No. 20/21 GOZAGA (11-1) at LOYOLA MARYMOUNT (7-5)
DEC. 29 | 2 P.M. | LOS ANGELES | GERSTEN PAVILLION
RADIO: KJRB 790 FM
LIVE STATS | WATCH LIVE
 
THE TIP-OFF
- Gonzaga and Loyola Marymount will meet for the 68th time in program history and the 31st consecutive season. This will be the 34th overall meeting in Los Angeles. In the last meeting, Gonzaga defeated LMU 75-69 on Feb. 15 in L.A.
- This will be the 18th time in program history that the Zags have opened conference play on the road, dating back to the 1989-90 season with the program's first-ever conference opener on the road. Gonzaga carries a 7-10 overall record in conference openers on the road, but the Zags have won six of their last eight. Since 2006-07, Gonzaga is 6-2 in conference openers on the road, averaging 75.1 points per contest during that span while limiting opponents to 64.0.
- The Zags are currently on a seven-game win streak, the longest so far of the young season. The Bulldogs longest win streak in program history is 23 games, a feat they accomplished from Dec. 10, 2004 to March 6, 2005. The longest recent streak is 15-straight victories which occurred between Dec. 17, 2017 and Feb. 8, 2018.
- The Zags continue to stretch their best start in program history as they carry an 11-1 overall mark following their 88-51 win over Idaho on Dec. 20. Previously, their best start was an 8-2 mark, most recently during the 2013-14 season.
- Gonzaga is ranked for the fourth-straight week after entering the polls at No. 24/22 on Dec. 3. Following their 37-point rout over Idaho, the Bulldogs moved up in the AP Poll to No. 20 on Dec. 24. It's the Bulldogs' highest ranking since being ranked No. 18 in March 2014.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Overall: 68th Meeting, Gonzaga leads 46-21
In Spokane: 24-6| In Los Angeles: 19-14| Neutral: 3-1
Current Streak: Gonzaga, Won 22
Last Meeting: Gonzaga won 75-69 in Los Angeles on Feb. 15, 2018.
Series Notes: Gonzaga and Loyola Marymount meet for the 68th time in program history and the 31st consecutive season. The Bulldogs hold a 46-21 edge in the series and have won the last 22 meetings.
- In the last 22 games, Gonzaga has averaged 78.1 points per game while limiting the Lions to 60.4 points per game. The Bulldogs have scored at least 80 points 10 times in the last 22 meetings including two contests with at least 90 points.
- Gonzaga's largest margin of victory during the current 22-game win streak was 40 points with an 82-42 win at home on Feb. 10, 2011.
- In the last meeting, Gonzaga won the 2017-18 outright WCC title with a 75-69 win at LMU. Chandler Smith led the Bulldogs with 17 points with two assists and three steals while Jill Barta added 12 points and two steals. The Zags converted 25-of-32 free throws and shot 41.8 percent from the floor to seal the win.
 
SCOUTING LOYOLA MARYMOUNT:
- The Lions are 7-5 overall on the season and are currently on a three-game losing streak. Picked to finish fourth in the WCC Preseason Poll, LMU currently ranks ninth with a 58.3 win percentage and five losses.
- As a squad, Loyola Marymount averages 62.5 points per game shooting 39.1 percent from the floor and 27.5 percent from long range. The Lions own a +4.8 rebounding margin, averaging 41.5 rebounds per game to lead the WCC.
- Three players average double-figures for the Lions, led by Gabby Green with 16.7 points per game. Chelsey Gipson adds 13.6 while Jasmine Jones chips in 12.1. Jones and Green also lead the team in rebounds with 6.9 and 6.5 per game, respectively.
- The Lions opened the season with back-to-back Pac-12 wins: over UCLA (69-63) and over Arizona (66-64); LMU is the only other team in the WCC to claim wins over two Pac-12 opponents this season. The Lions won five of their first six games, but have since lost four of their last six including three straight.
 
DECEMBER: THE GIFT OF UNSTOPPABLE OFFENSE
Through the first four games of December, the Bulldogs have produced their top-three offensive games of the season: 88 points (vs. Idaho, 12/20); 79 points (vs. then No. 8/7 Stanford, 12/2); and 76 points (vs. Washington State, 12/9). Through the first four games of December, Gonzaga has averaged 78.25 points shooting 47.8 percent from the floor and 51.2 percent from long range. In addition, the Zags have dominated the glass, posting a +13.8 rebounding margin while hauling in an average of 42.0 rebounds per game.
 
SPREADING THE SCORING WEALTH
Similar to the entire non-conference, the first four games of December saw multiple Zags reach double-figures with a different high-scorer each game. Three players have averaged double-figures in December games: Chandler Smith (13.5), Zykera Rice (10.8) and Jenn Wirth (10.5); while three players average over nine points a game: Katie Campbell (9.8), Jill Townsend (9.8) and Jessie Loera (9.5). Impressively, eight players on the roster average at least seven points per game.