Saturday, March 23
Corvallis, OR
12:30 PM
Gonzaga University
vs
Little Rock
Photo by: Nick Tomoyasu
No. 5 Bulldogs Set for No. 12 Little Rock in First Round of NCAA Tournament
3/20/2019 4:19:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Zags face Trojans at 12:30 p.m. Saturday in Corvallis, Ore.
No. 5 GONZAGA vs. No. 12 LITTLE ROCK
MARCH 23 | 12:30 P.M. | CORVALLIS, ORE. | GILL COLISEUM
WATCH: ESPN2
RADIO: KJRB 790 AM/94.1 FM
WATCH LIVE | LIVE STATS
THE TIP-OFF
- Gonzaga returns to the NCAA Tournament for the 11th time in program history and the third-straight season. The No. 5 seed is the highest in program history for the Bulldogs.
- Before securing the No. 5 seed on Selection Monday, Gonzaga's highest previous seed was a No. 6 seed which they earned in 2014. The Bulldogs faced No. 11 James Madison in the NCAA First Round in College Station, Texas and fell 72-63 to finish the season 29-5.
- In 10 previous NCAA Tournament appearances, Gonzaga has advanced to the Elite Eight one time (2011) and the Sweet 16 on four separate occasions: 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015. GU owns an even 10-10 overall record in the NCAA Tournament.
- This will also be the second time in program history that the Zags have played the first and second rounds in Corvallis, Ore. GU had previously traveled to Corvallis for the first and second rounds in 2015. That year, the Bulldogs, an 11 seed, upset No. 6 George Washington 82-69 in the first round, followed by a 76-64 upset win over host Oregon State to advance to their fourth Sweet 16. Gonzaga fell to No. 2 Tennessee 73-69 in overtime to see its tournament run come to an end.
- Gonzaga's 27-3 regular-season record is the best in program history. The Bulldogs have finished with at least 25 wins in the regular season seven times: 2004-05 (25-2 regular-season); 2009-10 (25-4); 2010-11 (26-4); 2011-12 (25-4); 2012-13 (25-5); 2013-14 (26-4); 2018-19 (27-3).
- GU's double-overtime game against Saint Mary's in the semifinals of the WCC Tournament on March 11 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 four categories: Scoring defense (58.7 ppg, 47th nationally), scoring margin (+15.0, 19th nationally), three-point field goal percentage (37.7%) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2). The Zags also rank second in six categories: free throw percentage (76.3%), field goal percentage (45.5%), rebounding margin (+5.7), steals per game (9.1), turnover margin (+3.6) and offensive rebounding percentage (.368).
- Gonzaga is ranked for the 16th-straight week after entering the polls at No. 24/22 on Dec. 3. Gonzaga moved up to No. 12 in the AP Poll and No. 11 in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll during the WCC Tournament in Las Vegas March 11-12. The Zags' No. 11 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. GU's 28 wins ties for the third-most all-time in program history.
YEAR RECORD
2011-12 28-6
2004-05 28-4
2018-19 28-4
2009-10 29-5
2013-14 29-5
2010-11 31-5
- 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: First Meeting
Series Notes: This will also be Gonzaga's first meeting with any of the current members of the Sun Belt, including: Appalachian State, UALR, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Louisiana, Louisiana-Monroe, South Alabama, UT Arlington, Texas State and Troy.
SCOUTING UALR:
- UALR carries a 20-10 overall record and shared the regular-season Sun Belt title with UT-Arlington with a 15-3 conference record.
- The Trojans are hot off a 57-56 Sun Belt Tournament Championship win over South Alabama to clinch their second-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.
- Currently, Little Rock is on a five-game win streak. Aside from back-to-back losses Feb. 16 and Feb. 23, UALR has won 14 of their last 16 games.
- As a squad, UALR averages 61.9 points per game shooting 43.4 percent from the floor and 33.0 percent from long range. The Trojans average 33.0 rebounds per game, 13.9 assists per game and 14.0 turnovers.
