12/12 GONZAGA (28-3) vs. BYU (24-6)
MARCH 12 | 1 P.M. | LAS VEGAS | THE ORLEANS ARENA
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THE TIP-OFF
- Gonzaga and BYU meet for the 27th time in program history and the fifth time in the WCC Tournament.
- Monday's double-overtime game was the first overtime game for the Bulldogs this season and just the 30th overtime game in program history. It was also just the third game in program history that went to two or more overtimes. The Bulldogs first double-overtime win was a 92-84 win over Pepperdine in Spokane on Feb. 9, 1991. Gonzaga also claims a 91-84 quadruple overtime win over San Francisco in Spokane on Feb. 7, 2015.
- The Bulldogs currently lead the WCC in six categories: Scoring defense (57.3 ppg, 35th nationally), scoring margin (+16.5, 13th nationally), field goal percentage defense (.370), three-point field goal percentage (37.7%), rebounding defense (31.5 rpg) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2). The Zags also rank second in seven categories: free throw percentage (75.0%), field goal percentage (45.9%), three-point field goal percentage defense (29.2%), rebounding margin (+6.4), steals per game (9.3), turnover margin (+3.6) and offensive rebounding percentage (.377).
- Gonzaga is ranked for the 14th-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.
- 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 28th win on March 11 over Saint Mary's, this season's squad becomes the sixth in GU history to reach at least 28 wins on the season. It also marks the third straight season that GU has won at least 26 games on the year.
- With Gonzaga's win over Loyola Marymount on March 2, the Bulldogs secured their 15th regular-season WCC title after having won the WCC 1988, '05, '06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11, '12, '13, '14, '15, '17 and '18.
- Tuesday will mark GU's 14th title game appearance. It will also be the third time that GU has face BYU in the title game, carrying a 1-1 overall record.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Overall: 27th, Gonzaga leads 15-11
In Spokane: 9-3| In Provo: 4-6| N: 2-2
Current Streak: BYU, Won 2
Last Meeting: BYU defeated Gonzaga 66-64 in Spokane on Feb. 16.
Series Notes: Gonzaga and Saint Mary's meet for the 72nd time in program history.
- Tuesday will mark the eighth time these two programs have met while GU has been nationally ranked. It will be the second time the programs have met in the WCC Tournament while the Zags have been nationally ranked.
- BYU is currently on a two-game win streak against the Zags, and the Cougars have won by two points in each of the previous two meetings.
 
SCOUTING BYU:
- The Cougars are fresh off a 68-63 semifinal win over Pepperdine.
- As a squad, the Cougars average 68.8 points per game shooting 42.6 percent from the floor. The Cougars average 38.1 rebounds per game to go along with 15.5 assists per game, 8.1 steals per game and a league-leading 4.8 blocks per contest.
- Three players average double-figures for BYU, led by freshman Shaylee Gonzalez at 16.4 points per game. Paisley Johnson and Brenna Chase add 14.7 and 12.3 points per game, respectively.
- Five players average at least four rebounds per contest, led by Sara Hamson with 5.8 per contest. Hamson also leads BYU with 78 blocks on the season, good for 2.6 per contest.
- After dropping three straight contests from Jan. 31-Feb. 7, the Cougars are on a seven-game win streak dating back to Feb. 9. BYU has averaged 72.9 points per game and have won by an average of 10.6 points per contest.
- BYU is one of the tallest teams in the WCC, with eight players six feet or taller (with the tallest coming in at 6-foot-7), with 11 players listed as 5-foot-10 or taller.
- In the last meeting, BYU took an early 24-13 lead behind six first-quarter treys. GU clawed its way back, and with 6:39 to go in the fourth, Rice converted an old-fashioned three-point play, scoring the layup in traffic and sinking the ensuing free throw to bring the Zags within three (59-56). With seconds to go, GU fouled BYU's Paisley Johnson, and the sophomore converted both free throws to seal the 66-64 win.
 
ZAGS IN THE WCC TOURNAMENT
- The Bulldogs secured the No. 1 seed for the 13th time in program history when they clinched the outright WCC regular-season title with a 68-58 win over Loyola Marymount on March 2. Santa Clara has been the number one seed five times, the next highest total.
- The Zags are 27-4 all-time as the No. 1 seed.
- Gonzaga has reached the title game 12 times as the No. 1 seed and has never won the championship as anything but a No. 1 seed. Since the tournament moved to Las Vegas in 2009, Gonzaga has won seven of the 10 titles.
- Gonzaga is 29-17 all-time in the WCC tournament with eight titles in 13 finals appearances. The Bulldogs won their first tournament title in 2007 with a 64-47 win over Loyola Marymount; including the win in 2007, Gonzaga has won eight of the last 12 WCC tournament titles including the last two straight.
- The Bulldogs are currently on a seven-game win streak in the WCC tournament.
- Lisa Fortier is 8-2 all-time in WCC tournament games with title-game appearances in three of her first five seasons (2017, 2018, 2019). Fortier carries a 2-0 record in WCC tournament title games.
- In GU's 13 title game appearances, it has faced every WCC opponent except San Francisco and Pacific.
               - vs. BYU              (1-1)
               - vs. LMU             (1-1)
               - vs. PEPP            (1-0)
               - vs. POR              (0-1)
               - vs. SMC             (1-0)
               - vs. USD              (2-1)
               - vs. SCU              (0-1)
 
KEEP ON CLIMBING
On March 11, Gonzaga climbed to No. 12 in the AP Poll. It marks the highest ranking the Bulldogs have ever had in the AP Poll, and it ties the program's highest ranking in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll.