Friday, December 28
Spokane, WA
6:00 PM
Gonzaga University
vs
North Alabama
Photo by: Hunter Lee
MBB Welcomes North Alabama Friday
12/26/2018 6:43:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Zags and Lions meet for the first time ever
#7/8 Gonzaga (11-2) vs. North Alabama (3-10)
DEC. 28 | 6 P.M. | SPOKANE | McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER
TV: KHQ/ROOT
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
THE TIP-OFF:
- Gonzaga and North Alabama meet for the first time ever in the McCarthey Athletic Center on Friday, at 6 p.m.
- The Bulldogs have never faced a current member from the Atlantic Sun Conference.
- GU has only faced two programs from the state of Alabama, beating Samford in 1993, and winning all three meetings with South Alabama, with the latest in 2013.
- Gonzaga is coming off a 101-40 win over Denver last Friday. The 61-point win was the largest margin of victory in program history.
- The Zags made a program-record 84.6 percent of their shots from the field in the first half, before finishing 68.4 percent from the field in the game. GU held the Pioneers to 24.6 percent from the field.
- Josh Perkins is second in the country with 100 assists and is third averaging 7.69 assists per game. Brandon Clarke is third in field goal percentage (70.8), third with 42 blocks and fifth averaging 3.23 blocks.
- The Zags are first in the nation with 257 total assists, in field goal percentage (53.3 percent) and third in scoring offense (93.9).
SERIES NOTES:
- This is the first all-time meeting between Gonzaga and North Alabama.
- The Bulldogs have never faced a current member from the Atlantic Sun Conference.
- GU has only faced two programs from the state of Alabama, beating Samford in 1993, and winning all three meetings with South Alabama, with the latest in 2013.
SCOUTING THE LIONS:
- North Alabama fell at VMI, 89-68, last Friday.
- Four Lions finished in double-digit scoring led by Kendall Stafford's 16 points. Jamari Blackmon added 15 points. Emanuel Littles had a game-high nine rebounds.
- VMI made 14-of-33 from behind-the-arc.
- Blackmon averages a team-best 16.2 points per game, while Kendarius Smith chips in 12.2 points per outing. Blackmon has team-high 38 assists and 21 steals, and Smith has 36 assists and 13 steals.
- Littles is grabbing a team-high 6.4 rebounds per game.
A ZAG WIN WOULD ...
- Be Gonzaga's 25th straight over an unranked team.
- Be the 23rd consecutive home non-conference victory.
- Extend GU's home win streak to 13.
- Be the Bulldogs' first-ever over a current member from the Atlantic Sun Conference.
- Make Gonzaga 108-42 in December games under Mark Few.
- Improve Josh Perkins' record to 112-17 in games he has played in for Gonzaga.
RECORD-BREAKING NIGHT:
- Gonzaga's 61-point win over Denver is a new program-record for largest margin of victory.
- The 101-40 win eclipsed the previous 105-45 record set in 2001 against Eastern Oregon.
- GU also made 84.6 percent (22-of-26) of its shots from the field in the first half, another program record for best field goal percentage in a half.
- The previous record was 80 percent, set twice, versus San Francisco in 1988 (16-of-20) and versus Santa Clara in 1982 (12-of-15).
- The Bulldogs made their first 15 shots of the game against Denver, jumping out to a 36-6 lead after the first 11 minutes.
... AND HOW ABOUT THAT DEFENSE:
- Not only did Gonzaga excel on offense versus Denver, but the Zags' defense held DU to 24.6 percent from the field.
- The Pioneers were limited to 21.4 percent from the field in the first half, including an 0-for-11 start from the field.
- Denver's 24.6 percent shooting from the field was the third-lowest for a GU opponent since the 2005-06 season.
- The Zags led 56-19 at halftime.
TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK:
- The Bulldogs dished out 25 assists in the win over Denver.
- It marked the sixth time already this season that Gonzaga has finished with 20 assists in a game.
- The Zags had at least 20 assists in seven games last season. The 2016-17 GU team finished with at least 20 assists in 10 games.
- Gonzaga opened the season with 29 assists in a win over Idaho State, the third-most in program history.