- Though Little Rock's scoring offense ranked 11th in the Sun Belt, its scoring defense led the conference as it limited opponents to 56.6 points per game, good for 22nd in the nation.
- Two players average double figures for the Trojans, led by Ronjanae DeGray at 14.6 points per game. Kyra Collier adds 14.5 points per game.
- DeGray also leads UALR in rebounding, collecting 6.9 per contest while Raeyana DeGray adds 5.4 per game. Collier also averages 5.0 rebounds per game.
- Three Trojans earned All-Sun Belt recognition, led by Ronjanae DeGray as Co-Sun Belt Player of the Year. DeGray also collected First Team All-Sun Belt honors as well as was named to the Sun Belt All-Tournament team. Collier picked up All-Sun Belt Second Team honors, and she was named the Sun Belt Tournament Most Outstanding Player after averaging 23.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists through two tournament games. Tori Lasker rounded out the all-conference performers as she was named to the All-Sun Belt Third Team.
- UALR relies heavily on its starting five as Collier, Ronjanae DeGray, Raeyana DeGray, Terrion Moore and Lasker each average over 28 minutes a game, and all but Lasker average at least 31 minutes a game. In their last game against South Alabama in the Sun Belt Tournament Championship, Collier and Moore each played a full 40 minutes, Lasker added 39 minutes, Ronjanae DeGray finished with 38 minutes played while Raeyana DeGray played 30 minutes.
ZAGS WCC TOURNAMENT RECAP
- 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 27-5 all-time as the No. 1 seed.
- Gonzaga advanced to the WCC Tournament finals for the third-straight season and 14th time overall.
- 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 11 titles.
- Gonzaga is 29-18 all-time in the WCC tournament with eight titles in 14 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 13 WCC tournament titles.
- GU's 82-68 loss to BYU on March 12 snapped a seven-game win streak for the Bulldogs in the WCC Tournament.
- Lisa Fortier is 8-3 all-time in WCC tournament games with title-game appearances in three of her first five seasons (2017, 2018, 2019). Fortier carries a 2-1 record in WCC tournament title games.
- In GU's 14 title game appearances, it has faced every WCC opponent except San Francisco and Pacific.
- vs. BYU (1-2)
- vs. LMU (1-1)
- vs. PEP (1-0)
- vs. POR (0-1)
- vs. SMC (2-0)
- vs. USD (3-1)
- 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. The next day, on March 12, GU was tabbed as No. 11 in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches poll. That marks the highest ranking in either poll in program history.
ZYKERA RICE ECLIPSES 1,000 CAREER POINTS
With her first basket of the game against BYU on March 12, Zykera Rice reached 1,000 career points and became just the 23rd Zag in program history to score at least 1,000 points. The senior currently has 1,023 career points to rank 22nd in program history.
CAMPBELL SHOOTS HER WAY INTO THE TOP 10
Junior guard Katie Campbell broke into the top 10 in program history for threes made in a single season with 58. Campbell's 58 treys surpassed Shannon Mathews' mark of 57 made threes during the 2004-05 season for 10th place all-time. Jessica Malone owns the top three spots with 90, 78 and 77 made threes during the 2001-02, 1999-00 and 2000-01 seasons, respectively.
ALL-WEST COAST CONFERENCE ACCOLADES
- For the fifth time in program history and the first time since 2011, three Bulldogs earned first team all-WCC accolades. Zykera Rice, Laura Stockton and Chandler Smith each picked up First Team All-WCC honors for the first time in their careers.
- Head Coach Lisa Fortier picked up her fourth career WCC Coach of the Year honor. It marks the fourth time in her first five years she's earned the award, extending her own WCC record. Last season, Fortier set the record of three honors in her first four seasons.
- Jill Townsend rounded out the All-WCC honors with an honorable mention nod, the first of her career.
