MBB Welcomes Washington Wednesday
12/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 5, 2016
#8/8 Gonzaga (8-0) vs. Washington (4-3)
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7, 2016 | 8 PM | SPOKANE | MCCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER
TV: ESPN2
Radio: Gonzaga IMG Radio Network
Live Stats:
TV: ESPN2
Radio: Gonzaga IMG Radio Network
Live Stats:
ABOUT THE SERIES
- This is the 45th all-time meeting between Gonzaga and Washington.
- The Huskies have a 29-15 advantage in the series all-time, but GU has won nine of the last 10 matchups, including the latest last season in the opening round of the Battle 4 Atlantis, 80-64.
- Kyle Wiltjer had 24 points and Domantas Sabonis added 17. The teams combined for 60 fouls and 74 free throws.
- Gonzaga has won the last two meetings, dating back to a 99-95 Washington win in Dec. 4, 2005.
- Washington won the first meeting in the series, 23-14, on Feb. 24, 1910.
- The Zags have won nine of the 20 meetings in Spokane, including both matchups inside the McCarthey Athletic Center.
ABOUT WASHINGTON
- The Huskies come to Spokane off of two losses to TCU, the latest an 86-71 setback in Ft. Worth last Wednesday.
- Washington's Markelle Fultz scored 21 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, and dished out six assists in the loss. Carlos Johnson and Dominic Green added 13 and 11 points, while Noah Dickerson had 11 rebounds.
- Fultz is averaging 22.7 points per game (13th in the nation) at 54 percent shooting from the field. The freshman is adding 6.7 rebounds and 6.6 assists (14th in the nation) per outing. He also has 15 steals and 10 blocks this season.
- Four other Huskies are adding double-digit scoring per game; David Crisp (13.9), Dickerson (11.3), Matisse Thybulle (11.3) and Green (10.9).
- Dickerson leads the team with an average of 7.1 rebounds per game, while Malik Dime is blocking three shots a game.
- Dime ranks 15th in the nation in blocks per game and 20th with 21 total blocks.
- The Huskies rank third in the country, averaging 7.7 blocks per game, and 13th with an average of 88.1 points per game.
- Washington is 11th in the nation, shooting 42.4 percent from behind-the-arc.
THE HOT START
- This is just the third time since the 1958-59 season that Gonzaga has started the season 8-0.
- In 2012-13, the Bulldogs started the season 9-0 before falling to Illinois.
- Gonzaga began the 1994-95 season by winning its first eight games, before losing at Wichita State in overtime.
KARNOWSKI NAMED MVP
- Przemek Karnowski was named the HoopHall LA Most Valuable Player following Saturday's win over Arizona.
- The redshirt senior scored 18 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field.
- He pulled down four rebounds and had two blocked shots in 25 minutes.
ZAGS HEADED TO NYC IN 2017
- The 2017 Jimmy V Men's Basketball Classic doubleheader will be headlined by UConn, Gonzaga, Syracuse and Villanova -- to be played on Tuesday, Dec. 5. Game times will be announced at a later date.
- The 23rd annual event will air on ESPN -- pitting UConn against Syracuse and Gonzaga against Villanova -- from the New York City's famed Madison Square Garden.
- Defending national champion Villanova is currently ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll.
NEW BALANCE
- Through the first eight games of the season, GU has seven players averaging between 7.6 and 13.1 points per game.
- In the Zags' eight games this season, they've been led by seven different scorers.
- Seven players have led in steals in a game. Eight players have led in blocked shots.
DOWN TO 11 ...
- Gonzaga is one of just 11 teams that remain unbeaten this season in NCAA Div. I.
- The Zags are one of four teams on the West Coast that are still undefeated (USC 8-0, St. Mary's 6-0, UCLA 9-0).
- GU's eight-game win streak ranks third in the country, behind Villanova's 13 and UCLA's nine victories.
ZAGS RISE TO THE TOP
- The Bulldogs reached the top of the daily RPI on ESPN.com last Wednesday.
- Gonzaga had a season-high RPI rating of .7399.
- The Zags' strength of schedule was listed as fifth.
- GU slid to 12th following Thursday's win over Mississippi Valley State, but is seventh after the win over Arizona.
- The Bulldogs boast wins over Florida (currently 3rd in RPI), Arizona (No. 49), San Diego State (No. 53), Utah Valley (85) and Iowa State (78). Washington is currently No. 185 in the RPI, and Saturday's opponent, Akron, is No. 90.
YOU GET A 3, YOU GET A 3, AND YOU GET A 3
- Gonzaga has poured in its fair share of three-pointers over the last three games, totaling 32 in the recent victories.
- The Zags have made 32 of their 78 shots (41.0 percent) from behind-the-arc in the last three wins.
- In just the first half of the last three games, GU is 23-of-42 (54.8 percent) from three-point range.
- The Bulldogs have scored 69 points from three-pointers in the first half over the last three games, 51 percent of their points.
- Nine Zags have made at least one three-pointer in the last three games, while three others have taken one three.
- Nigel Williams-Goss (9-of-14, 53.8 percent) and Josh Perkins (11-of-20, 55 percent) have led the barrage the last 3 games.
PERK GOES TO WORK
- Josh Perkins has totaled 89 points over the past six games, an average of 14.8 per contest.
- He is shooting 52.8 percent (28-of-53) from the field over the last six games.
- The redshirt sophomore has made 19 of his 35 (54.3 percent) shots from three-point range during the same stretch.
- He has dished out 19 assists, an average of 3.2 per game, with nine steals over the last six outings.
JUST FINE FROM THE LINE
- Four Zags are currently shooting over 80 percent from the free-throw line.
- Jordan Mathews has made 10 of his 11 attempts (.909) from the line this season, while Nigel Williams-Goss has connected on 22 of his 25 free-throws (.880). Silas Melson is 12-of-14 (.857) and Josh Perkins is 14-of-17 (.824).
- Williams-Goss ranks second in the West Coast Conference with his percentage currently.
J THREE OVER THE LAST SIX
- Johnathan Williams has scored 70 points over the past six games, an average of 11.7 per outing.
- The redshirt junior has made 28 of his 39 shots (71.8 percent) from the field during the six-game stretch.
- He started the season 2-of-12 (16.7 percent) through the first two games.
- Williams was named to the AdvoCare Invitational All-Tournament Team after averaging 12.7 points per game in Orlando.
ZAGS REMAIN AT EIGHT
- Gonzaga stayed at No. 8 in the Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today Coaches' polls Monday.
- The Zags remain at their highest ranking in the AP poll since finishing the 2014-15 season at No. 7.
- GU opened this season at No. 14 in the preseason poll.
Players Mentioned
Center
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's BasketballFriday, January 10
Thursday, March 28
Saturday, March 23
Thursday, March 21
