No. 16/14 GONZAGA (26-3, 15-2 WCC) vs. LOYOLA MARYMOUNT (17-12, 10-7 WCC)
MARCH 2 | 2 P.M. | SPOKANE, WA | McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER
STREAM: theW.tv
RADIO: KJRB 790 AM/94.1 FM
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THE TIP-OFF
- Gonzaga and Loyola Marymount meet for the 69th time in program history and the 31st time in Spokane.
- The Bulldogs have won the last 23 meetings dating back to the 2008-09 season. The last time the Zags have lost to LMU was on Feb. 7, 2008; the Lions claimed a 75-60 win in Los Angeles. Since 2005, Gonzaga has posted a 30-2 against the Lions.
- Gonzaga currently leads the WCC in 20+ point victories over conference opponents. So far this season, the Bulldogs have won by 20 or more points 10 times during conference play. Saint Mary's is the next closest program with five victories over WCC programs by 20 or more points. Every program in the WCC except San Diego and San Francisco have at least one win over a conference opponent by 20 or more points.
- The Bulldogs currently lead the WCC in five categories: Scoring defense (57.2 ppg, 30th nationally), scoring margin (+16.7, 14th nationally), field goal percentage defense (.371), rebounding defense (31.3 rpg) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2). The Zags also rank second in seven categories: scoring offense (73.9 ppg), field goal percentage (46.0%), three-point field goal percentage (37.4%), rebounding margin (+6.7), steals per game (9.2), turnover margin (+3.7) and offensive rebounding percentage (.377).
- Gonzaga is ranked for the 13th-straight week after entering the polls at No. 24/22 on Dec. 3. Following wins at Pacific (Jan. 31, 63-51) and at Saint Mary's (Feb. 2, 66-52), Gonzaga moved up to No. 13 in the AP Poll and No. 12 in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll. The Zags' No. 12 ranking is the highest in either poll in program history. This week, the Bulldogs fell to No. 16 following wins at Santa Clara (74-61) and at San Francisco (64-44).
- Gonzaga eclipsed the 20-win plateau with its 63-51 victory at Pacific on Jan. 31. It marks the 14th time in program history that the Bulldogs have won at least 20 games; the Zags have eclipsed the 30-win game only once. During the 2010-11 season when the Bulldogs advanced to the Elite Eight, Gonzaga finished with a program-record 31 wins with a 31-5 overall record.
- With its 24th win on Thursday against Santa Clara, this season's squad becomes the 13th in GU history to reach at least 24 wins on the season. It also marks the third straight season and 12th of the last 13 seasons that the Zags have had at least 24 wins on the year.
- With Thursday's 83-60 win over Pepperdine, the Bulldogs clinched at least a share of the WCC regular-season title. It marks the 15th season the Zags have had at least a share of the regular-season title after having won the WCC in 1988, '05, '06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11, '12, '13, '14, '15, '17 and '18. Regardless of what happens around the WCC on Saturday, IF the Bulldogs secure a victory over Loyola Marymount they will be the outright WCC regular-season champions.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Overall: 69th meeting; Gonzaga leads 47-21
In Spokane: 24-6| In Los Angeles: 19-14| N: 3-1
Current Streak: Gonzaga, Won 23
Last Meeting: Gonzaga defeated LMU 78-53 in Los Angeles on Dec. 29.
Series Notes: Gonzaga and Loyola Marymount meet for the 69th time in program history and the 31st time in Spokane.
- Gonzaga is currently on at 23-game win streak dating back to the 2008-09 season. The last loss to LMU came in Los Angeles on Feb. 7, 2008; the Bulldogs fell to the Lions 75-60.
- During GU's most recent win streak against LMU, the Zags have averaged 78.1 points per game while limiting the Lions to 57.6 points per contest. In the last 23 meetings, GU has held LMU to under 60 points 13 times including two games to 42 or fewer points.
- It's been nearly nine weeks since these two teams met in the WCC conference opener on Dec. 29, 2018. In the last meeting, Gonzaga overcame a slow first half start, shooting over 62 percent in the second half to outscore LMU 55-24 and run away with the 78-53 win. Four Zags finished in double-figures, paced by Zykera Rice's 15 points and eight rebounds.
 
SCOUTING LOYOLA MARYMOUNT:
- The Lions are 17-12 overall on the year ith a 10-7 mark in WCC play. They have won six of their last eight games, including a 70-54 win over Portland Thursday evening.
- As a squad, the Lions average 65.8 points per game shooting 39.6 percent from the floor. In addition, LMU averages 38.6 rebounds per game, 15.9 assists per game and 9.2 steals per game. Among the conference, the Lions rank sixth or above in: scoring defense (65.7, 3rd); scoring margin (+0.1, 6th); field goal percentage defense (.400, 4th); 3-point field goal percentage (31.8 percent, 6th); 3-point field goal percentage defense (28.9 percent, 2nd); rebounding offense (37.4, 6th); rebounding defense (37.1, 6th); rebounding margin (+0.3, 6th); assists (15.7, 2nd); steals (8.9, 3rd); turnover margin (+3.7, 5th); assist-to-turnover ratio (1.1, 4th); offensive rebounds (13.7, 4th); and offensive rebounding percentage (.360, 3rd).
- Three players average double figures for Loyola Marymount, led by Chelsey Gipson at 17.2 points per game to rank second in the WCC. Gabby Green adds 13.7 points per game (though she's only appeared in 15 games for the Lions), while Jasmine Jones adds 12.3 points per contest.
- Bree Alford leads the Lions and the WCC in rebounding, collecting an average of 9.4 rebounds per game. Jones and Green also contribute 6.1 rebounds per game.
- Andee Velasco ranks second in the conference in assists, averaging 4.7 per contest.
 
SHINING SENIORS
Saturday will mark the final regular-season home game for the Bulldogs; as such, it will also be the final scheduled home games for three seniors: Chandler Smith, Laura Stockton and Zykera Rice. These seniors have been a consistent force for the Bulldogs, with at least one of them leading the team in 13 statistical categories. In Thursday's win over Pepperdine, Rice, Smith and Stockton all finished in double-figures. It marked the second time this season that all three finished in double figures in the same game.
 
TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS
At this point in time, the Bulldogs control their own destiny when it comes to winning the regular-season WCC title outright. The Bulldogs clinched a share of the title with their win over Pepperdine on Thursday; a victory Saturday, regardless of what happens around the WCC, would give the Bulldogs their 15th regular-season WCC title and their third straight.
 
LEADING THE NATION IN ATTENDANCE PERCENT CAPACITY
- The Gonzaga women's basketball team currently leads the nation in attendance percent capacity at 93.71. This season, the Bulldogs have averaged 5,622 fans per game of the 6,000 seats in McCarthey. This season alone, Gonzaga has had three sellouts of 6,000: vs. No. 8/7 Stanford on Dec. 2; vs. Santa Clara on Jan. 24 and vs. BYU on Feb. 16. Since McCarthey opened in 2004, the women's basketball team has recorded 30 sellouts.