SPEAKING OF AWARDS...
- Five Zags earned WCC Academic All-Conference honors, led by Chandler Smith with her second straight All-Academic Team honor. Zykera Rice, Katie Campbell, Jill Townsend and Jenn Wirth all picked up All-Academic Honorable Mention nods.
FORTIER NAMED NAISMITH COACH OF THE YEAR LATE SEASON CANDIDATE
- On Feb. 27, Lisa Fortier was named one of 15 nominees for the Werner Ladder Naismith Women's Coach of the Year Late Season Candidate.
- Fortier is one of just two coaches with fewer than 10 years experience as a head coach. Both Fortier and Carolyn Kieger of Marquette are in their fifth year as a head coach.
KEEP AN EYE ON...
- Sophomore Jenn Wirth currently ranks third in field goal percentage in a single season. Wirth has converted 86-of-155 attempts to shoot 55.5 percent. In her 25 games played, that's an average of 3.4 made field goals per contest. Her 55.5 percent shooting ranks second in the conference.
SECOND IN THE NATION IN ATTENDANCE PERCENT CAPACITY
- The Gonzaga women's basketball team currently ranks second in the nation in attendance percent capacity at 93.74. This season, the Bulldogs have averaged 5,625 fans per game of the 6,000 seats in McCarthey. This season alone, Gonzaga has had four sellouts of 6,000: vs. No. 8/7 Stanford on Dec. 2; vs. Santa Clara on Jan. 24, vs. BYU on Feb. 16 and vs. Loyola Marymount on March 2. Since McCarthey opened in 2004, the women's basketball team has recorded 31 sellouts.
DUAL SUCCESSES
Both the women's and the men's basketball programs are thriving this season. Currently, the combined wins between the women (28) and the men (30) are the highest combined wins between programs in the nation with 58. New Mexico State is the next closest with 56 combined wins while Buffalo ranks third with 56 combined wins.
MARCH 23 | 12:30 P.M. | CORVALLIS, ORE. | GILL COLISEUM
WATCH: ESPN2
RADIO: KJRB 790 AM/94.1 FM
WATCH LIVE | LIVE STATS
THE TIP-OFF
- Gonzaga returns to the NCAA Tournament for the 11th time in program history and the third-straight season. The No. 5 seed is the highest in program history for the Bulldogs.
- Before securing the No. 5 seed on Selection Monday, Gonzaga's highest previous seed was a No. 6 seed which they earned in 2014. The Bulldogs faced No. 11 James Madison in the NCAA First Round in College Station, Texas and fell 72-63 to finish the season 29-5.
- In 10 previous NCAA Tournament appearances, Gonzaga has advanced to the Elite Eight one time (2011) and the Sweet 16 on four separate occasions: 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015. GU owns an even 10-10 overall record in the NCAA Tournament.
- This will also be the second time in program history that the Zags have played the first and second rounds in Corvallis, Ore. GU had previously traveled to Corvallis for the first and second rounds in 2015. That year, the Bulldogs, an 11 seed, upset No. 6 George Washington 82-69 in the first round, followed by a 76-64 upset win over host Oregon State to advance to their fourth Sweet 16. Gonzaga fell to No. 2 Tennessee 73-69 in overtime to see its tournament run come to an end.
- Gonzaga's 27-3 regular-season record is the best in program history. The Bulldogs have finished with at least 25 wins in the regular season seven times: 2004-05 (25-2 regular-season); 2009-10 (25-4); 2010-11 (26-4); 2011-12 (25-4); 2012-13 (25-5); 2013-14 (26-4); 2018-19 (27-3).
- GU's double-overtime game against Saint Mary's in the semifinals of the WCC Tournament on March 11 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 four categories: Scoring defense (58.7 ppg, 47th nationally), scoring margin (+15.0, 19th nationally), three-point field goal percentage (37.7%) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2). The Zags also rank second in six categories: free throw percentage (76.3%), field goal percentage (45.5%), rebounding margin (+5.7), steals per game (9.1), turnover margin (+3.6) and offensive rebounding percentage (.368).
