#2/2 Gonzaga (11-1) vs. #RV/23 North Carolina (6-4, 0-0 ACC)
DEC. 18 | 6 P.M. | McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER | SPOKANE, WASH.
TELEVISION: ESPN2
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS
 
THE TIP OFF:
- Gonzaga welcomes North Carolina to the McCarthey Athletic Center for the first time on Wednesday, at 6 p.m.
- North Carolina leads the all-time series, 3-1, with all four matchups coming since 2006. Last season, the Tarheels beat GU in Chapel Hill, 103-90. Filip Petrusev scored seven points for the Zags in 11 minutes.
- The Zags are 14-10 all-time against current members from the Atlantic Coast Conference, including 13-10 under Mark Few.
- The Bulldogs are coming off of an 84-80 win at No. 15/14 Arizona Saturday. Corey Kispert led all scorers with 18 points, while grabbing a team-high eight rebounds. Petrusev added 16 points and four blocks. Joel Ayayi and Admon Gilder chipped in 15 and 13 points.
- The Zags are the only team in the country that has six players averaging double-digit scoring through 12 games, with a seventh at 9.8 points per game.
- Gonzaga hit 10 wins in a season by Dec. 8 for the first time in program history.
- GU's 28 consecutive wins at home is the longest active streak in the country, and fifth longest in program history.
- The Zags' 11 straight true road wins is currently the longest active streak in the nation. (Wichita State 7)
- The Zags are third in the nation in total assists (207) and total rebounds (503), fourth in scoring offense (85.8), fifth scoring margin (19.5), and sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.52).
- Joel Ayayi's 3.27 assist-to-turnover ratio is 12th in the nation. He has 49 assists to 15 turnovers.
 
SERIES NOTES:
- This is the fifth all-time meeting between Gonzaga and North Carolina.
- UNC has won the three previous meetings, including the latest, 103-90, last season in Chapel Hill.
- The programs met in the 2017 National Championships. North Carolina won 71-65. Josh Perkins scored 13 points, making three three-pointers.
- Gonzaga beat the Tar Heels in the 2006 Preseason NIT semifinals, 82-74, in Madison Square Garden.
- In 2009, North Carolina beat the Zags, 98-77, in the Sweet 16 in Memphis, Tenn.
- The Zags are 14-10 against Atlantic Coast Conference competition, including 13-10 under Mark Few. GU won its latest matchup versus an ACC opponent, beating Florida State in the West Region Semifinals in last year's NCAA Tournament.
 
SCOUTING THE TAR HEELS:
- North Carolina is coming off a 68-64 loss at home to Wofford Sunday. Garrison Brooks led the Tar Heels with 17 points, while Brandon Robinson added 16 points. Brooks also grabbed 12 rebounds. Armando Bacot had a game-high 13 boards for UNC.
- Four Tar Heels average double-digit scoring led by Cole Anthony's 19.1 points per game. He also has a team-high 32 assists and 17 steals.
- Bacot adds 10.3 points per game, while grabbing 8.6 rebounds per outing.
- Brooks is averaging 12.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
 
A ZAG WIN WOULD ...
- Make Gonzaga 114-42 in December games under Mark Few.
- Extend GU's home win streak to 29, currently the longest in the nation.
- Be the 31st consecutive home non-conference victory.
- Improve the Bulldogs' record against the ACC under Mark Few to 15-10.
 
WELCOME BACK ACC:
- North Carolina is the fourth current Atlantic Coast Conference opponent to play at Gonzaga.
- The Bulldogs had a home and home with Wake Forest in 2009 (in Spokane, lost 75-77) and 2011 (at WF, won 73-63),
- Notre Dame home and home in 2010 (at ND, lost 79-83) and 2011 (in Spokane, won 73-53)
- Virginia home and home in 2005 (in Spokane, won 80-69) and 2007 (at UVA, lost 87-108).
 
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME:
- Since the McCarthey Athletic Center opened in 2004, Gonzaga boasts a 212-15 record at home.
- The Zags' 93.2 winning percentage at home since 2004-05 ranks second in the nation.
- GU has sold out every game since the 6,000-seat McCarthey Athletic Center opened, a streak of 227 games.
- The Bulldogs currently have a home sell-out streak of 260 consecutive games, dating back to the second game of the 2001-02 season, in which 3,900 fans attended a matchup against Montana in the then-4,000-seat Martin Centre.
 
BALANCING ACT:
- Six Zags are currently averaging double-digit scoring, with another at 9.8 points per game.
- Five different Zags have already led the team in scoring in a game this season.
- Eight Bulldogs have already had multiple double-digit scoring games, with five GU players reaching 20 points this season.
- Six Gonzaga players averaging at least four rebounds per outing, and five dishout at least two assists per game.
- The Zags have had six different players lead a game in assists so far this season.
- GU has had at least four double-digit scorers in all but two games this season. (Four in 4 games, Five in 4 games, Six in 1 game and Seven in 1 game)
 
MOVING ON UP:
- Gonzaga climbed to No. 2 in the Associated Press and Coaches' polls Monday.
- The Zags have the third longest active streak in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, with 65 consecutive weeks. Kansas has the longest streak at 207 weeks, while Duke is second at 70 straight appearances.
- GU has been ranked in the Top 10 of the AP poll for 32 straight weeks.
 
NOTHING BUT NET:
- The Bulldogs are No. 6 in the first NET rankings of the season, which were released Monday.
- Ohio State opened at No. 1, followed by Kansas, San Diego State, Butler and Baylor.
- Ohio State was No. 1 in the first ranking last season. Gonzaga was No. 6, before finishing second in the final NET ranking of 2018-19.
 
BEST IN THE WEST:
- Gonzaga's 84-80 win at Arizona marked the ninth straight win over a PAC-12 opponent.
- The Zags beat Arizona, Oregon and Washington all away from Spokane.
- Oregon was selected as the Pac-12 preseason favorite, while Washington and Arizona were third and fourth.
- Oregon (8), Arizona (16) and Washington (22) are the lone ranked Pac-12 teams in this week's AP poll.