GONZAGA (20-2, 9-1 WCC) at SAINT MARY'S (14-7, 7-3 WCC)
FEB. 2 | 6 P.M. | MORAGA, CALIF. | McKEON PAVILION
LIVE STREAM: theW.tv
RADIO: KEYF 101.1 FM
LIVE STREAM | LIVE STATS
 
THE TIP-OFF
- Gonzaga and Saint Mary's meet for the 71st time and the 32nd time in Moraga. The meeting will be the second between the two programs this season. Gonzaga won the first meeting 74-62 in Spokane on Jan. 3.
- The Bulldogs are currently on a four-game win streak, and they have won the last four games by an average of 20.3 points. The Zags also claim the longest win streak of the season in the WCC, boasting a 12-game win streak from Nov. 23 through Jan. 12. No. 25 BYU claims the next longest win streak of 11 games; a loss at Loyola Marymount on Thursday snapped the Cougars win streak.
- Prior to Gonzaga's 70-68 loss at BYU on Jan. 17, the Zags has posted a program-best 16-1 start. However, the current 20-2 mark is only the second of program history. The Bulldogs were also 20-2 during the 2004-05 season. That season, the Zags posted a program-best 23-game win streak and finished the season 28-4 overall with an unblemished 14-0 mark in WCC play. Gonzaga advanced to the second round of the WNIT, losing at Missouri State 85-66 to end the season.
- The Bulldogs currently lead the WCC in nine categories: Scoring defense (57.8 ppg), scoring margin (+16.3, 22nd nationally), field goal percentage defense (37.7%), 3-point field goal percentage defense (28.3%), rebounding defense (30.4 rpg), rebounding margin (+8.0), turnover margin (+3.4), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2) and offensive rebounding percentage (39.5%). The Zags also rank second in four categories: free throw percentage (75.0%), field goal percentage (45.1%), steals per game (9.6) and defensive rebounding percentage (72.3%).
- Gonzaga is ranked for the ninth-straight week after entering the polls at No. 24/22 on Dec. 3. Following their 97-71 win over Portland on Jan. 12, the Bulldogs moved up to 13th in the AP Poll on Jan. 14. It's the program's highest ranking ever; currently Gonzaga is ranked No. 15 following a 78-51 win over San Francisco (Jan. 24) and a 78-61 win over Santa Clara (Jan. 26).
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Overall: 71st meeting; Gonzaga leads 42-28
In Spokane: 22-10| In Moraga: 14-17| Neutral: 2-0
Current Streak: Gonzaga, Won 1
Last Meeting: Gonzaga defeated Saint Mary's 74-62 earlier this season in Spokane on Jan. 3.
Series Notes: Gonzaga and Saint Mary's meet for the 71st time and the 32nd time in Moraga.
- Saturday will mark the 11th time the two programs have met while Gonzaga has been nationally ranked. The Bulldogs are 8-2 overall when facing the Gaels as a nationally ranked program; the Zags are currently on a three-game win streak when facing the Gaels as a nationally-ranked program, defeating Saint Mary's by an average of 10.0 points.
- Out of the last 38 meetings, Gonzaga has won 31. The Bulldogs put together a 17-game win streak from 2004-11, and allowed the Gaels just one streak of two wins.
 
SCOUTING SAINT MARY'S:
- The Gales are 14-7 overall with a 7-3 mark in conference play, good for third place in the WCC.
- Saint Mary's is currently on a five-game win streak, and it is fresh off a 113-85 win over Portland. The Gaels' 113 points mark the first time SMC has scored 100 points or more since the 2006-07 season, and it is the most points SMC has ever scored against a Division I opponent. It also set a new WCC record, surpassing the previous record of 109 set by the Bulldogs back in 2009.
- Senior forward Megan McKay finished 11-for-11 from the floor (ties the WCC record set back in 1986), and recorded 26 points in the win. Four other Gaels finished in double-figures as well, while the squad shot 62.7 percent from the floor.
- As a squad, the Gaels are averaging a league-best 77.7 points per game shooting a league-best 49.2 percent from the floor. The team is balanced in scoring, with three players averaging double-figures and six player averaging at least 8.5 points per game. McKay and Sydney Raggio lead the attack as both average 12.1 points per game, while Sam Simons rounds out the double-figure scoring with 11.1 points per contest.
- SMC is also one of the best rebounding teams in the conference, averaging 40.0 rebounds per game. Raggio leads the rebounding effort for the Gaels, hauling in an average of 8.0 rebounds per game, good for third in the WCC.
- Saint Mary's also leads the league in three-point percentage at 39.5 percent. The Gaels average a a league-leading 8.7 treys per game.
- After dropping its first two conference games (at Pacific, at Gonzaga) Saint Mary's has won seven of its last eight. The only loss during that stretch was a 74-73 loss to BYU at home.
 
MUSCLING UP
Gonzaga dominated the boards against Pacific, corralling 44 rebounds including a season-high 23 offensive rebounds. It marks the ninth time this season that the Bulldogs have grabbed at least 40 rebounds in a contest. Gonzaga pulled down a season-high 58 against Portland on Jan. 12.
 
LOCKING DOWN DEFENSIVELY
In the last four games, Gonzaga has limited its opponent to an even 56.0 points per game while forcing two of the last four opponents to shoot under 37 percent. On Thursday against Pacific, Gonzaga held the Tigers to a 51 points, a season-low for Pacific and more than 20 points fewer than its season average. Currently, Gonzaga leads the league in scoring defense (57.8 points per game) and field goal percentage defense (37.7 percent).
 
SHOTS FIRED, AND MADE
Currently, Jill Townsend and Zykera Rice are shooting over 50 percent from the floor for the season. Townsend leads the Zags and ranks fourth in the WCC shooting 52.1 percent from the floor, while Rice ranks fifth shooting 51.1 percent. (Sophomore Jenn Wirth is currently shooting 60.7 percent from the floor, but she does not qualify for the overall season field goal percentage as she has not played in at least 75 percent for the season's games).