- Gonzaga is ranked for the 16th-straight week after entering the polls at No. 24/22 on Dec. 3. Gonzaga moved up to No. 12 in the AP Poll and No. 11 in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll during the WCC Tournament in Las Vegas March 11-12. The Zags' No. 11 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. GU's 28 wins ties for the third-most all-time in program history.
YEAR RECORD
2011-12 28-6
2004-05 28-4
2018-19 28-4
2009-10 29-5
2013-14 29-5
2010-11 31-5
- 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: First Meeting
Series Notes: This will also be Gonzaga's first meeting with any of the current members of the Sun Belt, including: Appalachian State, UALR, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Louisiana, Louisiana-Monroe, South Alabama, UT Arlington, Texas State and Troy.
SCOUTING UALR:
- UALR carries a 20-10 overall record and shared the regular-season Sun Belt title with UT-Arlington with a 15-3 conference record.
- The Trojans are hot off a 57-56 Sun Belt Tournament Championship win over South Alabama to clinch their second-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.
- Currently, Little Rock is on a five-game win streak. Aside from back-to-back losses Feb. 16 and Feb. 23, UALR has won 14 of their last 16 games.
- As a squad, UALR averages 61.9 points per game shooting 43.4 percent from the floor and 33.0 percent from long range. The Trojans average 33.0 rebounds per game, 13.9 assists per game and 14.0 turnovers.
- Though Little Rock's scoring offense ranked 11th in the Sun Belt, its scoring defense led the conference as it limited opponents to 56.6 points per game, good for 22nd in the nation.
- Two players average double figures for the Trojans, led by Ronjanae DeGray at 14.6 points per game. Kyra Collier adds 14.5 points per game.
- DeGray also leads UALR in rebounding, collecting 6.9 per contest while Raeyana DeGray adds 5.4 per game. Collier also averages 5.0 rebounds per game.
- Three Trojans earned All-Sun Belt recognition, led by Ronjanae DeGray as Co-Sun Belt Player of the Year. DeGray also collected First Team All-Sun Belt honors as well as was named to the Sun Belt All-Tournament team. Collier picked up All-Sun Belt Second Team honors, and she was named the Sun Belt Tournament Most Outstanding Player after averaging 23.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists through two tournament games. Tori Lasker rounded out the all-conference performers as she was named to the All-Sun Belt Third Team.
- UALR relies heavily on its starting five as Collier, Ronjanae DeGray, Raeyana DeGray, Terrion Moore and Lasker each average over 28 minutes a game, and all but Lasker average at least 31 minutes a game. In their last game against South Alabama in the Sun Belt Tournament Championship, Collier and Moore each played a full 40 minutes, Lasker added 39 minutes, Ronjanae DeGray finished with 38 minutes played while Raeyana DeGray played 30 minutes.
ZAGS WCC TOURNAMENT RECAP
- 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 27-5 all-time as the No. 1 seed.
- Gonzaga advanced to the WCC Tournament finals for the third-straight season and 14th time overall.
- 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 11 titles.
- Gonzaga is 29-18 all-time in the WCC tournament with eight titles in 14 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 13 WCC tournament titles.
- GU's 82-68 loss to BYU on March 12 snapped a seven-game win streak for the Bulldogs in the WCC Tournament.
- Lisa Fortier is 8-3 all-time in WCC tournament games with title-game appearances in three of her first five seasons (2017, 2018, 2019). Fortier carries a 2-1 record in WCC tournament title games.
- In GU's 14 title game appearances, it has faced every WCC opponent except San Francisco and Pacific.