- The Bulldogs currently lead the country with 257 assists, while their 19.8 assists per game ranks fifth in the nation.
DEC. 28 | 6 P.M. | SPOKANE | McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER
TV: KHQ/ROOT
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
THE TIP-OFF:
- Gonzaga and North Alabama meet for the first time ever in the McCarthey Athletic Center on Friday, at 6 p.m.
- The Bulldogs have never faced a current member from the Atlantic Sun Conference.
- GU has only faced two programs from the state of Alabama, beating Samford in 1993, and winning all three meetings with South Alabama, with the latest in 2013.
- Gonzaga is coming off a 101-40 win over Denver last Friday. The 61-point win was the largest margin of victory in program history.
- The Zags made a program-record 84.6 percent of their shots from the field in the first half, before finishing 68.4 percent from the field in the game. GU held the Pioneers to 24.6 percent from the field.
- Josh Perkins is second in the country with 100 assists and is third averaging 7.69 assists per game. Brandon Clarke is third in field goal percentage (70.8), third with 42 blocks and fifth averaging 3.23 blocks.
- The Zags are first in the nation with 257 total assists, in field goal percentage (53.3 percent) and third in scoring offense (93.9).
SERIES NOTES:
- This is the first all-time meeting between Gonzaga and North Alabama.
- The Bulldogs have never faced a current member from the Atlantic Sun Conference.
- GU has only faced two programs from the state of Alabama, beating Samford in 1993, and winning all three meetings with South Alabama, with the latest in 2013.
SCOUTING THE LIONS:
- North Alabama fell at VMI, 89-68, last Friday.
- Four Lions finished in double-digit scoring led by Kendall Stafford's 16 points. Jamari Blackmon added 15 points. Emanuel Littles had a game-high nine rebounds.
- VMI made 14-of-33 from behind-the-arc.
- Blackmon averages a team-best 16.2 points per game, while Kendarius Smith chips in 12.2 points per outing. Blackmon has team-high 38 assists and 21 steals, and Smith has 36 assists and 13 steals.
- Littles is grabbing a team-high 6.4 rebounds per game.
A ZAG WIN WOULD ...
- Be Gonzaga's 25th straight over an unranked team.
- Be the 23rd consecutive home non-conference victory.
- Extend GU's home win streak to 13.
- Be the Bulldogs' first-ever over a current member from the Atlantic Sun Conference.
- Make Gonzaga 108-42 in December games under Mark Few.
- Improve Josh Perkins' record to 112-17 in games he has played in for Gonzaga.
RECORD-BREAKING NIGHT:
- Gonzaga's 61-point win over Denver is a new program-record for largest margin of victory.
- The 101-40 win eclipsed the previous 105-45 record set in 2001 against Eastern Oregon.
- GU also made 84.6 percent (22-of-26) of its shots from the field in the first half, another program record for best field goal percentage in a half.
- The previous record was 80 percent, set twice, versus San Francisco in 1988 (16-of-20) and versus Santa Clara in 1982 (12-of-15).
- The Bulldogs made their first 15 shots of the game against Denver, jumping out to a 36-6 lead after the first 11 minutes.
... AND HOW ABOUT THAT DEFENSE:
- Not only did Gonzaga excel on offense versus Denver, but the Zags' defense held DU to 24.6 percent from the field.
- The Pioneers were limited to 21.4 percent from the field in the first half, including an 0-for-11 start from the field.
- Denver's 24.6 percent shooting from the field was the third-lowest for a GU opponent since the 2005-06 season.
- The Zags led 56-19 at halftime.
TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK:
- The Bulldogs dished out 25 assists in the win over Denver.
- It marked the sixth time already this season that Gonzaga has finished with 20 assists in a game.
- The Zags had at least 20 assists in seven games last season. The 2016-17 GU team finished with at least 20 assists in 10 games.
- Gonzaga opened the season with 29 assists in a win over Idaho State, the third-most in program history.
- The Bulldogs currently lead the country with 257 assists, while their 19.8 assists per game ranks fifth in the nation.
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
Guard
/ Men's BasketballFriday, January 10
Thursday, March 28
Saturday, March 23
Thursday, March 21
