a half this season by the Bulldogs. On the flip side, the 50 points scored by Gonzaga was the second largest scoring output by the Zags in the opening half.
• The 101 points scored against San Francsic, Feb. 1 was the most scored for the Zags this season and the first time they broke the century mark. Their previous high was 96 points, scored in a 96-47 win over Portland State, Dec. 6.
• Gonzaga shot a season-low 25.4 percent (18-of-71) from the field in its 62-52 setback at BYU, Feb. 15. The Bulldogs did out rebound the Cougars 46-36, including 24-5 on the offensive end.
• It is past two games - a loss at BYU, Feb. 15 and a win over Portland Feb. 22, Gonzaga averaged 22.5 offensive boards to its opponents 3.5 offensive boards. 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. 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 and versus Pepperdine University, Feb. 6.
• Sophomore Kiara Kudron and junior Lindsay Sherbert both grabbed 11 rebounds versus the Vandals. 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.
• Sophomore Shelby Cheslek had 12 rebounds against the Waves, while Palmer added 10 boards.
• The last time two players had double-digit rebounds in the same game prior to this season 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. REDMON MISSED 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 has now played in 128 out of 131 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. 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 are above 30 minutes per game. Haiden Palmer leads the charge at 28.9. PALMER HAS TWO DOUBLE-DOUBLES THIS SEASON:
• 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. She added a second against Pepperdine, Feb. 6. She had 12 points and 10 oards.
• The double-doubles was the second and third in a Zag uniform and fifth 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 (and was points/steals).
• The guard is leading the Zags in points at 15.4 and rebounds pre game at 5.7. McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER:
• Since the McCarthey Athletic Center opened in 2004, the Gonzaga University women's basketball team has gone 132-16 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, Horizon League, 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 5,389 fans. Tennessee leads the nation with an average of 11,345 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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