Zags Welcome Talented Northwestern Squad To Spokane
12/18/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
RV/RV Gonzaga (7-2) vs. RV/RV Northwestern (10-1)
6:00 p.m. | Monday, Dec. 19 | McCarthey Athletic Center
TV: SWX
Radio: Magic AM 790 KJRB Gonzaga IMG Radio Network
| Live Video
HOW TO WATCH
- The game will be televised live locally on SWX. SWX is slated to broadcast five home games and one away game in the 2016-17 season. The live stream will also be available at THEW.TV
HOW THE EAST WAS WON
- The Zags swept the Eastern half of the state in their last two games, beating Washington State 79-61 and Eastern Washington 73-54. It was their first win over the Cougars in three tries and 13th-straight win over the Eagles. The Zags' 34 first-quarter points against WSU were a program high, breaking the mark of 33 set against BYU last season at home on February 27. A 10-2 Gonzaga run in the first quarter against EWU saw them lead 18-9 at the end of one quarter of play and gain a lead they would not give back.
SERIES HISTORY
- The Zags trail the Wildcats of Evanston, Illinois in the series 0-1 all-time.
- On December 15, 2014, the Gonzaga Bulldogs fell in Evanston, IL, 62-43 to Northwestern in their lone meeting.
- Northwestern led for the entirety of the contest and finished with four blocks and 10 steals.
- The Wildcats finished 45 percent shooting from the field, including 8-of-21 from behind-the-arc. NU shot 65 percent in the second half.
- Nia Coffey led Northwestern with a game-high 16 points and seven rebounds. Lauren Douglas added 14 points. Alex Cohen had 10.
- Gonzaga outrebounded NU, 37-34. Northwestern led 32-23 at halftime, before using a 16-2 run early in the second half to open the margin.
- Gonzaga was led by Keani Albanez's 15 points. She finished 5-of-12 from the field and Shaniqua Nilles added 10 points for the Bulldogs.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
- Just like Gonzaga, the Wildcats are receiving votes in both polls. 10 in the AP and 9 in USA Today.
- Northwestern senior Nia Coffey has been named the Big Ten Player of the Week twice this season. She is the career leader in rebounds at Northwestern. Coffey leads the team averaging 21.3 points per game. She averages a double-double with 12 rebounds as well, tops on the team. Christen Inman (13.2) and Ashley Deary (11.6) average double figures in points as well.
- The Wildcats defeated Santa Clara 87-75 on Saturday in the Bay Area and have won seven in a row.
- Coffey is a three-time All-Big Ten first team member and was named to the Wade Trophy Watch list.
- Senior Lauren Douglas scored career point No. 1,000 against Evansville on November 27th.
- The Wildcats earned a signature nonconference win with a 73-68 victory over No. 16 Florida on November 25th.
- Senior Ashley Deary reached the 1,000 career point milestone against Oral Roberts on November 13th. She was also named to the Nancy Lieberman Watch List.
- Nia Coffey was named to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team by both the coaches and the media, the third year she was named to at least one.
- Northwestern started last season 9-0 before finishing 18-17 and 4-14 in conference play.
COACH FORTIER'S BEST START
- This season the Zags are off to a 7-2 start, the best start in head coach Lisa Fortier's three seasons.
- The Zags started the season 6-3 in head coach Lisa Fortier's first season two years ago, and 6-3 last season as well.
- The year prior, in 2013-2014, the Zags jumped to a 10-2 start before finishing 29-5.
- From 2010-2014 the Zags recorded four 10-win starts, with 10-2 starts in 2013-14 and 2011-12.
- The best start in school history was in 2004-05 when GU started 11-2, and they also were 7-2 through nine games that year.
- The best nine-game starts came in 2013-14 and 2008-09, both 8-1 before losing the 10th game.
Kiara Kudron WCC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
- Gonzaga senior forward Kiara Kudron was voted the West Coast Conference Player of the Week for her performances against Washington State on December 8 and Eastern Washington on December 11.
- The redshirt senior had her first double-double of the season and fourth of her career with 13 points and 10 rebounds, leading Gonzaga in both categories in the win over Eastern Washington. It was a season-high in points and she added two assists, two steals, and a block on four-of-six shooting, going five-of-six from the line. Kudron also tied for the team lead in rebounds in the win over Washington State with eight to go with six points, two assists, and a block.
- On the week, Kudron averaged 9.5 points per game and 9.0 rebounds per game in 25 minutes of action. She shot 58 percent from the field and 83 percent from the line, averaging two assists, one steal, and one block per game.
- She joins fellow forward Jill Barta who won the award on November 21 with her first career player of the week honor.
SIZING UP THE BIG 10
- The Zags fell 66-78 to Michigan in the Virgin Islands on Thanksgiving in their lone match against the Big 10 Conference this year.
- The Zags did not play any Big 10 teams last year, and lost at Northwestern and against Iowa in Las Vegas in 2014-15.
- In 2013-14, GU defeated Wisconsin and Ohio State on the road, their last Big 10 wins.
- Gonzaga is 3-4 against Big 10 teams since 2012-13 and did not play a Big 10 opponent between 2008-2011.
SWEET HOME SPOKANE
- The Zags numbers at home this year are staggering. Besides the 4-0 record, GU is averaging 84.5 points per game inside McCarthey Athletic Center and beating their opponent by an average of 38.5 points per game.
- GU is shooting 50 percent and holding their opponent to 29 percent from the field.
- The Zags have controlled the glass as well, averaging 46.8 rebounds per game, a 20.5 rebound per game advantage over their competitor.
- The Bulldogs are averaging 20.5 assists per game while only seeing eight per game headed in the other direction.
- The Zags have blocked 26 shots in four games, and have only had seven of their shots blocked in 160 minutes of action in The Kennel.
- GU is dialing 43 percent from long range and their opponent is struggling at 16 percent behind the arc.
LOCKED IN UNDER THE LIGHTS
- The Zags are 3-0 this year in games that are televised live.
- They beat Washington State and Eastern Washington on SWX, and Stanford on the Pac-12 Bay Area Network.
- GU was 4-5 in televised games last season.
- The Zags home game against Northwestern on December 19 at 6 pm will be live on SWX as well. The SWX lineup will finish with three West Coast Conference home games including San Francisco at 6 pm on January 5, Santa Clara at 6 pm on January 19, and Saint Mary's at 2 pm on February 11. GU's final regular-season game at BYU on February 25 will be available regionally on BYUtv. The television package may expand as other games are under consideration by broadcast partners.
YOUNG GENERALS
- Sophomore point guard Laura Stockton is averaging a team-leading 27.9 minutes per game, and freshman point guard Jessie Loera is playing the rest of the game at 10.8 minutes per game.
- Stockton averages 4.6 assists per game, leading the team, sixth in the conference and 123rd nationally. Loera averages 1.4 per game in her 10 minutes of action.
- Stockton's assist to turnover ratio of 2.17 leads the WCC and is 76th in the country. She has led the team in assists in six games, including the last two, and had five or more dimes four times.