- vs. BYU (1-2)
- vs. LMU (1-1)
- vs. PEP (1-0)
- vs. POR (0-1)
- vs. SMC (2-0)
- vs. USD (3-1)
- 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. The next day, on March 12, GU was tabbed as No. 11 in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches poll. That marks the highest ranking in either poll in program history.
ZYKERA RICE ECLIPSES 1,000 CAREER POINTS
With her first basket of the game against BYU on March 12, Zykera Rice reached 1,000 career points and became just the 23rd Zag in program history to score at least 1,000 points. The senior currently has 1,023 career points to rank 22nd in program history.
CAMPBELL SHOOTS HER WAY INTO THE TOP 10
Junior guard Katie Campbell broke into the top 10 in program history for threes made in a single season with 58. Campbell's 58 treys surpassed Shannon Mathews' mark of 57 made threes during the 2004-05 season for 10th place all-time. Jessica Malone owns the top three spots with 90, 78 and 77 made threes during the 2001-02, 1999-00 and 2000-01 seasons, respectively.
ALL-WEST COAST CONFERENCE ACCOLADES
- For the fifth time in program history and the first time since 2011, three Bulldogs earned first team all-WCC accolades. Zykera Rice, Laura Stockton and Chandler Smith each picked up First Team All-WCC honors for the first time in their careers.
- Head Coach Lisa Fortier picked up her fourth career WCC Coach of the Year honor. It marks the fourth time in her first five years she's earned the award, extending her own WCC record. Last season, Fortier set the record of three honors in her first four seasons.
- Jill Townsend rounded out the All-WCC honors with an honorable mention nod, the first of her career.
SPEAKING OF AWARDS...
- Five Zags earned WCC Academic All-Conference honors, led by Chandler Smith with her second straight All-Academic Team honor. Zykera Rice, Katie Campbell, Jill Townsend and Jenn Wirth all picked up All-Academic Honorable Mention nods.
FORTIER NAMED NAISMITH COACH OF THE YEAR LATE SEASON CANDIDATE
- On Feb. 27, Lisa Fortier was named one of 15 nominees for the Werner Ladder Naismith Women's Coach of the Year Late Season Candidate.
- Fortier is one of just two coaches with fewer than 10 years experience as a head coach. Both Fortier and Carolyn Kieger of Marquette are in their fifth year as a head coach.
KEEP AN EYE ON...
- Sophomore Jenn Wirth currently ranks third in field goal percentage in a single season. Wirth has converted 86-of-155 attempts to shoot 55.5 percent. In her 25 games played, that's an average of 3.4 made field goals per contest. Her 55.5 percent shooting ranks second in the conference.
SECOND IN THE NATION IN ATTENDANCE PERCENT CAPACITY
- The Gonzaga women's basketball team currently ranks second in the nation in attendance percent capacity at 93.74. This season, the Bulldogs have averaged 5,625 fans per game of the 6,000 seats in McCarthey. This season alone, Gonzaga has had four sellouts of 6,000: vs. No. 8/7 Stanford on Dec. 2; vs. Santa Clara on Jan. 24, vs. BYU on Feb. 16 and vs. Loyola Marymount on March 2. Since McCarthey opened in 2004, the women's basketball team has recorded 31 sellouts.
DUAL SUCCESSES
Both the women's and the men's basketball programs are thriving this season. Currently, the combined wins between the women (28) and the men (30) are the highest combined wins between programs in the nation with 58. New Mexico State is the next closest with 56 combined wins while Buffalo ranks third with 56 combined wins.
| 1. | Gonzaga | 58 |
| 2. | New Mexico State | 56 |
| 3. | Buffalo | 54 |
| 4. | Belmont | 53 |
| Mississippi State | 53 | |
| 6. | Kentucky | 51 |
| Drake | 51 | |
| 8. | South Dakota State | 50 |
| Baylor | 50 | |
| Marquette | 50 |
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's BasketballThursday, March 28
Monday, March 25
Sunday, March 24
Saturday, March 23
