16/16 GONZAGA (14-1, 3-0 WCC) vs. SAINT MARY'S (9-6, 4-0 WCC)
JAN. 9 | 6 P.M. | SPOKANE, WASH. | McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER 
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THE TIP-OFF
- Gonzaga will look to improve to 15-1 overall on the season Thursday against Saint Mary's. With a win, Gonzaga will post a 15-1 start to the season for the second time in program history and the second-straight season. 
- The Zags' current 14-1 mark ties for the best start in program history.
- GU is currently on an 12-game win streak, the longest of the season so far. The Bulldogs longest win streak in program history is 23 games, a feat they accomplished from Dec. 10, 2004 to March 6, 2005. The longest recent streak is 15-straight victories which occurred between Dec. 17, 2017 and Feb. 8, 2018.
- Gonzaga broke into the Associated Press Top 25 poll at No. 23 following a 76-70 overtime loss at Stanford on Nov. 17. This week, GU moved up one spot in the Associated Press Top 25 at No. 16 while moving up one spot in the Coaches Poll to No. 16. It's the highest ranking for the Zags this season. Previously, GU reached it highest ranking in history during the 2018-19 season at No. 12/11.
- Thursday will be the seventh time in program history that the Zags have played on Jan. 9. The Bulldogs carry an even 3-3 record on the date. Gonzaga collected its first win on Jan. 9 during the 2009-10 season with a 90-54 rout of Portland at home. The Zags are currently on a three-game win streak on the date.
- Gonzaga currently ranks second in the nation in percent attendance capacity. The Zags average 93.18 percent capacity; that's an average of 5,630 fans that fill McCarthey Athletic Center every game.  
- The Bulldogs also rank inside the top 10 in the nation in scoring defense; Gonzaga limits its opponents to 52.6 points per contest to lead the WCC and rank seventh in the nation.
- Gonzaga returns two starters and seven letter-winners from last season's squad that claimed the Zags' third consecutive and 15th overall West Coast Conference regular season title.
- In 2018-19, the Bulldogs advanced to their third-straight NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Second Round.

SCOUTING THE GAELS
- Saint Mary's returns 10 players from last season's squad that finished tied for third in the WCC and advanced to the WNIT for its 10th-consecutive postseason berth.
- The Gaels were selected to finish fourth in the WCC, just two votes shy of Pacific in third.
- Through 15 games this season, Saint Mary's carries a 9-6 overall record with an unblemished 4-0 mark in WCC play. Currently, SMC is on a five-game win streak and has won seven of its last nine games.
- SMC is 4-0 to start conference play for the first time since the 2014-15 season.
- As a squad, the Gaels average 76.4 points per game to lead the WCC shooting 45.7 percent from the floor to rank second behind Gonzaga. The Gaels also give up an average of 72.8 points per contest to rank second-to-last in the conference.
- Four players average double-figures for the Gaels, led by Emily Codding at 16.1 points per game shooting 55.2 percent from the floor. Codding has recorded six double-doubles on the season, including a career-high 29 points and 14 rebounds against Loyola Marymount on Jan. 4. Sam Simons, a preseason All-WCC selection, averages 15.9 while Madeline Holland and Taycee Wedin add 13.7 and 12.5 points per game, respectively.
- Saint Mary's averages an even 40.0 rebounds per contest to rank fifth in the WCC, and the Gaels average a +5.9 rebounding margin to rank tied-for-first in the conference with Gonzaga.
- Six players haul in at least 4.0 rebounds per contest, led by Codding with 8.8 rebounds per game. That number ranks tied for third in the WCC. Claire Ferguson adds 6.6 rebounds per game (but she has only seen action in eight games so far this season), while Holland adds 4.9 and Finau Tonga adds 4.7 (but she has only seen action in three games this season).
- SMC is one of the top three-point shooting teams in the conference at 38.7 percent from long range, second only to Gonzaga (41.2 percent). Wedin leads the Gaels in three-point shooting as she ranks fifth nationally in three-pointers made per game (3.47), third in three-pointers made (52) and third in the WCC in three-point percentage (48.1). Wedin was named this week's WCC Player of the Week after scoring 38 points off 15 total shots--including a 10-of-13 performance from long range--to shoot 73.3 percent from the floor.

SHARING THE SCORE
- Through 15 games this season, three players average double-figures for Gonzaga with five players averaging over eight points per contest. The Bulldogs have had seven different top scorers this season, spanning each academic year (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior). Jenn Wirth leads the Zags in scoring at 11.1 points per game, Jill Townsend ranks second at 10.9 while Katie Campbell adds 10.6. LeeAnne Wirth adds 9.5 points per contest while Jessie Loera chips in 8.1.

DEFENSIVE STRENGTH
Currently, Gonzaga ranks seventh in the nation in scoring defense at 52.6 points per game. This season alone, Gonzaga has limited seven opponents to 50 points or fewer and 13 opponents to under 60 points. Against BYU, Gonzaga limited the Cougars to 43 points, the fewest scored by a WCC opponent since Gonzaga limited BYU to just 37 points in Spokane on Feb. 24, 2018. Gonzaga followed it up by limiting San Diego to just 42 points on Jan. 4

DISHIN' ON UP
With her fifth assist of the afternoon against Portland on Dec. 29, Jessie Loera moved into seventh all-time in career assists with 356. Loera surpassed Robin Allen (355, 1984-88). Loera now has 366 career assists after dishing out seven assists at San Diego on Jan. 4, and she is 28 assists shy of sixth place.

SHARP-SHOOTER
As of Jan. 3, Katie Campbell leads the WCC and ranks second nationally in three-point shooting percentage, shooting a killer 51.6 percent from long range. The senior guard finished 3-of-4 from long range Thursday at BYU and is now 32-of-62 this season from behind-the-arc. Campbell averages 2.3 made threes per game.

THE POWER TO ERASE
On Dec. 29 against Portland, Gonzaga found itself down 20 points to the visiting Pilots in the second quarter. GU outscored Portland 38-20 in the second half to erase the deficit and pull out the win. The 20-point deficit was the largest that the Bulldogs have erased in a victory under head coach Lisa Fortier. Gonzaga limited Portland to just four points in the final 10 minutes, the fewest points scored by an opponent in a single quarter against the Zags this season.

WCC OPENING SUCCESS
Sunday's WCC-opening victory over Portland marked the third-straight season and 15th time in the last 17 seasons the Zags have opened WCC play with a victory.